Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1902-03-07
Her Love at Last

A0 chance had come at last, and
IMl yet |, who had thrilled so often
QUO with the dear hope Of 1t, was
half Of mind to let that chance go by.
| called myself Il fool hundred times
that evening for all my doubts and
fears. 1t was absurd to fear at all, |
told myself. Was Grace Chichester the
girl to turn from the steadfast promise
which she made? Should not, at the
latest, be back inside three years
Back with the rewards of steady work
to see my love again. Yet the fear was
In my heart and would not go. Fear of
her firmness under the pressure of her
family, for her father almost laughed at
me. Fear of the power Of Classy, the
other in the field, but never, surely, In
her own sweet love.
For the last time we walked that
evening from Cheam to Ewell, and
back again under the bridge to the vii
lage. Past the white palings which |
knew so well, past the fountain and to
the right, gaining the low raised pave
ment of the street. And there, inyol-
UNFAIRLY, stopped, and Grace stopped,
too, and, reading something Of my
thoughts, laid her hand upon my arm.
You are quiet tonight, VIII" said
she. "Quiet on this night of all nights,
when we should have so much to say
II am thinking the more said |.
90" she cried out at that. do you
doubt me still? 1t is well that we are
good friends"
And friends part" said 1. "And to-
morrow | go away, and in the evening
l shall be In Paris. and there will be no
more walks with you, and no glad sight
of you, and no knowing of you, or what
you do. How can | doubt you when
see you here and look into your eyes ?
And yet"
She took up my words as II they
We're challenge. And yetY she
said. ''And yet? Shall not have my
part in your work? Have | not to
wait. and count the days, and miss
you as you say you will miss me? Is
NV NY pult as Hdiu us souis9 Ol,
If you have my promise, what else is
there to cause you fear for met"
Your father hates me- said l, feel
ing suddenly ashamed.
rs there nothing else than that?"
There is Casey | said, shortly,
probing the thing to the bitter end,
In spite of my feeling of shame.
II loathe him." she cried.
Certainly that should have been
enough But the evening before Classy
had spoken to me rs though he were
sure OF my love. and had told me, in
deed, that he was certain Of winning
her.
Well" said Grace, as l was still
silent. "Are you satisfied yet Mr..
1nquisitor!'
He told me yesterday" said /.
and broke off short, much ashamed.
Go on, please said she. Il am
sick of this business of Mr.. Classy and
yourself He comes to the house and
has long councils with my father and
tries to hold me in conversation. And
all the while | am as rude to him as
l can well be. And here | tell you
again that there Is no one else but YOU
In my mind. and you will not believe
me-"
Il to believe YOU" l cried. with
all my heart | believe you. and If
see Classy before go | will tell him,
excuse me- that he is n liar"
SO that was why the great gates of
st. Lazare smiled at me the next day
They babe me enter new world, Il
world in which | was to work for her
Heaven knows | worked hard in IA
playing city. In my garnet her photo
graph looked at me always from the
mantelpiece. could not count the
times at which sat before it, smoking
sometimes. sometimes (when luck was
out biting hard on an empty pipe.
Through dark hours of grubbness and
even hunger, l said that did not care.
l said that nothing mattered but this.
that she had promised to be true to me-
/ said that Classy could rise to be head
OF hundred banks. but she would re-
.,st him and her father 10 stick to me.
With blessing on her unspoken ON