The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-15
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Our Daily Short Stories
I'M THE PAINTED WOODS.
BY SARA LINDSAY COLEMAN.
Copyright. 1901. Authors Syndicate,


ner smile on him, and watch the ges-
lures OF her hands with their odd, for
elgn-looking rings. The night would
bring Boyd. And afterwards? His
mind didn't go any further.
Ihey touched on many subjects and
ne brought the conversation around to
the mountain party that had met under
the shadow of the great hills two sum-
mers before.
Have you seen Boyd since his re-
turn from the West?" he asked, abb
ruptly.
mo" said the princess. HE has
found other interests since he went
West and has dropped the old friends
but can scarcely claim so much"
There was an odd little chill in her
voice.
"Oh." with a breath of relief. II
thought thought"
The princess threw back her head
defiantly and looked at him through
half closed lids. "One's friends are so
good, "'she said. 'They think for them
and thus simplify life" She laughed
a laugh that held no heart, or much.
II was right, then" His lips trem-
bled in a way that would have gone
to her heart if she had loved him.
He drew the letter from under the
pillow and handed it to her silently.
He seemed not to see the color,
warm, joyous wave, that swept her
face and left IL still and white.
When she had read the letter she
looked not at him, but at the noun
tain in front of them purple with the
sunset mists.
"Corrinne," he said, softly.
She turned, strange light, perhaps
the reflection of the dying day, on her
face.
Princess" he said, brokenly.
She stopped and kissed his brow.
Jack, you dear boy" she said. II
thank you" She had not questioned
his possession of the letter. Foolish
boy" her voice was low and tender,
"he trusted our happiness to letter.
He loved me! 1t can't help things now
but to know!"
She bent and looked into the boys
eyes with eyes that held no thought
of him. Jack, dear" she said. I've
got to speak! I've stified it so long
I've so skillfully got up my smile to
meet the world Jack, dear, when
your time comes, it isn't the woman
that you will be happy with, remem-
Der, it is the woman without whom
you will be unhappy. In all the world
there's only one for each of us-only
one who understands. You'll know
her." A sudden radiance, as of a hap
Ply memory, lit her eyes. you may
realize with a shock, after your first
meeting with her, that you have out
ragged the conventions and barred your
soul to a woman that you never heard
of before, but there's a splendid shame
lessness about it," In her smile there
was the sweetness that had been his
Waterloo. Her hand closed over his.
| There was a sudden usefulness in her
face, as she said: And if you never
| find her, Jack, life must go on and on
without her." In a flash she was gone.
Young Mason lay quite still. His
| eyes were fixed on the wood, for down
| it's painted aisle lighted by beech trees
like gigantic lanterns. with sweet, wet
eyes downcast, and lips a-quiver, his
| princess, all unconscious of the happi-
ness that was so soon to overtake her,
| walked slowly.
The hush of twilight fell on the
world. The great spaces above were
filled with colorless clouds that sud
denly, wave on wave, blushed pink as
the heart of seashell Young Mason,
! awaiting a mans delayed greeting,
| choked back the sob in his throat-he
was only boy remember, and with
brave eyes smiled down into the wood,
| now enchanted.