The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-09-04
The Love ThaiLives
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. BY Ellen FRizELL WYcKOFE.

5OoOoOoooOoO>0S
II WONDERED if she still cared
IL He had gone west ten years age
because he was too poor to offer hel
anything he thought it worth g
Woman's while to accept. He had
learned to live without a thought OF
her. Now he was at home on business.
He had run down to the beach for a
breath of sweet salt air.
He was watching her as she, all I'M
conscious of his presence, quietly ate
her supper in a corner Of the dinine
room farthestf from him. It had, been
q long time since he had thought Of
her, yet she came back naturally
enough to her place now that he sal
there looking at her. (
There was a bowl of loose, freshly
roses and gardenias on her table.
III sea breeze brought him little
wh1tfs of their fragrance. He re-
membered her love for them. Three
other women sat at the table with her.
He knew they were there, but he only
saw her. Is
She laughed now and then, and he
watched for the sparkle in her ewes the
dlmple in her cheek, and the CLEAN of
he milk-white teeth. Each of her
many charms were intensified. She
a ripened up beautifully He missed
a certain soft, pretty shyness' that used
to fold her away from him as its mossy
calyx screens a rosebud. 1t was this
little barricade of reserve that had kent
MIN silent and at a distance in tho
days OF old. 1t was gone now. .He.felt.
that she would understand at once how
1T was with him. He was not afraid
OF the air Of womanly pride. that had
come to her.
she fed herself daintily as a bird.
She seemed wonderfully at her ease
ana altogether sweet and wholesome,
Her blue eyes were clear and ~steadfast
It rested him to look at her. She was
tne one woman in all the world. 1t.
was curious that he had rather lost
sight OF that, lately. Now her person
atty stood out clear and sweet from
the shadows of his forgetfulness like
a star when there is a rift in the
clouds.
The simple old life had been good
her, he thought. While he had been
to1ling and delving, wasting his youth.
almost losing his soul, she had been
living quietly at home in the. old house
up IN the city, coming out in the old
each summer for a month by the
sea. He felt ~resentful and ill-used.
Fol- he might have been with her. IN
stead of-the gold he had been heaping
up he might have had hers
The dainty supper cooled before
him. The waiter behind his chair
hdgeted and askedsquestions, arnxiously.
People glanced curiously 1T the big,
sunbulnt, queer-manneredi,m man from
the west. Aparty of youngapeople be-
hind him laughed and talked merrily.
n four women at the table in the
corner chatted pleasantly. There was
all the cheerful hotel dining-rooms
But hessaw only one face, with
lgts crown of dusky hair and eyes of
blue; heard only one low, clear voice.
He felt injured when, he, saw how
quietly content she was. There was
40 shadow Of regret in her eyes. no
inc of grief OF her face. She must
eel very sure of him, certainly; very
positive that he would come, for her
day! And yet he had said no
word of all this when he went away.
He thought that she ought TO know
ntuitively that he was near, her. He
heard such things. But shell
miled brightly into the face. Of one
the other women.
He got up and went out Of doors.
was used to plenty Of air. The L
lace was sitting. He wondered what
would say when she saw him. He
ught to have written, of course. Bur
hen-why, well, he hadn't written.
lis sunburnt face flushed hqtly. Never
mind, shed be gladfenough tessee him.
nyhow.
The sun was setting. The lilac walk
as quite dim now 1t lay;liiiindsesrr the i,
ming room windows and her. table
as near the last one; SO he drifted
lat way He could hear! her laughing. ,
low prettily she did it. He remem-
that most women laugh EShriliy.
ow he could see her. She was stand
Is up, the bowl OF flowers Id her hahd.
think shall give each Of you part ]
my flowers. Charlie sent them out
mo. He must love mesvery dearly, {
mt you think!!r And again she
ughed softly. & Il {
A friendly handicap Oh hts shoulder j
used HIM Dick Allen, home FROM
) west. g 4 live! thought knew I