Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-07-30

Arnm0re ~ she SAID. Il am go
ing there myself"
He smiled, embarrassed a little.
"May t. be said, Exchange my
escort for your guidance ~
'Yes,' she said. "Come with me.
We may as well keep each other
company this lonely night"
And now an idea which had been
growing in his mind, vague idea
of recognition, became more clear
and precise. He had heard the
voice before he was sure of it. 1t
seemed to him to come from some
time of the long ago-soma time of
which he had kept no souvenir.
at seems strange thing to say"
he said, "but cannot help thinking
We must have met before. ! am
sure / recognize your voice
"Yes,n she said, eve have met.
You would have recognized my face
too, even in this mist, if l were not
yelled. | knew you at once. You
are Charles Marone.
"Will you not be went on, "at
least put back your veil l am
sure l should recognize you then
and know your name. Wherever we
met before it is strange enough that
we should meet again like this, at
night ON the moor-I lost in the
mist and you my guide"
eyes," che said, at is strange.
you shall see my face, but not yet.
Perhaps you will remember without
that. Tell me, can you remember
30 years ago?''
vaguely" - he said. II was a
young man then-a wild ass of the
desert. But what have 90 years to
do with it, for unless my judgment
is very wrong you cannot remember
90 years ago."
.Why not ~ she said.
Because he said, laughing,
"yon cannot possibly be 20 years of
age."
"Never mind" she said. "Twenty
years ago you did precisely what
you are doing now. You went away
to village to get some work done.'
very likely he said. "That
was when l was up at Oxford. It
is not impossible, but have no
clear recollection of it,
She began to hum a tune. The
tune, like the voice, came back 80
him.
81 remember now--an old mill, an
orchard behind it. l was in the or.
chard."
She raised a gloved nand, in
which she carried some fast fading
flowers.
"Smell these" she said, "and
they also will help your memory
Their scent was curious, harsh
and heavy not sweet and refresh
ing.
81 know" he cried. "They grew
there all among the grass, those
great red poppics. Now | recall
everything and could even have
sworn that you were'-
"Who 2" she asked softly.
"One who 90 years ago had the
grace and the voice snd the figure
that you have now"
Out of the gray mist came a row
of low, white painted ratings.
"Let me rest a little she said.
She leaned against them. A stone
dislodged by her foot, fell far down
and splashed in the water below.
"What was her name ~ she asked.
GA strange name for an English
girl,' he said sadly. "She was call.
ed Antoinette."
Il am Antoinette," said the wo-
man before him.
''But not the same" he said.
"That would be impossible"
She laughed.
"If," she said, "you had been a
woman instead of man, you would
have noticed, even in this light, that
I wear the fashions OF 90 years ago.
Won't you believe +? Look at my
face then.'
It was the face of the woman
whom he had more or less loved 90
years before. He shrank back a few
steps from her.
"What does it mean ~ he asked
"How is it that you have not chang.
ed!n
He was frightened.
81 came here,n she said, latter
you had gone. 1t was just at this
spot that read your last letter.
Listen"
He heard the water murmuring
below him.
1T was 20 years ago." she went
on. Il died-down there-because
you had left me. Come back to me
now."
Slowly and mechanically he step
ped forward again toward her
The lamentable death of Charles
Marone while still comparatively
young and at the height of his
reputation was, the newspapers said
the result of accident. He had, in
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