Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1895-04-13
Ten Minutes TO Twelve.
By N. G. MCI.ELLAND.

The street door opened and closed
quick footsteps advanced along the hall
word or two was exchanged with some
one outside the parlor door, and Royal
faced around in time to see his vie en-
ter the room.
Could that be Phyllis? He had never
pictured her thus, and could scarcely
credit his eyes or believe that they re-
ported a living verify. Slender radiant.
clad still in black from crown to instep,
but worn, somehow, differently from his
recollection of it, with clear gray eyes
alight with pleasure, soft rings of hair
clustering about a white forehead and
cheeks aglow with health and exercise,
she seemed to Royal totally new Great
ure.
She advanced at once with outstretch-
ed hand and manner totally devoid of
embarrassment. 1t was all very differ
ent from that which he had expected,
but by the time he had taken her hand
in his Royal had become conscious that
whatever she might decide in regard to
their future relations there would be no
danger of petty misunderstanding or
narrow judgment with this woman. He
lifted his head and squared his shoulders
as though load had been removed from
them.
when did you Gomez she was saying;
"this morning? And you came at once
to us. That was charming of you. |
only wish Nina had been at home to re-
ceive and help to welcome you"
yhD Loo hoI
been perilously near taking her into his
arms, recovered himself sufficiently to
take the chair she indicated. 1t was not
only that the situation was unexpected,
but that she, as she now appeared, was
equally unexpected. He sat regarding
her helplessly.
"You received my letter." His tone
was experimental.
q Phyllis did not answer him directly.
She had laid a pair of blue spectacles on
the table, and was busily removing her
glove.
81 have to wear glasses still out of
DOORS" she informed him cheerfully.
e'But in the house l am quite independ-
ent of them"
Royals eyes were on her hands. She
had taken off the right glove and was
unbuttoning the left. The trimming Of
her sleeve had caught in a button and
was giving her trouble.
Let me help you," Royal said, and
leaned eagerly forward.
She surrendered her hand at once. and
he extricated the fastening from its en-
tanglement, and then, in response to an
acquiescent glance, drew off the glove.
AS he did so his eyes instinctively sought
her third finger, and he drew his breath
hard-she had taken off her wedding
ring. His hopes fell below freezing point
IN an Instant. To him it appeared
portent.
why did you take it Off"
The words broke from him involun
tarily and with a thrill of pain.
Because it was Johns, and am not
Wis wife"
Then when he would have spoken she
checked him by gesture and turned
her truthful eyes full on him:
Your letter came some days ago, DIR.
Royal. know why you did not write
before-that consideration for me held
you back from telling me the story
months ago. You would not imperil
my chance of sight. | am grateful for
your kindness. But | could not discuss
the matter with you until you should
have spoken of it yourself. | wanted to
talk with you about it, so l showed you
that you might speak at last"
Royal looked bewildered.
you knew of the affair before my
letter reached your he hazarded.
Eyes. I've known the story for months
past. DR.. Royal-ever since week or
two after you went away last December.
When | saw you that last morning you
seemed so unlike John that | could
scarcely realize how you could have
changed so much. | said nothing to
Nina at first and put the thought aside,
but it kept returning. When | spoke to
her about it first she made fun of me,
laughed at the idea of your being
changed, more than the years would &C
count for, and thought | couldn't see
that she was evading and slipping away
from the subject. When my eyes got
stronger got out the package of photo
a graphs of himself my cousin had sent
me from time to time, and only the first
of which had ever seen. None of them
was in the least like you, and no stretch
of imagination would make them So
You seemed a totally different man.
s.Then | remem bered blunders that you
had made, and which did not notice at
the time-blunders John couldn't have
made. 1t troubled me, for it was all
incomprehensible."
IL ,n,,rnd D..