The Cook County herald., 1904-01-16


4 ltouchess Of her maids deft fingers
You are perfect, MAJ ademoisel
little paler than usual D but more beau
tiful lE 81 ,.,5ss SIS
! q These were the spoken: words he1
ear caught, ebut over and above them
all rang the written. word there
will dawn a4day / shall not wait your
summons !''s r Et.s@ fs sss:22sS's 3
Would he keep his word? ) should
she welcome him among her guests
/ tonight " t. ,f42s4 = ~ #sa 49, q -
All. the color was. not wanting now! !
! That thought brought it in quick Grim.
som tide over the snowy neck, above
| the white silk dress, ,softened by lace
over the throat on which cleaned the
fawless pearls, up even to the, shell.
tinted ears, until she turned away to
hide it from herself. 80 =. .,1 ! -.
1T, had been her dead fathers last
| wish. She had sworn obedience to his
| commands; she had ever looked upon
! her life as consecrated life That
never crossed the horizon of her fancy,
| until the morning Of the day on which
it was to meet with it's fulfillment.
Was there some fatality at work, that
this face that was bent over her as
| she swooned, the voice whose musical
utterance still lived within her mem.
| ory, should refuse to be banished from
her thoughts, should suddenly have
lent new sweetness to, her life so mi
| raculously saved-the life which be-
lOnged to another?
But her guests already were arriv-
ing. By her brothers side she stood
in the spacious and elegantly appoint
ed salon, receiving her congratulations
and extending to. them her welcome,
until, at given signal, music clashed
forth from hidden recess it's harmo-
nious summons to the dance.
It was a gay. brilliant scene. Flow
ers, light, radiance everywhere, and
the girl, standing upon the threshold
of this new and bewildering world.
thought how glad thing it was to live.
"Avice!"'
1t was her brothers voice which ar.
rested her attention as she stood for a
moment alone. Turning, she saw him
A happy light danced in his eyes as
his hand rested Familiarity on the
shoulder Of Could she fail to recog-
nize that handsome face which only a
few short hours before had been her
last waking consciousness ere she
swooned away? 1t was the man who
that morning had saved her life.
"Avice!" Travis repeated, ''This is
Mr.. Lennox. Surely you have not for
gotten him."
Mr.. Lennox. How blind she had
been not to have remembered him!
Now. she could trace each feature.
But what had brought him here to-
night? Was it love or duty? This un-
solved question, the obligation under
which she rested to him. the con-
sciousness Of the bond between them,
lent an almost coldneSs to her manner
as she shyly outstretched one little
gloved hand and murmured few
words of greeting.
Think Of it," Travis interrupted,
Milton has been in Paris nearly a
week without letting us know"
II could not intrude upon Miss Mere
dith," Lennox answered, his eyes
searching the beautiful face, on which
the bushes came and went.
Her heart beat so fast so loudly, it
seemed as if his ear must catch it's
throbbing- A something thrilled her.
1t was as though the king had come to
claim his own; but such grand,
noble sovereign! Must he not bend
very low his kingly head to seek this
little blossom anothers hand had
plucked for him.
"Avice, have you no word of vel.
come for me?"
They were alone now, her hand rest.
ing on his arm, as they stood within
the dimly lighted conservatory, where
he had led her. The notes of the null
sic came to them family; there was
the sweet odor of many plants, the far
off ripple of falling water from some
far-off fountain; but sWeeter than any
music were the deep, rich tones of his
questioning voice.
"Welcome!" she said. upturning her
radiant eyes to his. Have I not to
thank you for my life? Oh, Mr. Len
nox, how can ever repay the debt l
owe your
THAT saved it is my richest, rar-
est reward. But I had hoped you
would not remember me as the stran-
ger, fortunate enough to avert such a
calamity as threatened you. Avice, do
you not know how gladly I would have
laid down my own life rather than on
this day one hair of your head should
be harmed? For three long years l
have had but one hope, one dream
that the day might come when in spite
of the vast gulf of years yawning be-
tween us, might teach you. to love
me, might win your promise to become
my wife, might pillow your head again
on my heart, as had pillowed it, when
it was a boys true, earnest heart, with
your sunny, baby tresses. have
longed for one word from you to short
en- the weary time of nv waiting