Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-11-01
AFTER TEN YEARS.

AFTER TEN YEARS.
The train was running on at full speed.
1t wa nearing Saumur. Olivier Seranes,
only half awake, looked out at the misty,
gray landscape.
Sweet, how sweet, it was to return to
his native house after SO long an absence!
His family dead, his friends scattered
how many changes had occurred in the
course of these ten years! The land alone
remained unchanged. And >then he
thought only Of Charlotte Dexpers, whom,
he was so soon to see, with almost an un-
easy gladness.
Charlotte! The magical name warmed
his heart. He forgot his weary frame, the
40 years stamped in premature wrinkles
on his yellow face, the oppressive sunshine
of Tonquin, the haunting fever.
It was strange that after SO many years
he could not think of her even now with
out a little sinking at the heart. In fact,
he had loved her formerly, loved her for
years, re%ligiously hiding his wound from
all men and from her with aching self
control.
The colonies had afforded an opening
for his energy. He had entered the higher
branch of the civil service, first in the
Senegal and then at Tonquin.
Time, by relaxing the close tie Of affec-
ton, had brought Seranes to a feeling of
calm and mild friendship. When she had
SO strangely urged him to pay her a visit
Of some days at Les Clairettes, she must be
NM 80 horca1f and NOT lass ~ cf him
He was afraid lest he might love Nine.
Dexpers again. If when he should see her
again these ten years should have passed
like a single day9
The train stopped at the station.
Seranes, without waiting to think, flew
to the carriage door, his eyes eagerly search
ing the platform, where Nine. Dexpers was
to meet him as she had promised.
No silver gray gown as Of old, no young
woman with lustrous eyes, no little girl
with bare legs. Nameless faces only. But
an elegantly dressed woman in black in
the background, after looking away as if
he were a stranger, examined him more
attentively.
He suppressed an exclamation and hur-
ried forward. Two hands seized his.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
And Mime. Dexpers was saying:
II am SO pleased, my dear old friend"
He gazed at her with anxiety and was
less surprised at his having failed to rec
ognize her at once Mime. Dexpers' beauty
was a thing Of the past. Her face was pale
and had lost its bloom, marred by the inn
perceptible touch Of ten years more. Her
hair was quite gray. 1t was another wo-
nan that Seranes saw, almost an old wOm-
an.
1t flashed upon him that he, too, must
be greatly altered, greatly aged. Other
wise would she have hesitated9 Oh, yes,
his yellow complexion, dried up by fever,
his mustache streaked with gray. Yes,
he was an old fellow; why try to deceive
HIMSELF
She ~apologized for her husband, who had
been hindered from coming by important
business. Her sons were quite we'll. The
eldest son was on the eve of getting hi
captaincy. Roger, his fathers second il
| command, was employed in the factory
As for Therese, she was there, waiting fo
them outside with the carriage, as sh'
herself was driving.
So Seranes followed her, gazing sadly a
the little gray curls that had a sort of din
grace where they shaded her still whit
neck. Nine. Dexpers' slender figure NJ
longer exerted the seductive charm that
had once had for him.
What, was it the fleeting mirage o
youth that had bewitched him rather thai
the invisible beauty of her soulp No, no
A tide of unexpected tenderness welled III
and possessed him. He loved her differ
entity, but he did not therefore love he
less.
Respect, mingling with emotion, ros
I'm in him and bowed him in homage tt
the noble creature who had SO worthil.
met her share of joy and sorrow. OF sor
row, too, no doubt a wife's cares,
mothers anxieties. Dear, dear, Mime
Dexpers.
Standing by an impatient chestnu
horse, it's fine coat cleaning in the sun
shine, he saw a tall girl smiling with tn
charm Of a vision.
She had her mothers smooth, higl
brow, her straight nose, her oval chin; sh
had the expressive look, the smile, tn
action that had been her mothers.
The likeness was SO startling that
fell like. a blow on Seranes' heart. Thi
was not Therese. 1t wa Charlotte at tn
age OF 20. And this Charlotte nelo nj
hands with such youthful eagerness an
such spontaneous gladness as moved MI
deeply.
"Then you know me again, mademol
seller" he asked.
"To begin with, call me Therese. Do
know you? As well as if we had parte
rootouJoc Gan xua forpat o,1r old frfnndcp
He smiled.
"And yet | must have altered.
"And would you nave recognized mes
| cha o,crrovoA -aHE