Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 November 1908 — NOT A HERO. [ARTICLE]

NOT A HERO.

Frances had been arguing and tyl silenced her opponent stood leaning against the stone of the tower waiting her pleasure to remove from the scene of contest But her line of thought held her fast, or perhaps the beauty of the Belgian landscape would sot release her. At all events, she did not move, and he waited. Finally he ventured to suggest “Won’t your Aunt Laura be tired ofwaltlng?" She turned her eyes from the brown Scheldt flowing below as she answered carelessly: "Aunt Laura? Oh, she doesn’t mind! She preferred to let’ll come up without her. She adores th * cathedral, and It Isn’t time to be hunry” Ben Ripley had been in Antwerp four hours, three of which be had spent with Frances Deere, and for at least an hour the two had been on the cathedral tower engaged in the argument already mentioned. Ben had asked where Frances meant to spend the winter. It was a natural question, for they had been neighbors and friends at home in America. Even when he was at college there were vacations, and she continued to be a gery warm friend. So did he. except In the inter vals when, having become too warm, he was obliged to undergo a cooling process. Her she said, would be One of hard study. Aunt Laura would select masters for her.' and she would work at art. music, languages—anything to keep busy. Then he began to argue that she was all wrong. She ought to go home to her mother and not waste her youth (she laughed scornfully) and her beauty (she smiled proudly). Then she asked him why be lived on Banbury road and studied mathematics at Oxford Instead of go Ing into business with his father in New York. He answered that he wasn't worth considering, that she was the only person In the world worth talking about, and the climax of his whole argument was that she should go back to America engaged to him and wait for the. glorious life they would begin together next year, when ttaphad taken his doctor’s degree. But she was relentless and wouldn't even attempt to answer his questions whether she cared for him at all. Sfep grew a little Impatient and said be ought to sec that she couldn’t think about such things; she was Interested In carrying on her studies and In nothing else. Finally he said he supposed ■he expected him to start back for Oxford that night—and wanted to be contradicted. But she agreed that it would be the most sensible thing to do. So It had all ended, and she had become absorbed in the landscape and forgetful of him until he mentioned Aunt Laura, and they started down the tower. Ben was three or four steps •bead two-thirds of the way down when, he heard a stumble. Frances had caught her foot In her dress and fallen. He had just time to brace himself with an arm against either wall when she slid down upon him. , “Get your footing quick and don’t faint,” be said. I "I’m not going to faint," she answered, “and I am quite myself except that my hat is crooked—not that it matters in the dark,” Slowly he dropped his arms, and she passed on before him. As they came out into the light he motioned to a carriage crossing the narrow court. 1 "There isq’t a moment to lose,” he explained, ."if I am going to get my boat. You are sure you are not hurt?” “Perfectly sound. Did I frighten you?” “Well, yes; it didn’t seem exactly ■ate for either of us to have you come tumbling down on top of me. But 1 must go. 1 'shall see you again someday, Frances.” Stomebow got the cathedral door open for her, an umbrella, took off his hat, pressed her hand and entered the carriage. She couldn’t fol low bis movement: she only felt his eyes resting on her as if they could not turn away till the narrow sidedoor closed Itehind her. After a few minutes Frances found! her aunt, and they left the cathedral. ‘Where is Ben?” Aunt Laura asked. “Gone to England to do his work as: a boy should, and we are going to Brussels tonight.” Aunt Taura gave a little sigh. Ito Is hard to be patient with youth’s perversity In bringing trouble upon Itself. The next day the two sat at a table In a small patisserie near the top off the Montagu de to Tour waiting for chocolate. Frances was struggling With the Rotterdam daily paper. It was hard work to make any sense off the queer language, but suddenly she■topped, appalled, at a sentence shefancied site understood. Am accident to the Antwerp-Harwich boat aud. somor thing too Dutch tor comprehension had happened to the passengers. “Aunt Laura, order the cakes, dear, and I’M be back soon, rm going tn get a Christian paper.” And' Frances stepped into ttfe-street. with visions of bursting boilers, enveloping waves and fires sea and! in the midst a strong, ■miilug white /ace with pleading i brown eyes A low carriage was just creeping up the almost impossible hill, and in It sat the owner of the strong face and the ■mile, but somehow the brown eyes bad ceased to be suppliants and turned conquerors In the brightness of theBrussels morning. He- waa before her. her rejected lover, who- had saved her yesterday from, a broken crown and today from a. broken heart. “Oh, Ben. I thought you were drowned!" she said in a voice he hnd never beard before. He sprang out of the carriage, and joyously they mounted; the hill toigotbor. ' '