The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-08-04
OLEANDERS.

John Stair put out his hands as he
spohe and caught both those of the
woman firmly in his hold. She, rising
. rom ner seat, gazed at him with
e.atsiea eyes and parted lips, while the
nowers III her lap were scattered in
rosy mass about her feet
! was thinking Of you" the man
mene on IN soft voice Of entire glad
ness. In all tho years, the long ten
years. sinoe we said goodby you have
UGH III my remembrance always, al
ways: at every little pause in the life
which has been SO full and vet SO empty
your lace has come before me, and here
just now, looking ut the sea and the
sunlight, the pain was more than I
oo"id bear. turned to leave the ter
race and there you were among the
mowers, Margaret. In all my life it is
the first good turn that fate has done
me- Tell me you are glad to see me
again"
Margaret drew her hands from his
with sigh, still looking up at tho thin,
Keen face, the gray eyes bent eagerly
upon her.
"Glad-yes, am glad" she said,
out her voice was sad with tho remen-
branco of long pain and much weeping.
1t will be worse afterward-but for
the moment-ah, John. how long the
years have been! How lonelyr'
There was pause between them,
and he sat beside her on the low bench,
each afraid to break the silence, while
he gathered up the flowers and laid
them on her knees again. Round them
azaleas and oleanders grew in glow
ing curve of rosy color, shutting out the
length of terrace. Before them, beyond
the glitter of the white houses on the
beach, lay the sea, blue and sail hecked.
meeting the blue curves Of the cloudless
sky i'll its serenest mood.
Tell me Of yourself. he said at last,
leaning forward and touching the flut-
ter of black ribbons OH her white dress.
Il know so httle-just few meager
lines i'll the paper or n chance remark
i'll mans letter. I know that he is
dead, that you are free, but that is all.
Tell me, Margaret.
The spell of his ontreating voice was
on her, and the long sorrow of her lone
ly life came to her i'll vivid stroke
which caught her by the throat in q sob
and drowned the bluencss of her eyes in
tears.
"Therc is not much to tell" she an
swered, leaving her fingers in his clasp
Six months after you left for India 1
was married to him, as you read, of
course.
Her brow knitted sharply in an in
slant contraction Of pain, but ho did
not turn away
"Yes?''
"Well, there it is-the story of my
life," Margaret said, with little smile
saddcr than her tears. ~ was 90, pen
niless and pretty. married million
alre of 90, and you-yOu went to India"
silence. while tho eyes of both were
bent upon the sea and tho sound of mu-
sic from tho hotel terrace above came
family over the howcry screen around
them.
He was generous in his way" Mar
garet went OH after little. ''He freed
my father from the money he owed
him. and tho boys got OH all right and
Dolly made good match. Father and
mother got their part of the bargain,
. and newell, he got his too
John Stair flung her hand from him
suddenly and turned away sharply.
"Ah, you wince! said Margaret bit
terly. but for me-think of 1.-THE was
hard and misery and coarse, and was
his wife and loved YOU
Stair turned to her again.
But how? You arc free?''
eyes" she answered slowly, 81 am
free. Two years ago he died and left
me free and rich and childless. Tell me
now, John-tcll me about your wife. +"
"Ah. no; not now" Stair said eager
ly. "Let us forget for few hours
forget all except that we have been SO
long apart that We have met again,
Margaret"
mo, 10, you shall tell me-" Mar
garet cried sharply. why. why did
you marry? You were man, and
strong. There was no ono to torture
you. You shall tell me. -
The eager look OH Stairs keen face
faded, and his face grew white.
ut was i'll India. I was i'll, down
for months with fever, and she nursed
mo at the risk of her own life and good
name. could do nothing else but
/, marry her. Poor Martial"
"Martha-is that her name?'
Eyes"
"What is she like-your Martha?"
There was ring of scorn in Margaret's
voice, but her eyes saw the sea through
the glitter of her unshed tears. "What
is she like?"
: "a homely little body. very small
and very plain. Her whole soul and
affection. l think, is centered in her
boy. She worships HIM
"Ah, she has a child?"
Eyes. The little one was born in In
dia, grew up very delicate, and two
J IL - 4. l.