Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1872-10-04
I'm THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD
(CONCLUDED.)
BY LOUISE CHANDLER MouLToN.


his constant and lOng-euduring friendship.
AT last the time had come, he thought,
when he might venture to speak. He went
to see ner one night with shy, fond hope
HutteriDg in his heart, ready to spring to his
lips. He found her attired as for a festival,
her customary black silk replaced by one of
delicate violet, soft laces at throat and
wrists, rose as pink as her own cheeks in
her bosom. OF course she had expected him
as usual Had she, then, done all this for
him He looked at her with loving eyes, of
whose expression she took no note. There
was a curious excitement ip her manner as
she returned his greeting and sat down beside
him.
"Do you know what night it s?' she ask
ed.
Eyes, certainly. The sixth-no, the
seventh of December, is it not ?"
"Yes, the seventh of December" She
smiled a tender, loving smile, which curved
her lips into childish softuess. "Why, you
don't know. 1t is just one year ago tonight
that you brought Captain Desmond here. |
am keeping the anniversary"
He looked at her--at radiant lips, deli
cate, festal robes-and he had thought she
was beginning to forget He sighed one sell
fish sigh, whose bitterness she failed to guess.
Then he said very quietly:
"You have heard from him, presumed"
"Never one word since we parted but
wherever he may be, | can guess what to-
night is to him.
you are So sure of him !" Colonel Dali
ton half asked, half affirmed.
"Yes, | am sure. If | never see or hear
from him again in this world, | am sure,
thank God. Have you heard anything Of
his fortunes or his doings? You know
don't tease you much with questions, but
Just Tonight"
"Just tonight" he finished the sentence
for her. "you shall ask me what you will
Directly from him have heard nothing, but
have heard from other st. Louis friend,
that he is leading a very busy, active, use
full life and that the physicians in the asy
lum are beginning to have little hope of th'
permanent restoration of his wife to reason :
He looked at her searchiDgly as he spoke
but her face told him nothing. 1t had pu
on its soft, sweet mask of silence
He went away early-the question he ha'
come to ask unuttered. Was it destined t.
remain unspoken forever? If Margare
Desmond should be quite restored to reason
what then? He knew enough of Margaret
pride in the old days to be very sure sh
would not stoop to hold an unwilling heart
If the thought of any such possibilit
came to Mrs. Maynadier she gave no sign
She passed her days TRANQUILITY. She wa
not less popular than of old, but her success
was Of a different kind. She was believe,
more than ever by women. Young girl
came to her with their tender secrets, an
she was the fairy godmother of innumcrabI
love affairs. But the men who had, or woul
have loved her, found in her cool sweetne,
not repellent, but which turned them int
friends in spite OF themselves. Only Cole
mel Dalton, understanding all, and loving he
strongly, faithfully, silently, waited to Sc
how the story of her life should come GU
feeling that for good or bad it was his ow
story as well.
At last once more the swallow "came ov,
the seas in front Of the summer" and Hcle
Maynadier went, gladly enough, back to Il
seaside, where always the man she love
seemed 50 strangely near to her.
One night, when she had been there f
some weeks, she started out just at sunse
alone as usual A narrow path led alor
the rocks overhanging the sea, and she toe
it. The waves were yet crimson with Il
radiance of sunset, while in the east your
moon rose, and its beams stretched line
glittering light across the gently-swelir
waves She walked on "between the gre,
land and the sea-" and, turning sudd'
corner after a while, came full upon Ca
tain Harry Desmond. She was not surpri
ed. AS said, he had seemed so near h
always at the seaside, her only wonder W
that she had never seen his face befor
But now it was no vision. Clear-cut fe
lures, luminous, tender eyes, which she ha
seen so few times, yet knew so well-ho
her heart thrilled as she met them
al started from st. Louis" he said, una
ing sure that should find you at this plac
and they told me at the house what dire
ton your wanderings usually took. 1t
eighteen months since have seen you, a
here you are, the same Helen"
Her eyes answered his look Of deep &C
tent, and then she said softly:
sand you ?"
81 have been your soldier, as promise
Every hour have lived for you And NJ
l am come to you for orders. | have reaC
I'd great crisis in my life. am to
next week to fetch my wife home. | hu
seen her and she is completely cured"
:" Let us sit down." Mrs. Maynader st
family, She OWNED that for her. too,
crisis had come, for which she should ne'
all her strength, For few moments ne
Their of them spoke further. The sunset gle
faded there was overhead the blue, fair SIX
and on the waters the long, level line of ligh