The Democratic advocate., 1906-12-28

ened color. Inc evening Ioun0 ner althos
as pale as the white dress she wore; though
it was of an antiquated model and had beer
folded away in lavender for score of years,
it fitted her slender shape as we'll as on the
day when she first put it on. At nine
O. clock the yule log was lighted, and Mil
dred sat down before the fire to wait. Fol
whom she did not know
A sketch of Ralph by Basil hung over
the mantel. Her eyes were fixed on the
spirited face; her thoughts went back to
the last evening of her brothers life, twenty
years before. The hour she had SO eagerly
anticipated came unheeded; she was living
in an hour long passed. Ten O clock
struck; she did not heed the strokes. She
did not hear step on the stairs; she was
unaware of the presence of man who en-
tered the room until his voice aroused her.
"Mildred, have you no word of welcome
for me-?
"Philip T.
They looked long and silently at each
other, as if eager to find the face each re-
membered.
"You are faithful to Ralph's tryst, !"
said Mildred, her gentle eyes filling with
tears.
sYou never doubted me p
"No. I knew you would come if you
were alive"
'You did not even know whether was
alive or deadr'
81 have heard nothing of youin all these
years.
''Nor I of you, Mildred They must
have been good years to you. How young
you are, not gray hair Look at me.
Should you have known me p
II might have passed you in the street
and not recognized your face Your voice
is the same; l should have known that
anywhere. -
EsTell me-there is much to ell-where
shall we begin n?''
''Let us wait and seeif Basil comes before
we begin.
"Where is Basil? Not finding him with
you, l feared, I hardly dared speak of
him."
81 have neither seen nor heard of Basil
since the day you both left me. -
Mildred, what are you saying? 1
went away because I was not strong enough
to bear seeing you and Basil happy together.
[ knew you loved each other
II think you were mistaken, said Mil
dred, softly.
Philip, seated in Ralph's armchair; hid
his face in his hands and groaned.
The clock struck eleven. A carriage
stopped before the door, and moment
later Basil entered the room The others
were startled to find his eager face and his
light figure SO much as they remembered
them, save for a deepening of the lines
across the brow and above the mouth and
broadening of the chest.
$50 you are both alive, thank God r
he said, taking hand of each. "Philip,
you will allow me to kiss my old friend s
hand, after SO many years of absence p
Mildred drew back. sSBasil, it is not
as you think she said.
He looked wonderingly from one to the
other. "Do you mean that you are not
man and wife?' he asked.
II am no man wife, dear friend; | am
the old Mildred you remember. Come,
draw closer to the fire. You are shivering
with the cold.
Basil and Philip stared blankly at each
other. Mildred moved restlessly to the
piano, and played short prelude that had
been favorite with Ralph. When she
rejoined the two men by the fire, each saw,
with jealous pang, that there were tears
in her eyes.
eYou remember, Basil, that according
to the conditions of Ralph's tryst we all
agreed to tell the stories Of our lives? We
have waited for you. Mine is tale that
is quickly told; will you hear it first p said
Mildred.
''Surely," said Philip. He passed his
hand across his forehead, as if to wipe out
the lines time had drawn there. Basil
said nothing; his consuming eyes were fixed
on Mildred's face.
"When you were all gone, Ralph,
Philip and Basil, and 1 was left alone,
there was nothing for me to do but to carry
out the work you had begun. You remem-
Der Ralph's scheme for school of designs,
Basil longing for a museum of fine arts
II remember said Basil. Philip was
silent.
ssThose dreams of ours are now realities,
and have helped little to make them SO.
The first seven years worked for Ralph &
library; my next seven years are built into
the foundations of Basil museum; Philip
school Of design, last but not last of the
three, has been in existance for past year.
'sYou have done great things, Mildred.
My life shows poor beside yours, said
Philip
As he spoke, he sighed. Basips eyes
had lost their fierce hunger; they we're full
of tender comprehension now. "Whc
could have believed the little sister would
do such large things?'' he said.
81 have done no more than the gardener
who tends the seeds his predecessor has
planted The time was ripe for these
things. I was often discouraged and at
tempted to turn aside, but something
stronger than myself compelled me to g
on. Whenever a cause seemed lost, some
champion rose up, as if diyinely sent, tc
turn defeat to victory
sRalph himself could hardly have done
more, said Philip.
cas- drove through the city, 1 though
1 passed Ralph's buildings, which we thret
saw planned in this very room; but they
looked SO misty in the moonlight that ]
fancied my imagination had played me {
trick said Basil.
'sThe old Basil r cried Philip. s'Neve
quite sure what is fact and what is fancy
Tell us your story next. What have tn
years brought to you r
'sI am the last Of ALL" said Basil; s'le
me speak last. =
Philip threw handful of pine cone
upon the fire. The blaze sprang up AM