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Show I iffc 1(33 fl SlHItO Georrfe Barr j JCi&lW CtUlC McCutcheon X --n-.wu-u. Author of "Beverly 0 V Copyright. 1906. by "Dodd. Miad S3L Company of Graustark." Etc Q I fl I. ie looked, long into her tenso face anil then muttered, with the sullen de-Bpnlr de-Bpnlr of tlio sick: "I don't know. I'vo had no word from any one." "The dispatches havo doubtless given your name. Ono of the .Chicago correspondents corre-spondents was talking about you recently. re-cently. Your father will surely write to you now." "Are you eager to have him do so? I should think you'd hato hU name. 1 can't help caring for dad, Jnue. I tried to curse him, but ho really has been good to me. I don't seo how he can hao done the things they say he's done." "There may bo n mistake." "That's good of you, dear, but you forgot your mother's statements nnd all that Illgby says-all that. Oh, I've gone over nil of It, nnd I am convinced. I wonder what has becomo of him. lie was nfrald of-of-well, there was talk of an arrest beforo I left I havo not looked at a newspaper slnco I saw the headlines that awful morning. God. how they must havo hurt you!" "I, too, havo not looked at a newspaper news-paper slnco then, Graydon," sho said simply. Ho smiled wearily, nnd there was responso in her eyes. Ho took her harid In his, nnd they at silently sldo by sldo on tho bench for half an hour, their thoughts far away, hut of one another. "Grajdon," sho said at last, "are you going to tcmnln In the nrmy'" "No; I urn through with It. My discharge dis-charge Is to be recommended. I'm disabled." dis-abled." "You will bo as strong ns ever, dear." "Do you want mo to stick to tho army? I am only a private." "You can do greater things out In the world, I know. You will bo a groat man If you don't lose heart, Graydon." "Jane, this can't no on any longer." "I can't bo a soldier, dear, and support sup-port a wlfo on the pay I get," ho said with a smile. "You shouldn't marry." "But I am going to marry," he said. "I havo decided to becomo a nurse. It Is my Intention to glvo my whole life to"- "Tho Ited Cross?" "No. Tho hospitals at homo the hospitals for the poor and homeless." Ethel Uarbln was coming through tho grounds toward them. Her fnco was clouded by n dark frown, nnd she was visibly excited. "It's all off," sho announced ns she came up. "Whero Is the usual hero?" asked Graydon. "I'm through with tho real army. They'vo dismissed me. That Is, father and mother have. They are driving me to tho' Salvation Army," she exclaimed, ex-claimed, seating herself beside Graydon. Gray-don. "I wish I wero Jane nnd my own mistress." "Dear me, Ethel, what an ambition!" said June. "What has happened to upset yju so?" "Father has." "I should have asked who, not what." "I supposo they expect mo to marry a Salvation Army mnu. They say nar-ry nar-ry Isn't good enough. I think ho Is a very moral young man." "HatryT Who is Harry?" "Why, Lavcn't you heard? Harry Soper. I'm engaged to him." "Tho lieutenant?" "Certainly. He's going to bo promoted, pro-moted, though, If ho ever gets on tho flrlug Hue. It's not his fault that ho has to do duty In tho walled city. He's uculns to get out nnd light. Hut father" Hero b'uo paused, her lips coming together with n flrmncsa that boded ill. "Colonel Hnrbln doesn't approve?" "No. Ho says Harry is a 'llttlo pup.' It's outrageous, Jane." "Don't cry, dear. Tho world is full of men." "Not for me," said Ethel dolefully. Tvo picked Harry out of a hundred or more, and I think my discrimination discrimina-tion ought to bo considered. I'm the ono to bo satisfied. Father lias no" "Hut how about thnt young fellow back lu New York? You used to say ho was tho only one." "Ho Is tho only one In New York. But look how far off ho is! It takes weeks for his letters to get to me." "Hut ho writes overy day." "Harry telephones overy day. I tell you, Jane, tho volco has n good deal to do with It. You llko to hear n fellow say nice things. It bents Ink all to pieces. It will go hard with him perhaps, per-haps, but bo's young. Ho'U get over it." "You oro young too. That is why you navo got over ueorgo." "I'm not ns young ns I was. But I'vo decided on Harry. If father doesn't let us get married right away I'm liable lia-ble to get over him too. It's silly doing that all the time. Ono might never get married, you know. Hut father Is Arm. no says I can't, and he says he'll kick Iarry Into the mlddlo of next summer. Father says I shall not marry Into the regular army. Ho says they don't make good husbands. I've got tho Joko on him, though. He appealed to mother, and she forgot herself and said tho same thing. They wen quar. reling about It when I left the hotel. It was an awful Jar to father. For two cents I'd elope with Hurry." "It would lie pretty dliricutt for an officer on duty to elope, don't you think?" asked raydon, nmuscd. "Not if ha loved tho girl. He doei too. But I haven't told you tho worst Mother says I am being absolutely spoiled out hero In Manila, nnd sho says flatly that she's going to ta'to mo back to tho States. Isn't It awful?" "Back to tho fellow in New York?" smiled Jane encouragingly. Ethel thought for a moment, nnd n denr little smile came Into her troubled eyes. "I hopo ho hasn't gone and fallen In love with some other girl," sho said. It was true, as Jano soon learned, that Mrs. Harbin had concluded to return re-turn to tho United Statei with Ethel. Jane's aunt had grown Immeasurably tired of Manila and perhaps a llttlo more tired of tho colonel. It was she who aroused tho colonel's antipathy to llttlo Lieutenant Soper. Sho dwelt upon tho dlro misfortune that was possible pos-sible If Ethel continued to bask In the society of "those young ninnies." The colonel developed n towering rago and a great fear that Ethel might becomo fatally contaminated beforo she could be whisked off of tho 'Island. It was decided that Mrs. Harbin nnd Ethel should return to tho United States soon after tho first of March to take up their residence lu New York city. "Mother wants to be a soldier's widow on parole," sniffed Ethel, almost al-most audibly enough for her father's ears. Mrs. Uarbln at once 'Informed Jano that she was expected to return with them. Sho demurred at first, purely for the sake of appcarauces, but In tho end agreed to tender her resignation to tho Red Cross society. The knowledge that Graydon Banscmcr's dlschargo was soon forthcoming nnd that he Intended In-tended to return to America in tho spring had moro to do with this decision deci-sion than she was willing to admit Sho therefore announced her ambition to becomo a trained nurse and gavo no heed to Mrs. Harbin's Insinuating smile. Letters of late from Mrs. Cable bad been urging her to return to Chicago. David Cable was far from well, breaking break-ing fast and ho was wearing out his heart In silent longing for her return. Ho wroto to her himself that he expected ex-pected to retire from active business early In the" year aud that his tlmo and fortune from that day on would bo devoted de-voted to his family. He held out attractive at-tractive visions of travel, of residence abroad, of endless pleasure which they could enjoy together. Jano had written to them that she would not llvo In Chicago any place elso lu tho world, sho said and they understood. There was no word of James Banscmcr in all these letters. She wns always daughter to them, and they wero father and mother. Graydon Bnnsemer one day received three letters, all from Chicago, ne knew tho handwriting on the envelope of each. Three men had written to him his father, Ellas Droom and Rig-by. Rig-by. A dark scowl came over his face as he looked at the Rlgby envelopo.' It was tho first letter that he opened and read. Jano was sitting near by watching watch-ing the expression on his face. "It's from Itlgby," he said us he finished. "What does he say?" she asked anxiously, anx-iously, i "Ho says ho Is my devoted friend for life," replied Graydon bitterly "I ennnot forget, though, Jane. He Is not the sort of friend I want." "Ho thought It was for the best. Gray dou." ' "Yes. mid ho may hnve thought be was my friend too. This letter says ns much. Hut I llko nu enemy better, dear. You know what to expect of nil enemy nt all times. Here's one from Ellas Droom-old Ellas." Droom scrawled n few words of cheer to the young soldier, urging him not to re-enlist, re-enlist, but to couie homo nt tbe end of his two years, no inclosed a letter from Mr. Clegg, lu which that gentleman gentle-man promised to put Graydon In charge of their Now York office If ho would tako tho place. This news sent his spirits bounding. Tears of a gratefulness grate-fulness ho never expected to feel sprang to his eyes. Jane's happiness I was a reflection of his own. James Hansoiner's letter was not read aloud to Jano. When ho had finished the perusal of the long eplstlo ho folded fold-ed It aud stuck it nvny In his pocket His eyes rceuied a bit wistful nnd Ills face drawn, but there vns no word to let her know what had been written by tho man who had denounced her. "Ho Is well," wns all ho said. Ho did not (ell her thnt his father had urged him to go Into business In tho rtilllpDlnes. saving that ho would uro- viao ample means wltn which to begin and carry on any cntcrprlso ho cared to exploit One paragraph cut Graydon to the quick: "I'd ndvNo you to utecr clear of Chicago. Chi-cago. If they don't kill you lu tho Philippines Phil-ippines you'ro better off there. They hate us here." CHAPTER XXVII. "IZZr IARLY in March a great H' k transport sailed from Ma-rttt Ma-rttt nlla bay laden with sick MyJ-j- and dlBablcJ soldiers the 'JMfc lame, tho healthless nnd tho mad. It was not a merry shipload, although hundreds were rejolclng'ln the escape from tbe hardships of life in tho Islands. Graydon Gray-don Hausemcr was among them, weak and distrustful of his own future, albeit al-beit ii medal of honor aud the prospect of n'.i excellent position were ahead of him. His discharge was assured. He had served his country briefly, but well, nnd ho was not loath to rest on his Insignificant In-significant laurels and to tcspect the memory of tho Impulse which had driven htm Into service. In his heart ho felt that tlmo would mnke him as strong as ever, dcsplto tho ugly senr lu his side. It was a question with him, howovcr, whether time could revive tho amblton that had been smothered during the first days of despair. Ho looked ahead with keen Inquiry, speculating specu-lating on tho uucertulu whirl of for tuuo's wheel. Jane was obduracy Itself lu respect to his pleadings. A certain light In her eyes had at last brought conviction to his soul. He began to fear, with a mighty pain, that sho would not retreat re-treat from tho stand sho bad taken. She went on board with Mrs. Uarbln Uar-bln and Ethel. There' were other wives on board who had found temporary tem-porary releasu from irksome but voluntary volun-tary enlistment Jane's resignation from the Red Cross society deprived her of the privileges which would have permitted her to see much of Graydon. They wero kept separated by tho transport's regulations he was a common com-mon soldier, sho of the officers' mess. The restrictions were cruel and relentless. relent-less. They saw but little of ono another an-other during tho thirty days, but their thoughts were busy with the days to come. Graydon grew stronger and more confident as the ship forged nearer near-er to the Golden Gate, Jane more wistful wist-ful and resigned to the new purpose which was to glvo life another color-tug. color-tug. If possible. They were but one day out from Sun Francisco when he found the opportunity to converse with her as sho passed through the quarters of the luckless ouos. "Jane, I won't take no for an answer this time," he whispered eagerly. "You must coiibeut Do you want to ruin both of our lives?" "Why will you persist Graydon? You know I cannot" "You can. Couslder me us well us yourself. I want you. Isn't that enough? You can't ask for moro love than I will give. Tomorrow we'll bo on shore. I havo many things to do beforo I am liberty to go my way. Won't yon wait for me? It won't be long. Wo can be married In San Francisco. Fran-cisco. Mr. nnd Mrs. Cable nre to meet you. Tell them, dearest, that you want to go home with inc. The homo won't bo lu Chicago, but It will bo homo Just the same." "Dear Graydon, 1 am sorry, 1 am heartsick, but I cannot, 1 dure not." Graydon Hnnsemer was n man as nell as n lover. Ho gavo utterance to a perfectly manlike expression, coming from the, bottom of his tried soul: "It's d d nonsense, Jane!" Ho said It so feelingly that she smiled even us sho shook her head mid moved awny. "I'll see you tomorrow on shore?" ho called, repentant and anxious. "Yes!" Tho next day they landed, Grnydon waved an anxious farewell to her as bo was hurried off with the lame, tbe bait nnd tho blind. He saw David C'n. 'bio and his wife on the pier, and In splto of himself he could not repel mi eager, half fearful glance through the crowd of faces. Although ho did not oxpect his father to meet him, he dreaded the thought that ho might be there, after nil. To his 'surprise, as he stood waiting with his comrades ho saw David Cable turn suddenly nnd after n moment's hesitation wnve his hand to him, the utmost friendship In his now haggard face. Ills heart thumped Joyously nt this sign of nmlty, As the soldiers moved awny Cable paused and looked after him, a grim though compassionate expression Is. his eyes. Ho and Jane wero ready to confront con-front tho customs officers. "I wonder If ho knows about tits rather," uiuccd he. .inne iiui.ht h.r breath nud looked nt him with something some-thing llko terror In her eyes. Ho abruptly changed the subject, deploring his InpMi Into the past from which they wero trying to shield her. The following morning Grnydon received re-ceived u note from Cable, a frank but carefully worded message, In which ho wns Invited to take, the trip east lu the (ill vale car of tho president of tho Pacific, Lakes and Atlantic. Mrs. Cable Ca-ble Joined her husband In tho Invitation. Invita-tion. One of the oro spots In Gray-don's Gray-don's couscleuco was healed by this exhibition of kindness. Morevar, Cat i bio stated thnt his party would delay departure uutll Grny don's papers wero passed upon nnd ho was freo from red tnpo restrictions. Tho young mnu ou landing sent telegrams tele-grams to his father nnd Ellas Droom, tho latter having nsked him to notify him as soon 'as ho reached San Francisco. Fran-cisco. Graydon was not a little puzzled puz-zled by tho fact that the old clerk seemed strangely nt vnrlancu with his father In respect to tho future. In both telegrams ho announced that ho would start cast as soon as possible. Thoro was a letter from Droom awaiting him at headquarters. It wns brief, but It specifically urged him to accept tho plnco proposed by Mr. Clegg and reiterated his pressing command com-mand to tho young man to stop for a few days In Chicago. In broad and characteristically uncouth sentences ho assured him that while tho city held no grudgo against him nud that tho young meu would welcomo him with open arms his groundless fears to tho contrary ho would ndvlso him to choose Now York. Thoro wns ono rather sentimental allusion to "old Broadway" aud another to "Gren-nltch," "Gren-nltch," as ho wroto It In conclusion, ho asked him to coruo to tho office, which was still lu tho U building, adding that If ho wished to avoid tho nowspaper men ho could find seclusion at the old rooms in Wells street. "Your father," ho said, "has given up his apartment and has taken lodgings. I doubt very much If ho will bo willing to share them with you, lu view of the position he has assumed lu icgard to your future, although he says you may always call upon him for pecuniary assistance." as-sistance." A draft for $500 wns inclosed in-closed with the letter. Grnydon was relieved to find that there would bo tio Irksome delay attending at-tending his official discharge. When ho walked out n "freo man," as ho culled It, a gentlemanly pension attorney attor-ney locked arms with him and hung on llko a Iocch until tho irritated soldier shook him off with less consideration than vigor. Ho went directly to the Palaco hotel, where bo knew the Cables were stopping. stop-ping. David Cablo camo down In response re-sponse to his card. Tho two men shook hands, each eying tho other luqulrlngly for nu. Instant. "I want you to understand, Graydon, that I am your friend. Nothing has nl-tered nl-tered my' esteem for you." "Thnnk you, Mr. Cable. I hardly expected ex-pected It" "I don't seo why, my boy. But we'll let nil that pass. Mrs. Cable wants to seo you." "Before wo go any farther I want to make myself clear to you. I still hopo to marry Jane. Sho says sho cannot becomo my wife. You understand why, sir. I only want to tell you that her objections are not objections to me. Sho Is Jane, and I love her, sir, because be-cause sho Is." "I hopo you can win her over, Graydon. Gray-don. Sho seems determined, however, and she Is unhappy. You can't blame her, cither. If there wero base or common com-mon blood in her, it wouldn't mako much difference to her pride. Hut she's mado of other material. She's serious about It, and I am sensible enough to get her point of view. Sho wouldn't want to marry you with tho prospect of an eternal shadow that neither of you could get off of your minds. I sometimes wish that I know who wero her parents." "It doesn't matter, so far as I am concerned." "I know, ray boy. You'll never know how It hurt mo to find that 1 had no daughter. It hurts her worso a thousandfold thou-sandfold to learn that sho has no mother. moth-er. I trust It may not happen that you will lose her ns a wife." "If I really thought I couldn't win her, Blr, It would ruin my ambition In life. Sho loves me, I'm sure." "By tho way, Clegg tells me be has offered you tho Now York office. It Is a splendid chanco for you. You will tako It, of course." "1 expect to talk it over with Mr. Clegg when I get to Chicago." "Come up to our apartments. Oh, pardon me, Graydon, I want to ask you If you havo sufficient money to carry you through? 1 know the pay of n private is not great." "Thnnk you. 1 havo saved ueurly nil of It My father tins sent uic ii draft for five hundred. I don't expect to uso It, of course" "Your father?" nsked Cable, with u quick, searching look. '"And then I did save somcthtug In Chicago, strango as it may seem," said Hanscmer, with a smile. "I havo a few of your 5 per cents. I trust tho road Is all right." Tho Cables left San Francisco on tho following day, accompanied by the nnrblus nnd Graydon Hanscmer. Tbcro wns no mistaking tho Joy which lay under restraint In tho faces and attl-tudu attl-tudu of the Cables. David Cablo hud grown younger nud less grny, it seemed, and his wife wns glowing with n new nnd subdued happiness. Graydon, sitting with the excited Ethel, who wns rejoicing in tho prospect pros-pect of New York and the other young man, studied tbe faces of tbe thrco people who eat at tho ether end of tho coach. Tlmo had wrought its penalties. Cablo Ca-blo was thin and his faco had lost Its Tlrlllty, but not Us power. lib eves never ictt mo race or Jane, who was talking lu nn earnest, Impassioned maimer, ns wns her wont In theso days. Frances Cable's faco wns n study lu transition. Sho had lost tho color nud vivacity of n year ngo, nl-thought nl-thought tho change was not apparent to the casual observer. Graydon could sec that she had suffered In many ways. Tho keen, eager appeal for appreciation ap-preciation was gono from her eyes; in Its stend was tho appeal for love and contentcdness. Happiness, now struggling ngninst tho smarting of a sober pain, was giving a sweetness to her eyes that had been lost in tho ambitious am-bitious glitter of other days. Etliol bored him, a most unusual condition. lie longed to bo undor tho tender, quieting quiet-ing Intliicnco at tho opposite end of the car. Ho even resented his temporary exile. "Jane," Cnblo was saying with gen-tlo gen-tlo Insistence, "It Is not just to him. Ho loves you, nnd you nro not doing tho right thing by him." "You'll find I nm right In tho end." sho nald stubbornly. "I can't bear tho thought of your going go-ing out ns n trained nurse, denr," protested pro-tested Frances Cnblc. "There is no ne-ccsslty. ne-ccsslty. You can havo tho best of homes nnd In nny plnco you llko. Why waste your life lu" "Waste, mother? It would bo wasting wast-ing my life It I did not find an occupation occupa-tion for It. I can't bo Idle. I can't exist ex-ist forever In your lovo and devotion." "Good Lord, child, don't bo foolish 1" exclaimed Cnblo. "That hurts mo moro than you think. Everything wo havo is yours." "I'm sorry I said it, daddy, I did not mean It In that way. It Isn't tho money, you know, nnd It Isn't tho home, cither. No: you must lot mo chooso my own way of living tho rest of my life. I camo from a foundling hospital. A good nnd tender nurso found mo thoro nnd gnvo me tho happiest hap-piest years of my life. I shall go back tbcro and glvo tho rest of my years to children who aro less fortunato than I was. I want to help them, mother, Just as you dld-only It is different with me." "You'll see it differently somo day," said Mrs. Cablo earnestly. "I don't object to your helping tho foundlings, Jane," said Cable, "but I don't seo why you havo to bo a nurso to do It. Other women support such causes, and not as nurses, cither. It's" "It's my way, daddy, that's all," she aid firmly. "Then why, in the namo of heaven, wero you so unkind as to keep that poor boy over, there allvo when ho might have died and ended his misery? Tou nursed him back to Ufo only to glvo him a wound that cannot bo healed. heal-ed. You would ruin bis life, Jane. Is It fair? I'm uncouth and bard in many ways I had a hard, unkind beginning but 1 really bellovo I'vo got moro heart lu mo than you have." "David!" exclaimed his wife. Jano looked at tho exasperated man in surprise. sur-prise. "Now, hero's what I Intend you to do: You owo mo something for the lovo that I glvo to you; you owo Graydon Gray-don something for keeping him from dying. If you want to go Into tho nursing business, nil right But I'm lut-wmuacuiuL 1 LwauinuHtkroiftu, "Good Lord, child, dun'tbc lonllthl" exclaimed. ex-claimed. Cable. going to demand some of your devotion devo-tion for my own iinko beforo that time comes. I'vo loved you all of your llfo"- "Aud I'vo loved you. daddy," she gasped. "And I'm going to ask you to beglu your nursing career by intending to me. I'm sick for want of your love. I'm giving up business for the sake of enjoying It unrestrained. Your mother nnd I expect It. Wo aro going abroad for our health, nud wo aro going to tako you with us. Right now Is whero yvu ucgiu your career us a nurse) M You'vo got to begin by taking caro of H tho lovo that is sick and miserable. H Wo want it to live, my dear. Now, I H want a direct decision at once: Will H you tako charge, of two patients ou a H loug contemplated trip In search of H lovo and rest wages paid lnadvanco?" H Sho looked at him, white faced and R stunned. Ho was putting It beforo her H fluently nnd In a new light Sho saw H what It wns that ho considered that H tho owed to them tho lovo of a daugh- H ter, nftcr nil. w An hour Inter sho stood with Gray- H don on tho rear platform of tho car. Ho wns trying to talk calmly of tho H country through which they wero rush- H lng, nnd she wns looking pensively H down the rails that slipped out behind H "Wo'll bo In Chicago In Ihreo days." H he remarked H "Grnydon, 1 have decided to go H abroad for five or six mouths befoic H starting upon my work. They waut H mo so much, you see." she en hi. her H voice a trifle uncertain. H "I wish I could havo some power to H persuade you, ' ho said. Changing his H tone to ono of brisk Interest, he went H on. "It Is right, dear. It will do you ,H great good, and It will be a Joy to H them. I'll miss you." ;H "And I shall miss you, Graydon," H sho saldr.her eyes very solemn and ,H wistful. "Won't you won't you glvo mo the H promtso I want Jane?" bo asked eager- H ly. Sho placed her hand upon his and shook her head. H "Won't yoti bo good to me, Graydon? (l Don't mako it so hard foe mo. Pleaso, H please don't tell mo again that you love H me." H 17 J TO BE CONTINUED. " |