San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-01-21
Thorne came across the room and stood
opposite

Thorne came across the room and stood
opposite.
The weeks rolled by, and gradually
Mrs. Mason grew convalescent. She was
still confined to her room, but the worst
of the pain was over, and she could lie
on the sofa by the fireside and have
Berkeley read aloud to her in the even
ings. Blanche, if she happened to be
there, would sit on low chair beside the
sofa, busy with some delicate bit of fancy
work, and later in the evening Berke
would take her home. Sometimes Poca-
hontas would bring her work and listen,
or pretend to listen, with the rest, but
oftener she would go into the parlor and
play dreamily to herself for hours. She
had taken up her music industriously
and practiced hard in her spare moments.
She had been playing long time one
evening in April, and had left the piano
for low chair beside the open fire. She
was tired. Although spring had come,
the evenings were chill and the room
was large. Her hands were cold and she
spread them out to the blaze. The heavy
curtains billowed and sank and beloved
again, as intrusive puffs of wind crept
officiously through the crevices Of the
old easements. Blanche and Berkeley
were with her mother and they were
reading Lorna Doone." She had read
the book week ago and did not care to
hear it over.
The front door opened quietly-it was
always on the latch-and footsteps came
along the hall; quick, eager footsteps.
straight to the parlor door; the knob
turned. No need to turn her head, no
need to question of her heart whose step,
whose hand that was, to guess whose
presence filled the room.
Thorne came across the room, and
stood opposite, a great light of joy in his
, eyes, his hands outstretched for hers.
Benumbed with many emotions, Poca-
hontas half rose, an inarticulate muir
muir dying on her lips. Thorne put her
gently back into her chair and drew one
for himself up to the hearth rug near
her; he was willing to keep silence for a
little space, to give her time to recover
herself; he was satisfied for the moment
with the sense of her nearness, and his
heart was filled with the joy of seeing
her once more. The lamps We're lit, but
burning dimly. Thorne rose and turned
both to their fullest brilliancy; he must
have light to see his love.
81 want to look at you, Princess" he
said gently, seeking her eyes, with
look in his not to be misunderstood; sit
has been so long-so cruelty long, my
darling, since l have looked on your
sweet face. You must not call the 9th
ers. For this first meeting want but
you-you only, my love! my queen"
His voice fingered over the terms of en-
dearment with exquisite tenderness.
Pocahontas was silent-for her life she
could not have spoken then. Her gray
eyes had an appealing, terrified look as
they met his; her trembling hands
clasped and unclasped in her lap.
slow frightened you look, my dar-
ling" Thorne murmured, speaking soft
ly and keeping tight rein over himself.
"Your eyes are like a startled fawn's.
Have l been too abrupt-two thought
less and inconsiderate? You would for
give me, love, if you knew how l have
longed for you; have yearned for this
meeting as Dives yearned for water-as
the condemned yearn for reprieve. Have
lao - CNNTNUED.I