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Hearts
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.
•T.et them corne! ? met
here in fifty-five, and I leave
cursed ' rebels. The king
able to protect, but
Indians
for no
may not be
will reimburse
But Tories and Whigs passed by alike,
and not a pound was touched »« *> ta
house not a horse taken from his stab.es.
When the foragers swept thevaleysh.s
held slaves slunk away with ' th * r * st :
hut he had not a house negro who did no.
stav with him to the end.
The final chapter was opened at la^i.
Lafavette was marching southward wi.o
twelve hundred of Washingtons own
light infantry! The word had struck
sharper Ilian an adder's tooth. The blooey
snows of Valley Forge, the pelting re
treat' through the Jersies. want, tout, dis
couragement and despair! The king must
win, and George Washington was gone
too far even for love's forgiveness. Now
he sent his rebels to his own natal Col
ony to hurl them, in a final desperate
attack, at the king's throat.
After this news the baron took to h's
couch and closed his doors against re
port. Through all the war Washington
hod found time to send gentle and tender
letters to his old friend. These my j_.oid
had read, longing for some sign of sor
row or of turning, but they had brought
none. Now he read no more.
One morning Anne stood at Ihe dceo-set
window of her room at Oastle Hill. * ar
away, their dim splendor relieved by
golden gorges of early sunl-ght, reared
the solitary mountains, hung with pale
green, pale’ gold, and blent lavender and
gray like faded tapestries. The June
breeze was soft with the first thrid of
summer, blowing across the shelving
fields. Birds were fluting in the tulip-
trees. and the dewed odor of roses ia>'
on the garden, drenchingly swe l. The
place seemed safe folded from the w.u
that lay, a sullen fiend in a cioud. lai
away across the Virginia hills.
A distant clatter came to her. and she
looked and listened where the eastern
road bent behind clusters of trees. Al
most before she had guessed the meaning
of the sound, a troop of dragoons, whoso
red coats proclaimed them British, dashed
into view and rode at top-speed toward
the house.
Tie ISriUsh! So far to the westward.
What could it mean? Then, in clutching
apprehension, she fled downstairs io Mrs.
Walker's room, to find that lady already
dressing with speed and trepidation. As
she opened the door, the yard below-
swarmed with a confusion of soldiers and
shrieking servants.
"Stay where you are,” came Doctor
Walker’s \oiee from the next room. "I
am going."
"No. Doctor." Mrs. Walker opposed, "i
am going myself,” and so she did, Anna
with her.
Aunt Daph'. the cook, having fled from
the kitchen, was crouched shuddering a:
the foot of the stair. “Dcm's de Brit
ishers. missus!" she moaned—“dcm's de
Britishers!"
•T know it," answered Mrs. Walkei,
calmly, as a knock thundered at the
door. "Go back to your kitchen.”
The figure on the threshhold bowed
till his plumes swept the sill.
"Pardon me. Madam—ladies," ho be
gan, "but I must ask of your hospitality
a breakfast for myself and my officers.
I may introduce myself? Colonel Tarlc-
ton. of the British Begion, at jour ser
vice."
Anne caught an astonished breath at
realization that she was standing befoie
the most dreaded of Cornwallis's cavalry
leaders. Could this red-cheeked, petulant-
lipped lad be the dragoon of whose cruel
ty and daring she had so often hec.ru?
She curtsied slowly to his bow r .
“1 might add,” announced the visitor,
"that no harm shall be done this pi op
city. We have business farther on.'
Farther on! Anne's mird leaped to lii?
(bought of Charlottesville onlj- six miles
a way. The V irginia Assembly was in
session there. Arid Henrj-! She must
gain a little time.
•‘Let me see to the breakfast, Mrs.
Walker," slm volunteered: "Aunt Daph'
is quite distracted.”
Tnrleton smiled, bowed again to her,
and clanked to the door. Then Anne
caught Mrs. Walker's hand anc whis
pered: " 'Tis a raid «rm the Assembly.
We must keep them here as long as pos
sible. Tell the doctor.”
She had no time to speak further, for
Tnrleton re-entered with the others.
"I have been obliged to set a guaid
about the negro quarters and at the front
and rear entrances of tile house,” he said
"We shall soon relieve j-ou of this incon
venience. Ah, Doctor, good-morning!''
Anne betook herself to the kitchen and
stirred Aunt Daph' to activity. While
the great fire roared, her brain was bus.. .
She must get through that cordon of red-
<-oa I s—must!—m list i
As the cook piled the irons with frag
ments of chicken. Anne's eyes, through
the back door and window, took in the
situation. Full a dozen troopers were
grouped there, stretched lazily in the sun,
their horses cropping the grass eager-
ly in a widening half circle. The quar
ters were on the farther side, out of
sight from the kitchen. Seeing, she bade
Aunt Daph' lay more of the chicken on
the racks, and herself fed the fire till its
heat scorched her cheeks.
" 'Clar ter goodness, Mis' Anne, yo'
got 'miff dar fo’ fo‘t>\ 'stid o' fo’!”
"Hush!" Anne commanded; "go and lay-
one of the tables in the milk room."
The negress raised her hands.
"Wid all dem sojers out dar? Gord-
| a mighty, honey, dee jes’ split my haid
wide op n!"
“Do as T tell you.” said Anne. "They
1 won’t hurt j'ou. Make no noise, and come
| hack quickly.”
The old woman made her way gingerly
past the groups across the j-ard.
“Mis' Anne." she said as she came
hack, all her teeth gleaming, "one ob
dem Britishers call to pm jes' lak folks.
•Hope j-o' got sumpin’ good fo' us, too,’
auntie,’ he say. bawd, honey, I reck'n
dee's pow'ful hongry ter smell dis yere!”
Anne heaped a great platter high from
the dripping grids, and flanked it w-ith a
pyramid of corn bread.
■‘Now. Aunt Daph . ' she breathed, ex
citedly. "take this. Hold it high and fall
not on the steps. When you come to the
milk room door you are to tell the sol
diers that the colonel in here says they
are all to have their breakfast at once.
Do you understand?"
"Yas'm. Yas’m. But dis yere chick’n's
ir heap too good fo’ dem low-down nosin'
debbles!”
Anne watched her through the door in
Better Than Spanking.
Spanking does not cure children of bed
wetting. If it did, there would be few
children that would do it. There is a
constitutional cause for this. Mrs. M.
rummers, Box 104, Notre Dame, Ind., will
send her home treatment to any mother,
she asks no money. Write her today if
your children trouble you in this way.
Don't blame the child. The chances arc.
• -.in't help it
a quiver of apprehension. Would they
go? She prayed frantically that they
would smell that savory odor. She heard
the laugh of the officers in the next room,
aiid above it. the tones of the cook out
side. now scornfully belligerent:
"Yore eun'l in dar say yo’ is ter cat
di3 yere up mighty quick er >’o' git nut-
tin’ ’tall.”
There was a murmur among the troop
ers. It was a fearful temptation. Then
they succumbed before that delicate aio-
ma, and while Anne heid her breath, the
last guard had overcome his scruples and
vanished into the milk room.
She did not wait an instant, but slipped
out hatless and was away like a flash to
the outer ring of horses. Her eye picked
the speediest with unerring judgment of
the born horsewoman. She leaped to his
back, took the yard paling, and flew
across the soft loam field to the htgh-
When Lieutenant Colonel Banistre
Tarleton entered the kitchen smilingly to
see whv breakfast delayed, he found the
room empty and sounds from the out
house told him the rest. The petulant-
lipped lad became instantly a raging dc
moniac. and the crestfallen -men tumbled
out, mounting with a speed increased by
threats and revilings.
A sight of the horseless -trooper sent
the leader s passion leaping to knowledge.
“’Tis the girl." he cried. Damnation.
She's oft to warn them!"
*nd his curses suddenly mixed them
selves with steel sharp orders.
■Mrs. Walker wrung her hands as the
last trooper galloped , off after the vest
on a horse impressed from the sta W e ;’
"God grant they don't catch bet-
P As Anne sped along the curving stle ^? h
of road over the low hilt spurs, s ie e -
( >d to the horse’s mane, crying to •
"Run you splendid boy! Hun. I s
M v" the Assembly!" And the great
creature, slim, lustrous, -blood-bay snort
ed and settled to action, his limpid ej
catching the terror-white as if he. *-toleii
from some Virginia stable, knew what
the words meant.
Gallop and gallop; she heard the red
clods patter on the road behind a *
went. One mile—two miles. Ihe wind-
warped trees stretched by in a whir mg,
drunken race of foliaged dervishes. I hree
miles . • - they must surely know bj
’'she passed two riders and noted their
glance of wonder. One called out to her.
blit she did not stop- The ternB.epace
made her breath come jaggedlj, c
was onlv by a supreme effort that she
kept her seat on the pommelless saddle.
The last two miles flung away in a dull-
ed red roar.
There were groups upon the court hou e
steps when she pulled up her fr ° thi " s
horse, and Henry himself pushed for
ward to her side. rastIe
"Tarleton—” she panted. _ .
Hill . . • coming to • . - take lhe A
S< Henry turned and repeated the mes
sage. H was caught up on all side f,
bandied up and down the corridors Tee
was a rush fox 1 the sheds and hurried
mounting. Then another cry spread, Jef
ferson—he was at Monticeilo.
"How much time?” asked Henry briefly
° f "Ten n minutes.'’ she answered at hazard.
-Too little. They will be upon him be
fore this." He brought his horse* and
yaluted into the saddle. \MU Tarletoi
know you have come.’
"Then you must not stay," he said
firmly "You shall ride with me-
Before she could answer a horseman
came clattering in from a ^rid e-pat n
ll was Colonel Carter, and he took m
the preparations at a glance.
•Good!" he shouted. "Lose no time,
gentlemen. Captain Jouett has warned
Monticeilo. The Assembly stands dis
solved, to meet at Staunton three days
hence."
About noon hoofs rang behind them in
the flinty road, and Henry and Anne
reined their horses into the brush. Two
more riders galloped by, to wheel and
come back at Henry's halloo. They were
Mr. John Tyler and Colonel Harrison.
Fatigued and hungry as they were, both
essayed to smile.
"Is Jefferson safe?" cried Henry.
"Aye," Colonel Harrison assured him.
••The family are gone to Colonel Carter s,
and all of the gentlemen who were at
Monticeilo are in the mountains. ’ Twas a
narrow squeak.”
A rivulet full of crystal bravery plashed
down beside the spot where they had
halted, and Henry dropping a lank leg
ever his horse's neck, jumped to the
ground and twisted a cup from a leaf.
"Let us drink to Tarleton's speedy re
turn to Cornwallis,” said Tyler.
"Nay." Henry smiled, raising the spill
ing cup toward Anne, “but—may' his com
ing ner'er lack so fair and so swift an
advance courier!"
"Whither think you we had best rid?.
Colonel Harrison asked, as they started.
"Lafayette is nigh the Rapid-Ann, ’
said Henry. "I’ faith." with a smile at
the girl beside him. "the man who named
it should have seen you ride! Best to
reach our own lines for the night and
tomorrow we will off for Staunton. Lly s
house should he near our troops; and
Mistress Tillo'tson can get safe escort to
Fredericksburg.”
At mid-afternoon they stopped at a
small hut in a gorge and asked for some
thing to eat. A muscular, tallow-faced
old woman, seemingly the sole occupant,
planted herself uncompromisingly in the
doorway and demanded of them who
they were, in a tone of manifest suspi
cion.
"We are members of the Assembly,”
said Mr. Tyler.
"And what do ye here in the woods?”
"We have just been compelled to leave
Charlottesville by the approach of the
enemy.”
The old woman shook her slate-colored
head, stuck her arms akimbo, and glared
at them.
• Ye have, have ye?” she blurted. ‘Ye
cowardly knaves! Here my men folks
air all out a-fightin’ the Britishers fer
ye. an’ ye're runnin’ away with all yer
might. Clear out, fer ye’ll get nothin’
here.”
The look which Tyler turned upon the
rest was so full of blended hunger and
chagrin that they could scarce maintain
their gravity.
“But, my good woman,” Mr. Tyler ex
postulated, “we were obliged to. ’Twould
not do to have the whole Legislature
captured by Cornwallis. Here,” he con
tinued. pointing, "is Mr. Speaker Harri
son; you don’t think he would have fled
if it hadn't been necessary?”
S3»ie pursed her lips and Jerked her chin
with an audible sniff.
“I alius thought right smart of Colonel
Harrison till now.” she answered, “but
he’d no business to tuck tail an’ run.”
"Wait a moment. Madam.” Henry-
smoothed the wrinkles of mirth from i
his face as she was about to close the
door in their faces. A ait a moment.
You have surely heard of Mr. Tyler. You
would hardly believe that he would take
to flight without good reason. ^
"That I wouldn't.” j
"But here he is," finished Henry, with j
a wave of his hand. i
She stood a moment nonplussed. “Saltes I
o’ mercy!” she ejaculated, with sagging
cheeks. “I wouldn’t a thought it! Ida
swore he’d never run from a red-co;it.
But seein' he has, he'll get nary bite to
oat in my house. Ye kin ride on.
It was Henry's turn now to look com
ical dismay, but Anne met his smile and
flashed in.
"Suppose—suppose one should tell you
that Patrick Henry had run with the
rest?”
"Patrick Henry?” burst out the other
angrily, “I’d tell ye it was a passle o’
lies! I reckon we'uns know him. My
old man was at the nabbin’ o' Johnny
Burgoyne, an’ now my boys air holin'
ter ketch that sarpint Co’nwallis. Next
year all three on ’em air goin’ arter
Clinton down ter New York. Mebbe ye
think they'd run from the Britishers!
Patrick Henry! If he run at all, ’twould
be arter 'em. I kin tell ye.”
“And yet,” Anne said soberly, "this is
Mr. Henry.”
The old woman stared astounded, h^r
hands twitching at her apron strings.
She came close and gazed earnestly inro
his face.
"So it is.” she said slowly; "so it is. I
seen you onct ten year back, in Char
lottesville. Well, then, if Patrick Henry
done it, it must l>e all right. 'Light an'
come in. Y'all kin have the best on the
place.”
After the meal and rest the
four rode some hours through shaggy
ravines strewn with wrack of storm,
where the green veins of every growing
thing ran flush with frenzied sap: then
to the low valleys of the Rapid-Ann. And
here, at last, spirals of smoke showed
them where Lafayette lav encamped,
waiting a junction with Wayne to march,
against Cornwallis.
The first challenge they met came from
a detachment of Virginia riflemen, and.
finding an old friend in their commander.
Major Call. Colonel Harrison and Mr.
Tyler elected to go no farther. Ely's
house. Henry learned, was but a few
miles beyond the picket linos, and as to
the morrow's escort for Anne 4 tim major
sent a lieutenant with them a mile down
the river to headquarters to ask it.
■ it was a picturesque encampment
through which they passed. There were
few tents; mere wigwams of fresh cuj,
boughs to shed the dew. Here and there
fires of blazing fence rails glowed yel-
low-ly in the gathering twilight.
The tent of the acting colonel of the
Virginia Continental regiment was pitch
ed apart on a patch of beaten grass.
Stools, and a light folding table holding
pen and paper sat just outside the open
flaps, from whose angle a lantern hung,
already winking in the dusk.
Benches were on one side, and here,
while their horses were cared for. Henry
and Anne seated themselves to wait. Near
by- the dusty silver of sycamores swayed
against the shredded carnation of the
sky, and from the distance, through the
warm evening, came the hum of the camp,
noises of mess-preparing and the trarrm
and neigh of horses.
They sat awhile silent. Anne’s every
nerve tired. Henry watched her. How
softly white her cheeks, how deep the
longing in her eyes!
“ 'Twas a quick plan and a splendid
ride.” he said at length. "A !>ra_ve Act,
as are all of yours!"
She cringed suddenly. "T hate that
word so!” she implored, and he knew of
what she was thinking.
All at once she looked at him’ speak
ing earnestly:
"Do you believe T shall ever see him?
Oh. if he could but know! But know that
I was not false to him in my heart. At
first I thought I would be content to know
he war. alive, even if I never*saw him
again . . if he hated me! But now . .
now, I would give my life to hear him say'
that he forgave me!"
It was as if all the pent-niy longing of
the past time burst out in a flood. Tier
voice had sunk very low with the last
words, for the lieutenant had approached
again.
A horse pulled up before the tent and its
rider dismounted. He wore the uniform
of a. colonel of the line, and even in the
half light, both the watchers saw how
strangely pallid his clear-cut fea'nres
showed beneath the straight black peruke
he wore.
An orderly sprang from the tent to
lead away the dancing horse, and the
lieutenant saluted:
"A gentleman to see you. Colonel. He
requests escort tonight for a lady to
Ely’s, and tomorrow to Fredericksburg.”
The colonel had seated himself at the
table, and was spreading out a parchment
map in the glow of the lantern.
"Where are they?”
"They are here, sir.”
As they came forward into the light,
tile seated figure settled back in the
shadow and shaded his eyes with his
hand. The lieutenant saluted and with
drew a little distance.
When the colonel spoke, it was in a
muffled voice.
“Your name, sir?”
Henry told him.
“For what lady do jmu wish this es
cort?” The black peruke was bent over
the table. The quill was scratching.
“For this lady/’
Anne had been staring, breathless, fas
cinated, her eyes fixed in a humid pain.
She took a step nearer, stretching out
her arms, her lips, trembling to a sob.
"Louis!” Her breath clung about the
WOULD YOU
Blame Him?
The effect' of coffee on brain workers is
more injurious than on those who work
with their hands, but still the hard physi
cal worker is often seriously hurt with
coffee.
A man from Mead. Wash., says: "Cof
fee drinking had a different effete on my
wife than on me, it ruined tier nervous
system and put her in very bad condition
that way. With me my nerves seemed to
be all right, but my stomach was dis
ordered and I was suffering from dyspep
sia from drinking coffee, so finally we
concluded to begin using Postum instead
of coffee.
"In a very few days the dizziness and
headaches that she had suffered with
more or less, disappeared, and her nerves
kept getting better and my dyspepsia
left, now I can eat anything. I have
noticed that in hard work in the harvest
field the days when I used coffee I was
not near sj strong and vigorous as when
I used Postum.
"I have had many chances to pi;ove,
and have proved that Postum is far and
away better for me than coffee, besides
I am well now and while I was using cof
fee I was half nick." Name furnished
by postum Co.. Battle Creek. Mich.
••You shall not go! I love you ana you must stay here—with me.”
DAN SYLVA leaned from
his saddle and gazed into
the lovely face lifted to his
own.
“Why weren't you at the
corrals today, Bonita? T
watched all day and not
one sight of your beautiful
face rewarded me."
Golden lights came into
Bonita's dark eyes as she
answered with a soft, pleas
ed laugh:
"No, Senor. T was busy in
the garden. You must remember that jjiis
is violet time, and the time is short, so
they must be watered and gathered eacli
day. Father says the market was never
better, so we must work hard until they
bloom no more. But T thought of you
yes—often, and the violets whispered of
you.”
Then, with a swift blush, she dropped
her eyes shyly, and—saw her shabby
shoes and coarse skirt.
When she looked up again. Juan was
shutting his lips firmly. Tie had started
to speak, but now, sitting erect, he gatit
ered up the riata which hung from his
saddle and remarked cheerily:
“Well, the father must surely let you
come tomorrow. We are to have a great
time at the corrals, for we have five,
hundred new cayuses and a newspaper re
porter will he there to write ns on and
take our pictures. Maybe you would like
to see how she does it?"
"She?” questioned Bonita breathlessly.
“Ts she pretty?”
"No. T believe not.” answered Juan
carelessly. “At least—well, von can see
her for yourself tomorroy.”
Then swinging the sombrero f-*om his
handsome head, he put spurs to his horse
and was soon out of sight.
Bonita istood with tightly clasped hands,
watching the fog as it rolled up from
the sea to swallow the strong, erect figure
on the galloping horse.
"Ypp.- T will go tomorrow, if only to
see this girl. Something tells me—but no.
yon must love me. You must—vou have
loved me always. T know it, T know it.”
siie sobbed passionately'.
And Juan Sylva ?
He. too. was murmuring to himself, or
was it to the image of a lithe, gray-clad
figure whose crown of golden brow-n hair
was half hidden by a trim sailor hat.
"Are you beautiful?” he was asking.
"No. not beautiful as Bonita Alvarez is.
She is lovely, a dark-eyed queen, but as
untutored as the violets she grows. While
you—you make me think of those other
days, of the life that might he mine, if
it were not for my old father. Why did
lie give me that taste of civilization only
to snatch me hack to this?”
And yet in his heart he knew that
only the sight of Mildred Ayres, special
reporter on The Now York Blazer, had
caused the old restlessness to reassert
itself. She had come west to rest her
tired nerves, but wnen she heard of the
big lound-up at Baden, a few miles south
of San Francisco, where she was visit
ing. the old passion for turning out in
teresting “copy” rose strong within her,
and she was doing a series of stories
gathered among the best rough riders of
California, or for that matter, of the
entire coast.
The next morning the corrals presented
an animated scene, and Miss Ayres, with
pad and camera, was on hand early. The
name. Henry swallowed an exclama
tion.
At the whisper, the head lifted, and Ar-
mand’s deep eyes looked at them out of a
granite-pale face. They wont past her
as if she had been the air, and rested
again on Henry.
“Her name?” he asked, with an ef
fort.
'Anne drew back as if from a tangible
blow. She flushed, and her eyes iced with
a glint of the old. undying pride. She
drew herself up and answered for Hen
ry.
“Anne Tillotson.” she said. But in
spite of herself, the throb of pain beat
through the clear words.
A moment’s silence, through which the
pen wrote slowly. Then Armand rose
unsteadily as the lieutenant came for
ward, and thrust the order he had written
into his hand.
"Conduct them.” he said in a choked
voice, and with his salute the tent flaps
fell behind him.
“1 warrant you found Colonel Armand
a brusque cavalier,” said the lieutenant,
as they pounded out of camp. “He is
somewhat of a mystery', they say. No
one knows where he came from. He
joined the army in ’77, and Washington
took him up because he taught the mil
itia brigades the drill like a French
guardsman. He was at Valley Forge,
too, and in New Jersey under Lafayette,
He enlisted a legion of his own—it was
cut to pieces at Camden. He’s young,
too. hut he fights like Mad Anthonv
Wayne.”
Anne had no reply to make. In the
darkness she leaned her. head ta her
horse’s mane and wept with a rage of
tears.
“He is fighting for us.” she told herself
over and over with a thrill, and ended
it as often with a mental xyaih
“But he will never forgive me—never-
never—never!”
(To Be Continued.)
foreman who received her spoke Eng
lish but poorly, so, after trying in vain
to secure the information she desired, she
asked:
“Where is the young man T talked with
yesterday—the one with black hair and
eyes? He rode a black horse.”
The foreman shrugged his shoulder.
After all she was a woman.
“Juan Sylva?”
"I believe that was his name. Can you
spare him?”
Again the foreman shrugged his shoul
der.
"It is for him to say. He owns it all.
Then noting the surprise in Miss Ayres’
face he added:
"Juan’s father is the richest ranchero,
ve?—and Juan he sent east to college.
Now he is back, and the father is old and
ill, and Juan is master. And the senorita
shall talk with the master if she will."
All that ciav Juan walked at Miss
Ayres’ side, chatting of the wonderful
feats wf his riders and the glories of
range life, or grouping pictures for her
greedy camera. Late in the afternoon.
Bonita left her violet garden long enough
to make a hurried trip to the corrals, but
she stopped only a few moments. Juan
had forgotten her coming. - He was on the
other side of the big corral, talking with
Miss Ayres. And so, leaving the cowboys
behind with their significant glances, their
shrugging shoulders and pitying eyes, she
took her embittered way back to the lit
tle garden where she could pour her grief
into the ears of her violets.
And while Bonita suffered and grew
pale and lost the golden light in her mid
night eyes, the intimacy between Juan
and Miss Ayres grew. The latter thought
much of the information she galhereci
front her dark-haired knight, but little
of his personality. She was improving in
health, and the old work and the old
life called to her. So there came a day
when, as they walked toward the tiny
depot where she was to take the train
for San Francisco, she said to Juan:
“T think this will be my last trip to
Baden. Mr. Sylva, for day after tomor
row I start east. How much you have
done to make my stay pleasant and how
much your excellent stories have helped
to advance my position on my paper. 1
cannot explain to you, but, belie\e me.
1 am most grateful.”
Upon these impersonal, conventional
words, broke the voice of Juan.
"You shall not go! I love you and you
must stay here—with me. In my glorious
west, where you shall never write for
money again, but only the most beauti
ful things, as you feel them."
Then came a torrent of half English,
half Spanish love phrases that fairly
stunned the New York girl. A\ hat should
she say? It all sounded so peaceful, so
Inviting, to one who had fought her way
for several years. And the weeks of
companionship, she found, had not left
her quite heart-whole, though in her
eagerness to gather material she had not
realized how large a part Juan was play
ing in her daily life. She was lonely,
too, in her little New York apartment.
The train came and went, and she still
stood, gazing out to the sea. where the
evening fog and the setting sun were
battling for supremacy. At last she sigh
ed and turned back to the man.
"Tomorrow I will tell you. Come to
my hotel in San Francisco, and you shall
have your answer. And now- that I have
missed my train, while wc wait for an
other let us see one of those beautiful
violet gardens, of which I have heard
so much. No, we will not talk of—love,
but of violets.”
And so it happened that the unthink
ing Juan led her to the home of Bonita
Alvarez, whose violets were the talk of
Baden and beyond. But when he saw
Bonita's face, he remembered and cursed
himself for a fool, that he had brought
this other woman to her whom, in an
idle moment, he dreamed of loving. So
he excused himself on the plea of wishing
to see Senor Alvarez, and left the two
girls alone.
Of Bonita. Milder Ayres knew nothing.
She plunged into the intricacies of violet
culture and was amazed to feel sudden
ly a burning hand clasped on her wrist.
“No, you shall not write. You shall
listen. Why have you done this to me—
you who have so much and I so little?
lie loved me first—yes. he would have
loved me always, but for you. And it is
not you he loves, but your line ways, and
your costly clothes, and the life you live
that once was his. Why—why could you
not go hack to that life—and leave my
Juan for me? You could live without
him—could forget him—but I—I will die ”
Mildred Ayres drew away from the
frantic clasp and the tragic eyes up
turned to hers. She almost wished that
she had given Juan her answer at once.
She had decided in her heart that it
should he “yes,” but with a woman’s
perversity she had wished to defer sur
render. And now—
“He was mine always before you cante.
Never, even when he went away to
school, did he care for another woman-
only me. And now, if you will go away,
he will forget—and come back to me ”
The black eyes were dead as midnight
now, and perfectly dry- as with barbaric
eloquence. Bonita pleaded with the woman
who had supplanted her in Juan's affec
tions.
Mildred leaned forward dizzily and
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clutched the girl's arm. tt
“Tell Mr. Sylva I am ready to go.
That night Mildred Ayres reivoned with
h€ "The girl is right. I do not love him
as she does. And I can live wthout
him. it will be hard for a time to tak-
up the old grind, but the work will help
me to forget. Nothing would "take her
lorgct. 1 love him for what he ca ”
me—surcease from anxiety. responsibility
and drudgery. She loves him for his own
splendid self. I might j lre .
tire him. She never would Ands
Then she wrote a curt little note
which belied the tears she had to wipe
•iwov lest thev blot the words.
The next evening, with that curt note
^^f^ b r^^o n BaLm
herv''temper^gave^th e "bhick h«r« a'hard
she srathered violets.
‘ On an eastbound express, a woman
looked backward toward the setting sun.
a “rr;,r e u : the «.* wa . ,***? ™
b Thenith a sigh she picked up_ a be
lated New York paper and critically
studied the sensational article written >
the woman who had substituted m her
absence. For how could she know, that
the violet garden tremulous >‘P S ' Vt
praying lor her. Ave after Axe. and the
midnight of those dusky eyes was once
more shot with golden lights.
Jt Child’s Hand 'Rolled
Jiway the Stone
CONTINUED
the heart callous to its influence-must be
hardened, indeed. A blossoming IrutL
tree near" by sent Its subtle fragrance
through the open casement: birds ens
ured, the hens were singing their sweet
little musing song, and everything wa.>
responding to the genial sun in the joy
of life newly revived and glorified.
Easter was at hand and the wh.ie tar lit
seemed permeated by the sp.rit ot ’•“•
sacred season. Tracy felt its influence.
His heart was wonderfully full of hope,
and even the thought of the Inn* pnsou
years yet before him could not dull the
strange uplifting of his spirit- Only wi'.ou
he looked into the little face beside him
did his heart fail. He was very uneas..
about the child. She had not been strong
since her illness and now her changcfu
color and feverish restlessness maue him
The door opened and Tracy vos dis
tressed to feel the start she gave, ae
turned nervously and before he con i
realize it she was running forward t‘>
meet a slight, girlish figure in black, w io
opened her arms wide and cried v- itn a
world of tenderness.
"Flossie! Dear little Flossie.
"Mildred! O. Mildred, is it you''’ was
the glad answer, and the child was
caught up in a close embrace.
Tracy put his hand to his brow. Every
thing grew dark and he staggered bad
against the casement.
Then he felt a soft hand clinging to his
own. an arm stole timidly about his ne k
"No no. Mildred! Not here. Not while
I am 'in this garb! O. God, what does u
all mean!”
•‘It means that I know ad. cried Mil
dred, bravely, through he r last falling
tears. “That T have told the governor
and he lias signed your release!"
"But you, my darling! Have you ma le
my sacrifice vain?"
"No. no! I knew you would feel so;
and the papers tomorrow wijl simply
state that your innocence has been es
tablished through newly discovered evi
dence. You have saved me, Tracy, mm
v„w vou must help me to make restitu-
tion-to atone for-” she broke down, h- t
strong arms were around her, and 1 • •"
head was pillowed on a heart overflowing
.vith tender gratitude.
And so just as the Easter bells rang
out their message of eternal hope. Lo\e
came forth from the sepulcher from
which a child’s hand had rolled away
the stone, to reign strong and immortal
in these two happy hearts forevermore.
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