The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-12

Our Daily Short Stories !
IF SILENCE LASTS TOO LONG.
BY WILLIAM M'LEoD RAINE.
tcopyright. 1901. BY Authors snydicate)

est, so quietly brave that her heart
went out to, him. She wanted so very
much to make him happy. but--the
vision of a. blue coated soldier with a.
gay, boyish smile rose up to bar the
way. Suppose he should come back aft
er all to find her married?
Il do not know, Harry" she told
him. @
He smiled little wistfully "Who
does know, Vonda? For two years you
have not known. Not that l want to
hurry you, dear, but some day there
must be an end of uncertainty" -
Il know know, but"
rs it still Bramleigh that stands in
She nodded.
And is he never to be forgotten?
Has he deserved so much consideration
at your hands?" cried the young man,
inpatiently. y 80
II do not know what he has deserv-
ed, but Isannot marry you surely I'M
til know that" )
That you do not love another
man. Yes, but when are you going to
know"
A step sounded on the gravel walk,
a slow. hesitating tread. accompanied
by the tap-tapping of walking stick.
Then somebody laboriousiy climbed the
steps and appeared in sight from be-
hind the purple blossoms of the Glenn
| ats.
The girl rose to her feet with a little
cry, went white against the green and
purple background and stood rigid
with her hand pressed against the
heart that pulsed so wildly and irreg-
Eularly. He was shadow of himself,
emaciated and yellow and wan, a vic
1f 80 IL, .;a1
swamps of the Pacific, but unmstaka-
bly, he was the Robert Bramleigh she
had not seen for three years. A flicker
of his old, audacious smile glimmered
on his face.
We'll. here am. What's left of me!
Hope you're half as glad to see, me
back as / am to get here, Vonda."S
Prior caught sight of her face as
she went forward with both hands out
stretched to greet him. 1t was ra-
diant, luminous. He knew she would
never look like that for him If he
stayed away a thousand years. A wo-
man wears a look like that for just one
man in the world, and for Vonda Reib-
hardt Harry Prior was not the man.
He had found his answer, and he picked
up his hat and quietly slipped away.
ooh, Rob. Why did you never
write?
II did write-twice; but you never
answered.
She laughed happily, the tears in her
eyes. -,
They must have been lost in the
mails 1 did not get them. How i'll
you look, you poor boy!" as
ST? I'm better thousand times for
seeing your sweet face" he laughed.
A surge of joy famed through him,
His blood ran quick. Already it seem
led to him that the sap of his life and
youth had renewed itself in his wasted
body. ~
There were no hesitations, no ques-
tionings, no doubts. She had found her
love and he his, What were verbal ex-
plantations but tardy forrnalities their
eyes outstripped a hundred times? Why
wait to sfalter out stammerihgly tbs
things tAefrsHps said eloquently with'
out words? In their arms each held
what they had longed for a Thousand
times. To heramind there flashed the
last stanza of Golfers poem, IS
Speak lovel The repeated story
Can never grow too old,
But wins to higher nights of glory IF
Each time that it is told. fst saa
And lips are ready for replying,
With words of tender cheer;
Speak. Love! For swift the years are
| flying,
And, 10! the time is near E