Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1904-01-07

mid light Japaneee screens. divans.
/ spreading palms and wicker chairs, she
received her summer guests. Grace had
gone sailing with party Of friends. and
. she could at last see him alone. After
4 20 years of lovesecret love, that she a.
an honorable wife tried to suppress Ito
outlive-and now-she was free again.
She came quickly toward him, holding
out eagerly and cordially her graceful
hands that in the days Of long ago he had
covered with kisses and pronounced
divine"
"Ah, Grace! How natural you look, ?
he said, dropping back into his seat after
the first greeting, 1T you will pardon q
trite old saying, you must have found the
fountain Of perpetual youth" And she,
with a bright woman's tact, seated her.
self where the light fell over her shout
.ders, softening the lines of her face, and
making halo of her sunny hair. They
talked of old days, of old friends, familiar
scenes, and the death and marriages Of
mutual acquaintances, and anon supped
an iced beverage which snowy becapped
esAu 0pAOACO AAoAO PAOuuSCU az cAe@SSAJ
the right moment-but of their old rela-
tionship never q word was spoken. s
To her. that was sacred-to him, well
haste was dangerous! 4.z 4
A flush stole over her face, her eyes
Frightened and laughed as they had not
done since they last looked into his. She
was transformed, transported-happy
again. WITH the old enthusiasm Of
youth, Hhe was recounting an incident
when she Suddenly realized that her
words fell on deaf ears. He was gazing
out toward the beach from which strolled
a tall, slender young girl. Her hat In
hand and the breeze tossing wealth Of
light wavy hair around her face, the like
of which he had not seen since-well, for
20 years. ~es~ a.. go
Russell, this is my daughter Grace
Miss Bernard, Mr.. Hudson"
He had almost seized her hand, then
looked from one woman to another. Was
this his long lost sweetheart? No, it was
her daughter. + "
The days that followed were mixture
of JOY and pain, hope, doubt and happi-
ness. Mrs Bernard realized as she never
had before that to be with Russell Hud-
son was pleasure akin to pain. Not
word of love had been uttered scarcely
a look, but day after day he came to take
her, in company with Grace, for drive,
sail, lunch of stroll. Every moment was
to her one Of keenest delight, and to her
surprise and satisfaction, Grace had been
civil enough to him-even gracious-and
he, for the mothers sake, of course, had
shown her the kindest, most fatherly at
tention. True, he didn't look fatherly,
but then she knew his age.
The summer was drawing to close. |
The white and gray seagulls no longer |
sat idly on the tops of the danger piers |
far out in the bay The hotel was prac-
tically deserted, and a chilly wind blew
from the east all day-still Mrs. Bernard |
fingered at her summer home. She |
would sit for hours ensconced in cloak
on the bare veranda looking seward,
dreaming and re-living the summer
hours spent with Russell Hudson. He
had been so attentive, so kind and con.
slant, 1t could mean but enc thing, she
told herself, he loved her still. She
prayed fol strength to carry the weight
Of her girlhood, her wifehood and her
love. Above that to her was
the grandest passion she had ever known,
save that love which had been sent with
her first and only child.
oo,,rea T. mn - %iuoo@~.>
dull for Grace, and at last the mother
had decided to return to the city on the
morrow.
Russell Hudson had told them he must
shortly leave for hasty business trip to
England, and would come that day to
make his adieux. Mrs. Bernard felt that
the parting would be sweetened aud pal
lated by certain avowal which he was
certain to make-and then-hov would
'he ever tell Grace! Her face burned,
and she closed her eyes and fell tt. dream
ing again. Her reverie, however, vas in
terrupted by familiar voices and the sud-
len appearance through one of the low
oarlor windows Of Grace and Russell
as he stepped lightly out on the
holding by the hand the blushing
girl. Mrs. Bernard laughed softly at the
pair.
What IL the matter now, Russell?
You are always teasing that child"
'It's just this" seating himself
md with his disengaged hand taking
that of Mrs. Bernard, while Grace the
younger modestly averted her face, II
hope we haven't taken you too much by
surprise, but your little girl is ST. much
like her mother used to be, have quite
learned to love her, ami am
going to ask you to let me take care of
her in the future-no-" interrupting
Mrs. Bernard as she started to speak
Il am anticipating your protest-you
need not be separated, for you can liv~
with us-we-'' - /
Mrs. Bernard rose to her full height.
aid looking intently at the two, wa
silent for moment, while the second ant
migntiest battle of her life was fought
the woman's love contending against the
god-like passion-a mothers love! Gaz-
Ing into their eyes she saw for her -hild