The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-09-14

nY stRs. W. K. cLlrroRp.

windows. Striped sun-blinds and
crecper. tiled roof and lightning
conductor. Close to the house. flower
beds, trim and bright with marigolds
and sweet pease; round IL. yet standing
little off like sentinels, straight and
tall, dark ar trees
In the drawinR-room OF the little
house a woman waited; she had waited
half her lifetime for the meeting that
was TO take place this afternoon. She
was neither young nor pretty; her hair
was grizzled, and her face marked by
lines of care and sorrow Yet time
had been tender and left her charm
that half compelled love, though the
reserve that was natural TO her gently
kept any expression OF ii unspoken.
She walked up and down and
fingered and listened with the happy
anxiety Of woman who knows that
there is only little time to wait and
then footstep Is certain TO fall upon
her ear. She raised her eyes and
looked round the room and was salts
fed 1t was cool and shady, for the
sun-blind over the wide-opcn window
kept out the glare and sitting heat;
the chintz covers were fresh, the flow
ers understanding in the Italian pots;
there were books and pictures and
rustic chairs and cushions; everywhere,
within and without, was the effect OF
drowsy stiffness that is summers own.
my little home, my dear little
home. (" she said to herself, Ito think
that he will see IL at last" A smile
came 10 her lips, though tears were in
her voice. She clasped her hands and
leaned her foolish head down on the
back OF her chair and hid her face.
"Oh, my dear, my dcarl" she whis-
percd; Ito think that we shall meet
again after all these years. To think
that ! shall see your face and hear
your voice-your dear voice--once
more. Perhaps you win find fault
with me just as you used" and she
laughed softly for joy. ~ don't care
IL don't care one little atom what
you do TO me so that it is you who do
it, She started up in dismay, for
there entered without any warning a
woman. middle-aged also. and in n
widows bonnet. She had the air OF
having come journey.
''Oh, Maryg' Miss Roberts exclaimed,
half drawing back; II did not expect
you. Why didn't You write? Some
one is coming; am engaged-indeed l
am--this afternoon"
The visitor laughed, and showed a
dimple in her happy face. Sorrows
had evidently been only incidents TO
her. borne easily and recovered from
pleasantly.
you are very inhospitablc." she
said. II have come literally for ten
minutes, between the two afternoon
trains. ] walked from the station and
entered by the stable gate. wouldn't
risk a telegram, because l wanted your
answer"
What Is it?" Miss Roberts asked,
attn dismayed and listening the while
for the sound of wheels stopping by
the porch.
"The Milfords have lost their father
and can't go TO Switzerland. They
were TO start tomorrow; had taken
circular tickets for n month. They
want to give them TO us; they came
into heaps Of money and can afford IT,
i agreed 20 accept them provided you
would go. too. We have not been to-
gether since we were girls, that time
when John Alwyn went with us ali 10
Cornwall"
''oh. Mary, can't. John Alwyn is
coming this afternoon" The tears
were in Miss Roberts eyes; she put her
arms round her friends neck and
trembled with excitement. "He wrote
TO me-" she went on. "Iie has taken a
little place, called Heatherway, Ave or
six miles of, He asked IL he might
come After all these years, Mary,
we are going to meet once more, /" she
whispered.
Mrs. Norton looked at her be-
wildered.
"But--but he cannot be anything to
you now, Geongie? All that was over
long ago"
s'He is the whole world" Miss
Roberts answered. still in whisper.
az have lived my life waiting for him.
oh, Mary" she said and gave q long
sigh, ''it is something even to say his
name aloud"
Mrs. Norton was wonderstruclx.
"a never understood why you care d
for him so much, nor why You parted.
'He Is just my life. Miss Roberts went
on, as IL she had not heard, and with
n smile that was like flicker OF sun
shine VIXEN the hoar-frost first begins,
''and he viii be till--till they draw
down the blinds for me. That Is one
reason why live alone. / have felt
that some day he would come back,
and would not like anyone to see his
coming. IL was my fault that we
parted, she added. ~ had thousand
faults; wasn't good enough, or pref
~ enough, or clever enough for him. "
She poured out her words, after the
silence Of long years.
What nonsense. Georgicl Why
you were the clcverest Of ms all; you
could do anything you liked. Every.
one said, when you wrote that article
on Normandy, how clever II was; and
the illustrations, too--you might have