The Virginia enterprise., 1903-01-02

voice and manner We're those of the girl
whom he had loved d-and lost-four years
before. He smiled at her sadly: "How
you have grown" he said.
She arched her eyebrows at him. "And
your" she laughed. 'sWhy, you're as
broad and brown as soldier. l shouldn't
have known you. You have changed"
''Have II" He caught at it eagerly.
! She saw the trouble in his eyes.
"They'll all be delighted to see you look
ing SO well,'' she avoided it, $50 big and
strong"
He saw the picture of himself which
she carried in her memory of him, and it
panied him: He had thought that his
letters would have told her.
She held the wreath up to him. II was
pretending to hang it in the window sh,.
confessed, $50 that should be the first
to see you. And didn't know you when
you passed.
He smiled again, and they sat down to-
gcther. 'How are they all?"
"As we'll as ever,"' she said, and began
to tell him of them; how the children had
been growing: how her mother was
aging. ':And father" she whispered, SIS
so deaf. You mustn't let him see you
notice it. It was the grippe last winter"
As for herself, her life was the old round
Il keep it full. I ride-with groom
1t isn't as jolly as when we used to ride
together. But you-you must be a
famous horseman by this timer
He remembered those rides. What a
fool'he had been to forfeit all that! She
was kind to him now. but it was kind
ness to a stranger. Why, she was not
even" shy, was perfectly self-posscsscd d
with him.
EYES," he said vaguely. "What an a. ac
have been away!' .:..
And what a lot you have done" slIe
reminded him. 'You don't know how
proud we have been of you. I used. to
read your letters-and Stewart's- to
ia ther as soon as they came" She had
risen. She went over to the window to
hang the wreath, with her back to him
"He used to watch for them almost asj
eagerly as I did"
Yes, you We're all very >good,' hel
sighed. 1t was unkind, though, for herr
to say such things when she meant moth
ing by them. He stared at the mantel-
piece before him. He did not notice her
silence.
did you meet any nice girls out
West?" she asked in another voice, fuss
ing busily with the wreath,
He shook his head. "Not that 1 re-
member" She frowncd out of the win
dow.
"How did you spend last Christmas ?"
"ln railroad train. I had to make
trip to Frisco" He spoke abstractedly.
Il haven't had real Christmas since
went away. I felt LIKE don't know
what-when saw the old hall.''
She caught her breath at his tone "Oh!
did your" she said sympathetically.
eve fixed it in the old way Just for YOU
Ito make it seem like old times" She
had come back to him, distressed by his
manner. She looked down at him help
lessly.
"rhat was just ii" he said. Nothing
has changed"
She guessed what he had left unsaid.
He needed encouragement, consolation,
the assurance that ms life in the West
had cleaned the blot from his 'scutcheon.
She had the impulse to speak, but not
the courage. She cast about her for a
woman's way, stratagem, and she could
think of nothing but the chance of bring
ing him nearer to her-within speaking
distance perhaps-by getting him to as
sist her in hanging the holly She began
to busy herself about the room, pinning
sprigs of Christmas green on the hang
ings. "Do you remember how we used
TO decorate together!'' she asked him.
"Do II" ne said. "Don't you let the
servants do it yeti"
No" she laughed. "1t'd spoil the fun
Il have to do it alone now.'
"Oh, beg your PARDON he apologized,
coming over to her eagerly. Can help
you?"
"Well," she said, eff you haven't for
gotten how"
"Forgotten!" he exclaimed. Il remem-
ber the proper place for every berry,"