Show 4 copyright 1905 by daily story pub co mayme winslow had a decided aver aion to seeing the localities of a strange city and always declined em hati cally to go through any ansti gutlon by way of sight seeing there tore U was with rather an ill grace that she was accompanying her father iwho was bound on a tour of inspection ato the soldiers home having been re appointed on the board of trus tees the winsome young girl looked very pretty if petulant as she came into the office of the commandant of the home there were some books and papers her father wanted to examine first of all this will be very uninteresting tor you suggested the commandant to mayme would you not like to go through the grounds and see the gar adens mayme acquiesced quite readily I 1 will get you an escort he said leaving the room when he returned he was accompanied by a young mat miss winslow let me introduce aleut loranger he will be pleased to show you about mayme glanced up expecting to see bome grizzled veteran A flush of sur jerise suffused her face as she beheld IB tall stalwart youth of fine corn mand and appearance As she walked beside him down the winding drive way leading to the gardens she BUS bained her part of a light conversation but she wondered the while what he was doing in this institution I 1 supposed she ruminated that all the inmates were soldiers of the war too old or too incapacitated to work I 1 never thought of the span ish american war soldiers but of course they could come but I 1 think they were in service long enough to get disabled I 1 should think he would be ashamed to loaf around a home when he is young and active maybe he was wounded in pursuance of this train of thought she said aloud I 1 suppose you were in cuba aleut loranger yes and later in the philippines I 1 jiahe recently come fram there were you wounded 9 no he said smiling I 1 was in numerous engagements but coulden couldn t get hit were you 1119 she persisted yes I 1 had a fever in manila that accounts tor it she thought II 11 bet he gets a pension too do you know she continued aloud 1 I had forgotten about any of the young soldiers being here I 1 thought it was just a home for old men civil war soldiers you know A slight flush came into his face there are a few of the spanish american war soldiers here he said of course none of us would be here from choice quickly mayme s slight contempt turned to warm pity no I 1 am sure of that she said sympathetically and then she tact fully turned the subject when she reached the rose garden he bade her pick any flowers she chose oh are you allowed to pick them she asked in surprise the colonel would expect me to pick you some certainly he replied with the quick flush recurring again how little tact I 1 have she thought poor fellow he evidently has not been here long and I 1 am remind ing him of his restrictions just as it he were a convict you don t seem like the typical visitor of this institution ed that is you don i look like the kind that wants to be shown around the river is but a short distance from here would you not like to go for a rowa indeed I 1 would she replied quickly in the hour that followed their con ver gation was bright and sparkling sustained her part of a light conversation she found the young officer thorough ly conversant with the ways ot her world why I 1 had no idea it was so late he exclaimed suddenly as she looked at her tiny watch and named the hour it s the luncheon hour at the home or dinner I 1 believe they call it we knust return at once well I 1 feared we had lost you f both was the colonels laughing remark as the lieutenant and mayme entered dinner Is just about to be served mayme walked into the family din ing room where she saw that covers were laid for the commandant his bite a major connected with the in ution her father and herself I 1 suppose poor aleut loranger has to eat with the other inmates in the big dining room she thought I 1 think they might have asked him to dine with us under the circum stances As she was about to take her seat the lieutenant entered I 1 have to go to the city now he said but of course you will be here on my return miss winslow and I 1 should like to take you tor a drive while your father and the colonel are transacting business mayme accepted this invitation and the young lieutenant departed immediately after dinner mr winslow re calved a telegram which necessitated his leaving for home at once mayme found herself very loath to leave with out again seeing aleut loranger and he was quite uppermost in her thoughts on the way home the next day her recollections of him were still this makes us even vivid enough to induce her to send him a package of new books accod danied by a little note expressing her regret at missing the ride she received a prompt and cespon sive reply from him informing her that he contemplated paying a visit to mrs mordaunt who lived in mayme s vicin ity in a few days and he hoped to be allowed to renew their acquaintance by chance bhe met mrs mordaunt on the street that very afternoon and that lady invited her to a lawn fete she was to give tor the young lieuten ant the following week the night of his arrival in the city mayme came into the library in response to his card which the maid had brought to her I 1 owe you an apology she said with a smile as she took his out stretched hand mrs mordaunt tells me you are a united states army of fleer home on a furlough and a brother in law of the commandant of the home it Is I 1 who should apologize and explain when it dawned upon me that you thought I 1 was an inmate a most natural inference I 1 was so taken by surprise I 1 did not explain I 1 felt that ou were secretly feeling con tempt for my feigning inability to work and then suddenly when I 1 told you I 1 had been ill your manner chang ed so completely and you were so sym pathetic that I 1 feared a disclosure might change your demeanor again I 1 had an appointment at the club at the dinner hour so I 1 decided to ask you to drive and then undeceive you as to my status at the home when I 1 returned you had gone and I 1 was afraid I 1 should never see you again then the books came and your very tactful kind note which made me feel like an impostor I 1 as the more anxious to see again one who would be so kind to a poor indigent soldier as you thought me so I 1 accepted a long standing invitation from mrs mordaunt in order to tell you this walt she cried her face redden ing painfully I 1 am the imposter at dinner that day after you had gone I 1 made a casual remark concerning you which disclosed my error and de lighted your sister and the colonel who told me all about you they promised me not to mention the mat ter to you however I 1 thought to heap coals of fire on your head by sending you the gift of books and so force you to fess up this makes us even he laughed and we can now renew our acquaint ance on the right basis I 1 shall keep your gift of charity however |