The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-03-24


charm you have, no matter how you
try to hide it and how much power,
no matter how little you choose to
use 1t. And I've seen you with chill
dren-your patience and your wisdom
and. your loving. kindness. Philip
Starr has done wonderful things for
the place-and the w0man-he loved
by his DEATH But they're nothing
to what you can do for the place and
the man you may lovely your life
If you only will"
The girl rose suddenly and turned
away from him. Gale crossed to her
quickly, and put his hand on her
shoulder.
80 you refused Thomas Gray?" he
asked quietly.
eyes. There was never any ques-
ton of Thomas"
'Or of me?"
"Yes, there was some question Of
you. thought you knew that"
"Will-could you answer it any diff
ferently now?"
"No."
"Or ever. do you thinkT'
mo. I'm sure never could"
"Then how are you going to answer
Paul when he comes home?"
paul isn't ever coming home" said
Mary steadily-so steadily. in fact,
that a man who knew her less we'll
than Gale Hamlin did would have
been completely deceived by her tone.
"What happened. Mary?" he asked
gently. please tell me-"
"He was wounded last May" she
said in hard voice. "Not seriously.
Cousin Violet had letter. written by
Paul himself I'm the hospital. saying
the wound was just scratch-that
he'd be out again for the next big
scrap"
"Yes."
"He was. He was at Belleau Wood
and Chateau-Thierry. Then he was
listed as Prisoner or Missing. We
haven't heard since. That was nine
months ago."
ayes"
There were very few marines taken
prisoner. We thought, after the
armistice was signed, we'd have some
word"
"And you haven't?"
"No-not a syllable. We hope-I
hope, anyway-that he was killed. It
would be much less horrible-than the
other" Then with a swift change of
tone. she exclaimed. "Don't you ever
read the Casualty lists yourself? Oh,
believe you knew all the time"
"Yes-I did. But wanted you to
tell me yourself. I've been waiting,
ever since last summer, TO see If you
wouldn't. wanted to know just how
you felt about 1t.
do you know nowY
II think do--Mary, don't you ever
bendT
"Bend?"
"Yes-because If you don't. I'm
afraid some day you're going to break.
You did. very nearly, you know. once
before. You remember the old fable
II have been doing what | could"
Gale went on. as Mary did not an
swer, ito locate your cousin ever since
found ont the situation. But. so far.
I haven't discovered anything. Now.
however. I'm starting for Europe my.
self-almost Immediately. Until now.
it has seemed as If could be most
useful here. am glad that at last
there appear to be ways in which |
can help over Observation-Disclosures
Investigations don't need to tell
you There, my dear. there"
He waited patiently for the storm
to pass. stroking very gently the soft
hair about the hidden face. He wait
ed, II seemed to him. endlessly. For
Mary was weeping with the abandon
ment. the utter hopelessness. that
marks the ultimate despair of those
strong souls whose fortitude enables
them to restrain their grief until It
reaches its elimination. and the shat
tering Of whose spirit is all the more
tragic because it is so sudden. Gale
Hamlin's heart twisted in his breast
at the sight of her unrestraint and the
Thought of her agony. He knew he
was powerless to help her except by
surrounding her with the sense of his
infinite compassion. 1t was a long
time before she raised her head. and
as she did so. still far from composed.
the door was flung unceremoniously
open and Algy and Moses entered
noisily.
"The dollars all SPENT" announced
Moses.
well" said Gale, with slight sigh.
at lasted just about long enough. I
rather wish, though. | had given you
a dollar and half! VIII you take
me over and introduce me to your new
little cousinT
Mrs Elliott. who was passing the
afternoon" with Violet. saw him walk
down the cobblestone path with a
small boy on either side of him. from
her point of vantage in the North Par
lor window. Violet did not receive