The Taney County republican., 1900-12-27

said Aimee. Its not the poor little
housewife, hope?"
mo! but this--which found hidden
within it, and he held out the little
picture of herself.
An expression of surprise, followed
by a wave of color, overspread her face.
'Oh-I'm very glad you didn't think"
NO" he said, seriously. 81 tried at
first to think so, but simply couldn't.
and So"
II will tell you how it came to be
there" said Aimee, quickly. 'sI had
completely forgotten it, but remem-
Der now. I made the little housewife
for Tom when we thought he was go-
ing to the war. And I slipped that
picture in, because he always had liked
it, and thought he might come across
it some time and be glad to see it. Then
he didn't go, after all, so just put it
one side. And when / wanted some.
thing for you in hurry for my mon.
sense tree thought of that, though
I'd forgotten all about the picture.
thank you for not MISUNDERSTANDING
and for bringing it back to me-
Butt want to keep it," said the
professor, earnestly, "unless-unless
you will give me the original. Aimee,
am I asking the impossible? I love
you; cannot live-happily-with
you. Aimee"
But her face, her gesture answered
him.
81 am fool to have told you this 50
soon," he ended. abruptly.
t'Oh, professor!" said Aimee, very
sorrowfully.
"Forget that I am a professor, and
think of me for once as Robert Vaughn:
Think of me as man-and not such an
old man, either, in spite of few gray
hairs
mani" thought Aimee, though wisely
she did not put her thought in words.
The interview ended as such inter-
views usually end. And the professor,
when he went away, carried with him
"a heavy heart-and the little photo
graph of Aimee's lovely face.
1t was a strange thing. but Aimee
could not for one moment forget the
professors words: 81 love you. l can
not live happily - without you!"
They rang in her ears, and his face
as it had been when he said those
words-haunted her day and night
through all the round of holiday gay
eties which followed, though during
those days she saw him no more.
She did not desire to see him, yet-un-
consciously at frst-she came to con-
trast him, his manner, his mode OF
speech, with every man she met. And
each of these she ranked in proper
ton as they approached or fell be-
low the professors level.
So New Years eve came, and mid
night found Aimee and Tom with q
party of their friends, watching the
old year depart.
Some one had been reciting Tenny-
sons death of the Old Year." And
the words,
He gave me friend and true. true-love,
And the New Year will take 'em away"
struck Aimee as ominous. They ech-
oed through her dreams all night, and
they came back to her next morning
when she took up the paper and read
of an accident which had occurred on
a trolley the night before, in which
Prof. Robert Vaughn had been injured
SO seriously that his death was mo-
mentarily expected.
Then it was that the truth was re-
vealed to her, and her heart echoed the
professors own words: II love you. I
cannot e-happily-without you'll"
The family were so concerned over
the bad news of their friend that
Aimee's face was not noticed.
Nor did it seem strange or unusual
to them when she went out alone to
the early service at the church.
Aimee wanted to be alone with her
secret and her sorrow. The holy words
to which she listened made her more
calm And when the service was ended
she walked on to the street where she
knew the professor lived. She would
pass the door, and if he were already
gone-there would surely be some sign
But she saw no sign, and, though she
dared not hope, she paused and
breathed a little inarticulate prayer.
The door above suddenly opened and
shut again, and the tall figure of a man
came swiftly down the steps.
"Aimee-Miss Aimee-you!"
"Oh. professor! Then-you are not
-dead!"
He looked searchingly into her pitt
full, white, lovely face.
''Professor?" he queried.
"Robert!" she breathed, with lit
tie sob.
"Thank Heaven! No, I am not
dead!" he said, cheerily, tucking her un-
resisting hand within his arm with .
confident air of possession.