The Time Came

■■(Mi. ii Wc would only il ' tliiiiii' !" Bigbed Milli.ent very BOttiY t heraelf. "j do béliev U M wre notfhhiii more thnn run over witii a cairiage with nofoody In it, ,.e mild urn really be hurl very' iiiuc.li, ili.it pepa u'inilil in' siiiii-;i"i'il he wooM Let u inan-y each pther alter all. Bal Dtei w.ni'i. lm afrald hc'll ncvcr do anythin-. He never lias." Anil then Bilí looked over at Dlck, ho sai vcry m-eekly on 1 le othil.' ui the r()iiii tuirling hie glovM listle.ssly, and she poiited. '■'I suppoee ywu are pouting at me," aaW ii-k. "Ves." abe nnsweivd. "I'm sorry." he ei:ntinued. "I suppose llt'a beOOUSe 1 ilm'l ammint to amytüng ''" "01 ciinsc 1 18, Mck," e auswci'ed. "W11. wliat in the world i-aii I aiiNiunt to," askcd Dirk Sejectedly. "I (■.■iiiuiit u-u "iind inakc m flirt nnc, far I'in i-Uh already. I can't found e greel (amlly, becauee outb hae been eue good b om lor cesotiürics ás b leUow can wiafa, and betkfcs tliat WOUld takc. tOO long. 1 Iiavi'ü't tlie talent to be an arttet. I have not brMtua enongt t-o a profession al man. Evry ome agreas on tliat. I aiu boo gmaü i o be b boIcüat, and if I went Int lnisiii.'s il wcmld only lx' a qiirsiion Of tiini' U.'roi-c I'd l'is.my iiKuicy intvad oí niakiim' iny. livey all agTee om iliat too. All i rai be le a gentleman, and im ae bo care amj I hing aboal a geatlfin.-in any more. I belleve ymuiai.liri' wouid like me bettei U I were aai advrntui-er.'' "Oh. n.i. In1 wouliln't," inici-rujited Miliicrnt. 'i'.ut tbecolonel wmild like to see yon onc in ftWhile wit Mout such awfully good clotfaea on. Papa, ha.-; liad a hard e1pu'gle ia iliihI. and he doeeaM seem íd have any conXidence In any ooe wlm lias not. lic l always balklng alKut tlueliity a man ccwea to bbe world to do M'inci tor ii ." "I wo'iild be ti) d anytihlng foc the v,-o:ld 1 conld, ilillicent, luit I don'1 kmnv wliat m dn. and ihu't. beUére 1 could do it if I ilid kmow." 'I Ih-ücvc ii you had got aimr.v and callcd liim nanics wIk-ii lic rrlused bo lot me marry yon. he wonld have tvnned rlgllt around and said yes. I'.ut all yon did was to piek up your hat, and ix--. 1 w vcry pblittlv. and Bdy gpÖOd ffvfanfag and walk out. Thafs oio way lo handle papa; lu arciU an iron hand, and he iets ii occastoraally from Ws only datuAiter, ." Here Milliceni shootc her head .■mpliatically. "But I i 'ir fatlicr tóo ïmu-Ji, Milly. to aay anythlng m Hm. and ii I had, Uien he wonld nol have lel me come bo Bee yov any more, and tiiial wmild llave bfeen inore thsliii 1 eo-uid have BfcdCKd." ■You"re mol likc oMicr men, Diek." "No, Fin airaid HO. I suppoee i 's why thcy cali me a dude. Bul I'm not a dude ; I'm no I ean't get my ctobhea soileii, no matte bom I try, and as 1 nevor neem 1o -wear tJiein out, I havent RÖ1 any tliat looi: like oíd ones. The íai-t is I can't in'ip looklng wfeat i am- i Ikiv wbo has beeo brought up in b kW stov. If 1 wore Wue jeans and a flannel ahlrl they'iJ always limk new." "Wliy eoiildn'l yon B into a tight wiili sonic míe '■'" BUfggeebeá Millic-ni (k'spcrately. ■'I'ni airald rao one would Hj with me, l'ni su small." he answeivd. ''Papa wub awtully Qeligbted itli the butcher' boy .-nul the sprp boy the ui da y u hfii tlny gjot into a figh.1 ia OUT back yard. It frig-luriH'd me, bat the coimu-l went (n and ga i e i tona eacb a dollar, lauLilird all the vest of the aitca1DOm alKMit it ." "1 miiit gel the boxlng inastef at tlir club I a black cyc ; I ilon't euppoee t woiM hart vcry nnich. Bul ii L dW Ule cu: Aviiiihl lind cmU that I didu'l gp1 il in a ligirt, and Uien be frould think tliat I Ii.-id boen tryiiit; tO decelve hlm." ■'IMck.'' i-aid Milliiciil BeriOUily, "I wimdiT ií yon air alraid V" 'I diiii't kiimv what you mean." "Alraid f ÜW daik. r oí daniicr. aoythfüg lüae ttoert - tor Instanc I'ni alraid of tlie dai-k." -Nu." tinswcicd Dick. "1 don't 1 hink l'm aíraid oí da.rk. 1 don"t kmov alKdit anytliin; clsr. mr 1 don't bellere 1 ever 'had aoiytfiing to 1 afraid oí." .Millicí'iil Bigbed ti.tíain vcry SOftly t( lli'il iuiW It. was i, luirdstat! of aïfairs. Hei-v vas tihe man shc waiitfd t ïu.iriy ; just t lic knul CM a man rite witii lier iinin-riuus trayi comld xf Blong wtt iH-iiutiiuli.v ; a boy wttom shc had teaovrn all br life ; wfaOM inihcr had beeb her lathcr'K triend ; wiio.-1 motfaer liad been her OéSÊ mcthcr's IHend ; and a man. too, -wtiom he loved- nul always liad staee fhe ■svük a littlc cii-1 iu liort dre80H and he a boy in knes trcusers, and tJwy could not i't marlied Iecau8e iin tliie evos of hjer fathei he didm't amoiint 1o anythintïWoold he ever nmuuiit x-o iinythiiiji ? "UMkií did hIic core? Waa he brave aml toante? M'hat' (lid hho care '.' The ipii'si mi gave Iht an inspiration. It wouildn't T)e mucb of a trial, bat il would at leas! be a liti.!e lil oí Iu.ii. and all they liad done ijl all tflwir ciiurlsliiii was to sit mi opposfte sides oí tlhe parlar and talk ■ ulier. She robe and went out inlo lili; hall. J)icl cyed hec as Bbe rui wut, bul he never queetioocd nu i hinir slic did. so lie gald nothtng. sii,' waikcil back to the staii-s leadinf; tu tfce Iwiaeien1 and looked down. Kveryt hing yrtw satisfactor ily dark. The liffht in t he. lövver hall ImhI len burned mil. and fruin 1his she kncw that thc s-rvunts li.nl goue to bed. It was nearly midniu'ht she iioticcil by the tliniíiü" room dock. Willi a sntisiied sniile slie walkcd cm tipi i' and wn b i pretense f [ris1'' back tu the parlor. " I ) i ■ u ." ' abe said in a. whisper that ■jccincd qirtte trniíii-d. "I beard come duwii Hiaii-s, and I'm aíraid It'í i lmrirlar. VTould ymi just as l;Of ni aee '.'" ■'Witli pleBiSare" lie sald, Ín that almly pollte way he newer forgot. Sin' t-iuiU'd as Bhe 11 itii-.'d t li.it he ■arrit'd !ii uinirs in liis hand as he wnuid OU UW strr.'i. and li-lt nnconis'.y oí liis ]ic:-ktr to si-c ií it was adjusti-il correct ly . llicic walk■il be i hrad oí lile haeU stairs whilc gibe remalned in Che parlor pecrlng out. lialí hWdem by t he partiere. lie lean r ind list-nid inti-ntly. 'Do yon lieo ing V" -he a 1 Un a wMafi ■Ves,'1 Mío aiwwwrwfl. she siniied. "Wiiat does it sound üke?" she contiiiu'l. 'í.ike a onan gawlng," he anawerd. She had hard work to prevent liers'lí ïrnin 1 an-ti liiiiií cmtrlght. She had beei In the identiral Bpct whepe llk'k mm stood, lint a niunient be'ore. and fsbe knew tliat t he liascnicnt was as siiii aa the grave. It was hlB 'riirlit ciicd iniatrination. that was all. ibe wouhl see i he thlag ont. Per iaps Diok was a!i-aid aíter all. Sh wh:s)ci'ed .'main. "Do ymi ani a if.o: ?" Mlie isked. No." he answi red. "I wouldii't. know what to du with it ií I liad Tlicn she sa v him disajipear l.nvii ihe stairs. she went. baak int o tlie parlar and liirked ti]) his hat . She sniilril as 8hí notlced ui'iv it lii:iked. ju-t liko 'V'i-yt,h:nü: etee te liad. Thrn she ti-led it n and stond before tahe jiiass woiniterimíf ií it -wouldirt inaki' a pretty ridkog 1 1 .- 1 1 . Sme reanettíberéd that ií any other man witi' to OOnie back t he ]j.n-lor and íind her -vith bis luat 01:1 her lietul, he wouhl promptly d.'in.-nid a iiss. ailer tlir gpod oíd CfUBtDm. But Dick - noi Dlck would never tlii,nk oí üiK'h a thiiiü'. nr daré t o do it if he did. l're.sently she woudered why he was gane so lons;. He was not aíraul oí tlie dark aíier all. He nmt ha ve dec&ded oto a rery thoroiiS'h searcli. She wished her father wo:ih! come down staivs and dis ciiver that Dick liad done at lia-t that niiii'h íor the world. But no; could hear hrr íather walkinu' ií j i and down the POKXm ininiediat ely above her, thlioklng oí all sorts pj thiiiü's tlw.t he called iniport ant . but whi.h di. 1 not interest her at all. She was just beüïnuin:-' to feel lon-ly and to ui-li that Dlck wnuhl net through and come back Avhen Bhe heard a duil siiund. lis tibxxxgb soniethmg heavy had tallen in the kitclun. Tin-re was gitanee lor a momea! after thiat, and iiicn k!ic heard a greal craadiing of glase mul abe beard Dick cnll Itustlly torlbe poMce. Her heári .I up int" lier t lno.ii . Sbe wanted tu ;i 11 tkfen ltaok to lier as lic ïnvcii her, lm t Hhc cduiii ïiot otter a wuril. Sbe ï'.'in In fi'iiin win(Inw 11 lier featt1 aml Ihrcw il Open. A stiii-kily built follnw li;i looked gigairUc in the balt Hk'iI X the Street lampe a fusi maktag iiis gcape tlin)uy.h the gate aml down the streel, uliile riuht uinilerii''a t h her, baieheaded. Imt i-till with li is mnialCillate .ülnvrs in ]iis Ik'.'IhI. Dick rn aller him. si il! caJltag al Mie top of his voiee lor : pollcemab. slie kiw .1 go, ïorl.v eet apart, d.iwn the ■i ai tbe beel speed thej could malve. Siic saw Ihein disapiiear inim iiie Ugbi oí one streel lamp and come t'lii' ligbt oí anotlier t ice, and t'hen he saw tbe stovkily Imilt iel luw wliieel quiekly uroun;l : slielieard a liniil report; and then - slic iainted. li was imt half ui hout later that B i i' -:i e lip I o I he eolonel's door. and Iiek alo.uhtrd ncit the inminculaU'ly dad Dick, tbftt h tisually was. hut Dirk vit,k a bloody handUcrclii.-I' lied annmd liis liead, and witili miicli diirt oii hi.s trouseris, ;uul his all nvry, anl with no üImvcs t all. Ho dil bat havo to riiiü at Wie door, for it was opviicd fere lic was halí way XHp tile frcwit stops ly tille coloíiol hiinself, who eaini' nut witih hte great grisxled hajul outNtrctcHuHl toward hlni. ''I caiiK hack tO n't iny li.'U and overcoat," Dick iK'aii to apologlze. "No, you dUki't," eaid tJie coloael, his hand heartily. 'TTod anic hack to see Milliccnt. Did you pe4 the iciiow 1" ■Yen, sic ; a peUceman ce.ugbi hiin vvcmtM.-iiiy, and he'a iai the station house noiv.'' V11 iitlcnd ti) hilii tu inoi-row," s.-iU tbe coliuvl. "In 1 1 1 f nirantlmc e. uur in and sec yonr swrrt art . S:ic tainted, and I'll tt-ll you rigbit liere that ii' you expec4 ii we&r a hal away trotm t!iis house to-oight it wffl Jkiv be ome o mine, tor sinhas lur-iiíril tliat tme (Xl JTOBTB -vrislnci' alarm was givea, aml it's i-a i (uit ui Biiape." Milltcemt, still vcry piale, was recüniii in au easy ciliair wlicn Dick enterrd. and a niaid was riilihiiii her tcinplee. Shc linikcd vcry jmiih as ttatyogh wantcd toccy. 1'ndonUtedly abe liad been eeyfng-. "Good cvi'iiiiiï. Mflly," said Diek. ''Oili Divk ! did he li ii 1 nu?'' shc a.skcd. Ilit mo fivcr the lnad With siiinctliinu' liiwn in tl' kitrhcn just as I disciiMMcd Jiini. lint di'ii't W(irry ; tlw Baid it wonldn't aiMüillit tn all.lh: Anil tln'ii ffl i-iiiirs.' Milliccnt dill ciy. and Dick Btöod Btarlng al iicianil liiiikin'i v.-iy m ilisli and v.r.v nnicili as thoimli. as usual, in' did not knmv wjiat tu d;i : and in-oliably he wouhl Ktill t t hcrc U thi ootonel, in liis gruii volee, Hadn't said mi liiin : "Go mi1!' and kiss lier. my boy. Don' f. you BBC thafs what shc w a nts V" "But I'm all b-lood nul d!rt," apolouizcd Dick ■'liliriid and dirt !_" roari-d l lic colonol. ■Tdixnl and flirt I Vim imi;lit to l'f iriiciil oí it. Why. Tuii'iT 1h' íii-st mmber oí your Une wirn lias liad any Hindi and dii-i on Jiim sincc ymir m.-ii grtaaá-t&tbex was wooinded a1 Ktinker Hill. Go and kiss hor."' And Dk-k did, ïind it Kccincd t o liim Hint fortune had middenly colncluded howcr on li Lm all her blesslnga whi-n h l'.cai-d the colon '1 saying as went out Ol bbe room : 'Til nivc you iwif just halt' mi to dcridc w-hen yuu are going to BJ&1 man-icd. and th-u yira must say