A　Charmed　Life
  by　Richard　Harding　Davis
  She　loved　him　so；　that　when　he　went　away　to　a　little　war　in　which
  his　country　was　interested　she　could　not　understand；　nor　quite
  forgive。
  As　the　correspondent　of　a　newspaper；　Chesterton　had　looked　on　at
  other　wars；　when　the　yellow　races　met；　when　the　infidel　Turk
  spanked　the　Christian　Greek；　and　one　he　had　watched　from　inside　a
  British　square；　where　he　was　greatly　alarmed　lest　he　should　be
  trampled　upon　by　terrified　camels。　　This　had　happened　before　he　and
  she　had　met。　　After　they　met；　she　told　him　that　what　chances　he　had
  chosen　to　take　before　he　came　into　her　life　fell　outside　of　her
  jurisdiction。　　But　now　that　his　life　belonged　to　her；　this　talk　of
  his　standing　up　to　be　shot　at　was　wicked。　　It　was　worse　than
  wicked；　it　was　absurd。
  When　the　Maine　sank　in　Havana　harbor　and　the　word　〃war〃　was
  appearing　hourly　in　hysterical　extras；　Miss　Armitage　explained　her
  position。
  〃You　mustn't　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　am　one　of　those　silly　girls
  who　would　beg　you　not　to　go　to　war。〃
  At　the　moment　of　speaking　her　cheek　happened　to　be　resting　against
  his；　and　his　arm　was　about　her；　so　he　humbly　bent　his　head　and
  kissed　her；　and　whispered　very　proudly　and　softly；　〃No；　dearest。〃
  At　which　she　withdrew　from　him　frowning。
  〃No！　　I'm　not　a　bit　like　those　girls；〃　she　proclaimed。　　〃I　merely
  tell　you　YOU　CAN'T　GO！　　My　gracious！〃　she　cried；　helplessly。　　She
  knew　the　words　fell　short　of　expressing　her　distress；　but　her
  education　had　not　supplied　her　with　exclamations　of　greater
  violence。
  〃My　goodness！〃　she　cried。　　〃How　can　you　frighten　me　so？　　It's　not
  like　you；〃　she　reproached　him。　　〃You　are　so　unselfish；　so　noble。
  You　are　always　thinking　of　other　people。　　How　can　you　talk　of　going
  to　warto　be　killedto　me？　　And　now；　now　that　you　have　made　me
  love　you　so？〃
  The　hands；　that　when　she　talked　seemed　to　him　like　swallows　darting
  and　flashing　in　the　sunlight；　clutched　his　sleeve。　　The　fingers；
  that　he　would　rather　kiss　than　the　lips　of　any　other　woman　that
  ever　lived；　clung　to　his　arm。　　Their　clasp　reminded　him　of　that　of
  a　drowning　child　he　had　once　lifted　from　the　surf。
  〃If　you　should　die；〃　whispered　Miss　Armitage。　　〃What　would　I　do。
  What　would　I　do！〃
  〃But　my　dearest；〃　cried　the　young　man。　　〃My　dearest　ONE！　　I've　GOT
  to　go。　　It's　our　own　war。　　Everybody　else　will　go；〃　he　pleaded。
  〃Every　man　you　know；　and　they're　going　to　fight；　too。　　I'm　going
  only　to　look　on。　　That's　bad　enough；　isn't　it；　without　sitting　at
  home？　　You　should　be　sorry　I'm　not　going　to　fight。〃
  〃Sorry！〃　exclaimed　the　girl。　　〃If　you　love　me〃
  〃If　I　love　you；〃　shouted　the　young　man。　　His　voice　suggested　that
  he　was　about　to　shake　her。　　〃How　dare　you？〃
  She　abandoned　that　position　and　attacked　from　one　more　logical。
  〃But　why　punish　me？〃　she　protested。　　〃Do　I　want　the　war？　　Do　I　want
  to　free　Cuba？　　No！　　I　want　YOU；　and　if　you　go；　you　are　the　one　who
  is　sure　to　be　killed。　　You　are　so　bigand　so　brave；　and　you　will
  be　rushing　in　wherever　the　fighting　is；　and　thenthen　you　will
  die。〃　　She　raised　her　eyes　and　looked　at　him　as　though　seeing　him
  from　a　great　distance。　　〃And；〃　she　added　fatefully；　〃I　will　die；
  too；　or　maybe　I　will　have　to　live；　to　live　without　you　for　years；
  for　many　miserable　years。〃
  Fearfully；　with　great　caution；　as　though　in　his　joy　in　her　he　might
  crush　her　in　his　hands；　the　young　man　drew　her　to　him　and　held　her
  close。　　After　a　silence　he　whispered。　　〃But；　you　know　that　nothing
  can　happen　to　me。　　Not　now；　that　God　has　let　me　love　you。　　He　could
  not　be　so　cruel。　　He　would　not　have　given　me　such　happiness　to　take
  it　from　me。　　A　man　who　loves　you；　as　I　love　you；　cannot　come　to　any
  harm。　　And　the　man　YOU　love　is　immortal；　immune。　　He　holds　a
  charmed　life。　　So　long　as　you　love　him；　he　must　live。〃
  The　eyes　of　the　girl　smiled　up　at　him　through　her　tears。　　She
  lifted　her　lips　to　his。　　〃Then　you　will　never　die！〃　she　said。
  She　held　him　away　from　her。　　〃Listen！〃　she　whispered。　　〃What　you
  say　is　true。　　It　must　be　true；　because　you　are　always　right。　　I
  love　you　so　that　nothing　can　harm　you。　　My　love　will　be　a　charm。
  It　will　hang　around　your　neck　and　protect　you；　and　keep　you；　and
  bring　you　back　to　me。　　When　you　are　in　danger　my　love　will　save
  you。　　For；　while　it　lives；　I　live。　　When　it　dies〃
  Chesterton　kissed　her　quickly。
  〃What　happens　then；〃　he　said；　〃doesn't　matter。〃
  The　war　game　had　run　its　happy…go…lucky　course　briefly　and
  brilliantly；　with　〃glory　enough　for　all；〃　even　for　Chesterton。
  For；　in　no　previous　campaign　had　good　fortune　so　persistently　stood
  smiling　at　his　elbow。　　At　each　moment　of　the　war　that　was　critical；
  picturesque；　dramatic；　by　some　lucky　accident　he　found　himself
  among　those　present。　　He　could　not　lose。　　Even　when　his　press　boat
  broke　down　at　Cardenas；　a　Yankee　cruiser　and　two　Spanish　gun…boats；
  apparently　for　his　sole　benefit；　engaged　in　an　impromptu　duel
  within　range　of　his　megaphone。　　When　his　horse　went　lame；　the
  column　with　which　he　had　wished　to　advance；　passed　forward　to　the
  front　unmolested；　while　the　rear　guard；　to　which　he　had　been　forced
  to　join　his　fortune；　fought　its　way　through　the　stifling
  underbrush。
  Between　his　news　despatches；　when　he　was　not　singing　the　praises　of
  his　fellow…countrymen；　or　copying　lists　of　their　killed　and
  wounded；　he　wrote　to　Miss　Armitage。　　His　letters　were　scrawled　on
  yellow　copy　paper　and　consisted　of　repetitions　of　the　three　words；
  〃I　love　you；〃　rearranged；　illuminated；　and　intensified。
  Each　letter　began　much　in　the　same　way。　　〃The　war　is　still　going
  on。　　You　can　read　about　it　in　the　papers。　　What　I　want　you　to　know
  is　that　I　love　you　as　no　man　ever〃　　And　so　on　for　many　pages。
  From　her　only　one　of　the　letters　she　wrote　reached　him。　　It　was
  picked　up　in　the　sand　at　Siboney　after　the　medical　corps；　in　an
  effort　to　wipe　out　the　yellow…fever；　had　set　fire　to　the　post…
  office　tent。
  She　had　written　it　some　weeks　before　from　her　summer　home　at
  Newport；　and　in　it　she　said：　〃When　you　went　to　the　front；　I　thought
  no　woman　could　love　more　than　I　did　then。　　But；　now　I　know。　　At
  least　I　know　one　girl　who　can。　　She　cannot　write　it。　　She　can　never
  tell　you。　　You　must　just　believe。
  〃Each　day　I　hear　from　you；　for　as　soon　as　the　paper　comes；　I　take
  it　down　to　the　rocks　and　read　your　cables；　and　I　look　south　across
  the　ocean　to　Cuba；　and　try　to　see　you　in　all　that　fighting　and　heat
  and　fever。　　But　I　am　not　afraid。　　For　each　morning　I　wake　to　find　I
  love　you　more；　that　it　has　grown　stronger；　more　wonderful；　more
  hard　to　bear。　　And　I　know　the　charm　I　gave　you　grows　with　it；　and
  is　more　powerful；　and　that　it　will　bring　you　back　to　me　wearing　new
  honors；　'bearing　your　sheaves　with　you。'
  〃As　though　I　cared　for　your　new　honors。　　I　want　YOU；　YOU；　YOUonly
  YOU。〃
  When　Santiago　surrendered　and　the　invading　army　settled　down　to
  arrange　terms　of　peace；　and　imbibe　fever；　and　General　Miles　moved
  to　Porto　Rico；　Chesterton　moved　with　him。
  In　that　pretty　little　island　a　command　of　regulars　under　a　general
  of　the　regular　army　had；　in　a　night　attack；　driven　back　the
  Spaniards　from　Adhuntas。　　The　next　afternoon　as　the　column　was　in
  line　of　march；　and　the　men　were　shaking　themselves　into　their
  accoutrements；　a　dusty；　sweating　volunteer　staff　officer　rode　down
  the　main　street　of　Adhuntas；　and　with　the　authority　of　a　field
  marshal；　held　up　his　hand。
  〃General　Miles's　compliments；　sir；〃　he　panted；　〃and　peace　is
  declared！〃
  Different　men　received　the　news　each　in　a　different　fashion。　　Some
  whirled　their　hats　in　the　air　and　cheered。　　Those　who　saw　promotion
  and　the　new　insignia　on　their　straps　vanish；　swore　deeply。
  Chesterton　fell　upon　his　saddle…bags　and　began　to　distribute　his
  possessions　among　the　enlisted　men。　　After　he　had　remobilized；　his
  effects　consisted　of　a　change　of　clothes；　his　camera；　water…bottle；
  and　his　medicine　case。　　In　his　present　state　of　health　and　spirits
  he　could　not　believe　he　stood　in　need　of　the　medicine　case；　but　it
  was　a　gift　from　Miss　Armitage；　and　carried　with　it　a　promise　from
  him　that　he　always　would　carry　it。　　He　had　〃packed〃　it　throughout
  the　campaign；　and　for　others　it　had　proved　of　value。
  〃I　take　it　you　are　leaving　us；〃　said　an　officer　enviously。
  〃I　am　leaving　you　so　quick；〃　cried　Chesterton　laughing；　〃that　you
  won't　even　see　the　dust。　　There's　a　transport　starts　from　Mayaguez
  at　six　to…morrow　morning；　and；　if　I　don't　catch　it；　this　pony　will
  die　on　the　wharf。〃
  〃The　road　to　Mayaguez　is　not　healthy　for　Americans；〃　said　the
  general　in　command。　　〃I　don't　think　I　ought　to　let　you　go。　　The
  enemy　does　not　know　peace　is　on　yet；　and　there　are　a　lot　of
  guerillas〃
  Chesterton　shook　his　head　in　pitying　wonder。
  〃Not　let　me　go！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Why；　General；　you　haven't　enough
  men　in　your　command　to　stop　me；　and　as　for　the　Spaniards　and
  guerillas！　　I'm　homesick；〃　cried　the　young　man。　　〃I'm　so　damned
  homesick　that　I　am　liable　to　die　of　it　before　the　transport　gets　me
  to　Sandy　Hook。〃
  〃If　you　are　shot　up　by　an　outpost；〃　growled　the　general；　〃you　will
  be　worse　off　than　homesick。　　It's　forty　miles　to　Mayaguez。　　Better
  wait　till　daylight。　　Where's　the　sense　of　dying；　after　the
  fighting's　over？〃
  〃If　I