The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1905-11-04
THE AWAKENING.
nv HELEN PALMER.


fCopyright, 1905. Daily Story Pub. Coz
ssAro you sure you don't want one OF
~ Ia STAY with you, Gwen?" asked
Iily Marsh, anxiously. I'm sure
should be frightened stiff at the IDEA
81 Stayine here alone all night.
~Nonsense!" declared Gwen. why
should anyone be afraid? The house
Il burglar proof---father saw to that
! for mother was almost as afraid OF
r0untry house as she is now OF .
vacht. Besides haven't you just been
aver the whole. ranch? I believe Lily
sven looked into the range ovens IN
the ardor OF her search for possipie
man. I'm thousand times obhged.
ana now 20 home--an of you; ana
rleep the sleep of the night after the
bali. We had a lovely time at MIS-
.I,ovelyw echoed the high voices of
the GIRLS. as they futtered down the
broad steps like a flock of white-p plum
aged birds, The men, gathered IN
dark bunch on the terrace. were light-
id IN for an instant by the blue squirt
81 4 match that passed from hand to
hand One of them stepped out into
the path OF light that streamed from
the open door and waved last good
night.
The house, seemed very, still when
the gay voices were shut out. Hair
way up the broad stairway Gwen stop
ped on the landing and kneeling In the
deep window seat watched the group
81 men and girls separating into twos
is they crossed the lawn, and scat
tered homeward. ALI but Graham--she
noted--he started straight down the
hill alone. The clock In the hall struck
two; the dance had kept up later than
was usual among the conservative
rottazers Gwen yawned sleepily ana
started up the second flight, but stop
ned suddenly to ask herself whether
sle had certainly locked the front door
and nut the chain on. Yes, she was
sure she had. and Graham had seen
that the windows were all boIted Sc
curely. If Graham wasn't afraid to
ali right, she decided. Graham had
such a lovely way of looking out for
her and vet never making 1t apparent.
She liked that reserve, even though
their enlargement was announced
Her own room looked pleasantly
home-ifke after the wide. echoing corr
ridors, and Gwen confessed to herself
fhat though she WASN'T afraid. she
should never again be beguiled into
allowing all the servants to go into
town at once, even If the occasion was
4he wedding of the parlor maid and
The butler Father and mother would
be wild. IL they knew" she acknowl-
edged. guilty. But presently the
thought OF Graham drove everything.
else from her mind. He had seemed
worried and preoccupied all the even
Ing, she thought, and he had repealed
her efforts to penetrate and share his
trouble. If he had a fault. it was the
conviction that she must be spared all
cain. 1t was generous and brave in
aim, but she must make him under
stand that she did not wish to be
spared, that she would far rather be
trusted. Dear Graham. dear boy" she
murmured, and with his face floating
before her dreaming eyes, she fell
asleep.
She woke with a shuddering start;
there was someone in the room. In
the grey light that family whitened
the windows, she saw man bending
over her; dressing table. She must
have cried out unconsciously for on
the instant he whirled to face her. His
hands were full of jewels that CLEANED
and gIistened as he moved, but when
he met her eyes he let them fall scat
tering to the ground. and covering his
face. he groaned aloud.
"Grahami" she whispered, What Is
the natter" She was trembling still,
but she sat up, drawing around her
the folds of her kimona. She must not
be frightened with Graham there she
told herself. But how did he get in ?
And why had he gathered up her jew
els? Would he never speak? era
ham, she faltered, Graham. what is
it?'
Don't ask me-" he broke out sud
denly. throwing himself into a chair
and turning his face away. Cant you
see for yourself? 1 thought you'd