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Show I Married Life the Third Year j! In Which Warren Leaves at Midnight on a Western Business Trip. BY MABEL HERBERT URNER. WaRREN h oi promised to come home early. His train left at 11 tt and listen had hoped ho could spend nan ,f the afternoon wen ae fns evening with he, But H wds after af-ter when he came. "CotlWnM got here- an -arlier." be shrugged oul of his overcoat. 'Things- came tilling In at the la.t moment- they always do. 'Jot the trunk packed?" "Tes, dear, ii's till ready." "Lets have a look at it. Here're tee papers I want put In." taking up a package ho had brought hum the Rf iee Helen followed him Into th bedroom bed-room and watched anxiously nf he took out the tray of the neatly t acked trunk. "What's this you've aot hereT' "Oh, that's your chest protector. I thought you might nave some very cold weather oul there." 'All right. Hut here, this Isn'l the way to nark n coat." taking It oul and refolding it. "Whore's that Ol her gray suit V 'Win. i didn't nut thai in dear. 1 didn't know you d wanl "n many Will you be gone long enough to need" "1 ton t know how long 1 11 be ::one. How mny times musi I loll you t Tint " But i m s ing to take thai gray suit. Brlnsr it here and I'll put it in right now Wan-en Packs Up. rrom the depths of bis olOSel Helen brought out the cra suit lie toolc jt from the hanger, folded if up and peeked it tightly In the trunk. Warren had strong caoabk hands, fie could always pack p trunk or tie up a package in more, "s' in- shape" fashion, and with mors dis 1 n t-i i and precision. than anv otic else. While Helen had packed the trunk neatly, things weir laid in "fiat." And now h" took most of them oul. roilerj ioni up tigiit and fitted them In much more compactly, "N'nw, bow about this tray'-' setting set-ting it back In the trunk and glancing glanc-ing o r it hurriedly. "You haven't left room enough for those papers they've got to go In here. 'Unit. thesr handkerchiefs can go on top of the ties, and that collar box on this side. There, that fits In all right. Now hand r.ie those papers ' Helen gave him tho package of papers pa-pers and he fitted them in where the collar box had been. "NOW, that's better," slamming down th lid. "I'll pack that suit ease after dinner. My (Jeoige. I'm tired." taking off his coat and throwing throw-ing himself on the couch v. Uli a yawn. "It's been a blamed hard day. Turn out that light there and I'll Bee if T can't get a nap before dinner." din-ner." Helen turned oui the light, threw a steamer rug over him and quietly left the room And this was his last evening with her! in a few hours he would be en his way in rallforrii-i and yet he v i s spending a part of these precious prec-ious few hours In bIi splng. She went out to sec about the dinner. din-ner. It was to he a very specia' dinner tonight, of the dishes which Warren particularly liked, and the (able was set v.ilh the best china, and silver. Rut he would probably not notice the table any more than he ha1 noticed the little blue gown Helen was wearing, the one he had once said he liked best H.-- had hardly looked at her when he came n, "It's all ready, nia."am. Shall T serve n now?" asked Delia. 'No. waft a few mom elite, relia. Mr. Curtis is so tired, lie's laid down for a. little nap. and I know he won't want, to be awakened so soon." "Dinner won't be good If It stands," grumbled Delia. "The time to serve things is when they's ready." Ill a few moments Helen stole quietly back Into the room where Warren lay One- hand was under hlB head, and the other fell limply o er tho side of the couch. Hifl hair was rumpled and his face slightly slight-ly flushed with sleep. Awakening Warren. Very softly she moved over 'o 'he couch and knelt down beside him I' was time to awaken him. bur she wanted 1dm this way, for a fow moments, ail to herself, oiie always felt very near him when lie was asleep. There La B certain helplessness helpless-ness ttbOUl a strong man when he sleeps thai always appals to thf motle r-lovt in the woman that lovee him. nd now VSTJ softly Helen touched her llp.M to bis' shoulder- then to his hair. To her his hair seemed always to hold a ftngraner .ill It own, Then mh h did not stir. ei y yon gently she kissed his neck and then his forehead. fore-head. HOW long would it he before iie would so him again like flii? Desperately Des-perately she tried to Polo to these moment;:. io f n her mind every outline of his face and form as he lay there, so she could the more vividly viv-idly have him with her In the long weeks he would be away. And his warm Bleeping breath against her cheek, andthe feel of the rough cloth of ids .oat and the silky soilness Of his t(e - she knew how It would all be with her how she would live ii ajl over again and again Suddenly he opened his eyes, stared a' Melon then yawned and stretched his arm : "I'm in -mi How lone- have I been a sleep?' "About twentj minutes, dear. Dinner's Din-ner's waiting now." ".Mi right' drowsily, again i losing Ills e e.v. "Oh but Warren, you musn't go to Bleep aagln. Ii' after 7 ami you've got vour rail case to pack after dinner. din-ner. Wild another prolonged yawn ho sal up. stretching bis arms and bringing them bach tn his shoulders with a dumb bell motion. "Jove, I was tired!'' lein who bail now sat down on the couch beside him. drew his head over to her shoulder and rested bet-cheek bet-cheek ,-ip.ninst hie. "Oh dear. DO let me purr over you a moment if may be so long before I can again.' "Well, there's not much time for purring now." looking at his watch and i hen getting up In spite of her protesting army. "I've ordered a ah for eleven thai train leaves at i I 44. ' Helen forced herself to mince over the dinner, but the little she ate almost choked her. She sKt facing the e'o.--k on ibe dining room mantel. The minute hand seemed almost to fly aroimd- and eacli moment brought nearer the dreaded hour. She had resolved that even at the parting she would eep back the learn, she would t,oI cling to him, not lei him see how fearfully sh dreaded the .separation. Not only did he bate a "scene" as he wQufi call it, but she did not want him to carry away the vision of red eyes and n swollen, tear-Stained face. She had determined, too, that she would not ask him how often he would write It always irritated him for her to try to pin him down to any promises, and she knew nothing .-.he could say would make him write a single letter more than be felt inclined. in-clined. And yet when she was helping help-ing him pack the soil rase, she could not keep back the question. "l'ear, ;. ou'll write ver;- often w on t you?" "Often an t can." "Vou know how anxious I'll be when I don't hear." ' Well I'm aroing on a business trip, you know, i ii have Bometliing to do besides write letters.'' "But if vou could only write .iusi a line sa every other day." knowing bow unwise was her persistence, yl not being able to control it. "Now, se'! herr ' bo began ha ' .sidy, but v. as Interrupted by the telephone. "That's the taxicab now." as he went to answer it. "Oh no. It's too early it CAN'T be!" cried Helen, excitedly, panic-stricken panic-stricken thai the moment of parting hal come go soon. "That s just what it is," putting up the receiver and turning hurriedly to lock and strap the suit ease. In a moment the driver came up for the trunk and dragged t noisily out to the. elevator. Warren w-as ai-read ai-read getting into bis overcoat. Now that the time had come Helen could only sta.nd by looking helplessly on. When he came to kiss bet she clung to hltn silently. "Good-bye, dear. Don't look so tragb about it. The time will pass qulckly-vril only be gone a few Weeks. Take care of J OUTSelf be a. good girl. Good-bye." He started toward the door. She Wae standing motionless where he hud loft her. With his hand on the knob he paused then turned, putting down his suit case Witn a little cry she was In his arm.- again. "There, there. Kitten, ni be back before you know it And then, half reluctant yet moved to make some eopcesKiiiis al pariing "III write often, dear every other day." |