Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1895-11-23


she had held herself so. C...ainir lie
had looked darker to her in those as.
than ii looked now. She went slowly
II the steps OF her pleasan. home.
| Far within + gi-'l.n voice sang happily
and the rooms were cEeer@ -i.h mel
low lanp-lieht that revealed Miss Par
bara 2 fitting mistress for the lovely
old house. Suidealy Syfvla's head
cleaned in distant doorsa-
There's a letter for you, aun,le,
she called softly; such q queer look
ing thing-I laid i. on the piano.
: 1t Hae foreign looking letter, and
lrore traces Of d long ,ourney. Miss
--;aTbe-a examined the po1.-~rrkf 1uri-s
| ously. When she carried the letter -
her room u moment later her face
looked pale. Behind her locked door
the next moment she sat down TO read
IT. with deliberate care size opened
the envelope II contained many thin
| sheets written over IL a clear. manly
| hand She sought raethodically for
! the signature, ard read fhe name that
had once been dear to her 4 strange.
| familiar look 1t wore Mach vaa
written between the lines Of the story
! he told briefly. He had left his native
/ lani hot with passion and the smart
/ Of their broken engagement. Shortly
after his arrival III Indlsa report Of
j her marriage had reached him, aud,
not dolbtlng the truth Of it, be paid
court TO and hastily married the
pretty but shallow daughter Of an
! English Colonel stationed there. Dur
ing the years that followed he had
striven TO bear the consequences of
Lis own mistake, and be had borne
them until the burden fell from his
shoulders at a grave. He spoke Of
his child In words that brought tears
to the readers owes and then he
/ turned passlonately TO the old DAYS.
and questioned her Of the future.
The letter fell from her fingers. She
.~Teit as one must feel with the earth
rocking under foot Was the old love
dead IN her heart - dead ike the
mother Of his child? She thought OF
that gave under the Indian palms, and
a feeling rose slow and strong out OF
her heart. No-his part IN her life
had ended years before. She did not
hold herself blameless, but she had
suffered once, she had no wish to suf-
fer again. She could not change the
pleasant, settled boundaries of her
life. Toward him and toward that lit
t.le ealadz.af bis heE thoughts xould
ever go kindly-but his part IN her
life was over. She sent her answer
before she slept; and life went on as
if it had not paused. On the evening
before Thanksgiving Sylvia went ear
~ to choir practice, and Miss Barbara
sat down to read the city paper, which
mad Just arrived. A glowing fire
snapped In the CRATE, half dozen car
nations scented the air, and Ophella.
the cat, purred lazily at intervals.
Outside round full moon shone high
IN the sky. and the frosty ground
sparkled IN It's radiance.
Fire fire , fire !" shouted voice IL
the street. Miss Barbara rushed TO tht
window; before she reached it the de
! m0niac shrek Of the fire whistle, pro
Ionged aud awful, snote upon hel
ears Then came the sound OF run
nlng feet. Snatchlng up shawl. sn.
hastily locked the door and joined II
n wild race toward the swelling mur
murs that rose unanimously IN tn.
air. She WAS soon in the midst of tbs
excitement, but pausel IN the ont
skirts OF the crowd 1t was a. barn tha
was burning, and !. stood ont agalns
the smoke bluckenel sky a C!osIn.
m1ss o. triumphant fire. There VA
10 zlon-.r hope Of saving It. tholel
the hose still played upon It. Th'
!, rescued horses stamped and neighed
the 1ir.men shouted hoarse orders
dogs bari>e. ani baby criei. Sls
J denly there arose cry. Look cat
, LOGS olt
One OF the frightened animals ha,
sprung loose an charged wildly for
ward Miss Barbara felt hersel
: suatched up and borne PERSISTENT
thToa- il the shrieking crowd into
deserted street white with moonlight
Her rescuer made no motion 20 reieas
: he-, an!, startled aud annoyed, sh
turned her gaze full upoh him, th
next instant her brea.h stopped, he
.4c- rnei white. She was eaz4ng II
= iha :ace OF the man sae once Love
a the man whose letter she hal atei
answered \ tioeA o. giris rsa .au2t
: sng All calling into tae sf-ee: l.
iae go--:heTc are reope aaon'-yo
must LET nc -, she whisper. sharl
: y. Ills arn~ dropped from her ~Aa-
1 but he walked close = her -sie n
!