The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-10-27
tncm. Her companion, II appeared,
was suffering from something very
unusual for her, a violent headache,
and had kept to hcr room.

hHVlr lhbt kNIlisp ID YOU chH llv HDtu
az late as you've mind to, old man.
For commuter It's relief, can tell
you, from our ordinary o'clock rush
ed affairs"
The next morning, however, Ken.
nard was up botimos. Tho rain Of the
night before had vanished. save FOR
tho last light simmer OF silver on the
grass and under the almond bushes
sdroop with their slender pink
branches And such morning all
scintillating with olive green and gold
sunshine!
Kennard stole on ,tiptoe from his
close apartment, which seemed 10
breed all the fever driven extrava.
ganccs Of nn oycrexcited world into
the freshness OF tho May air The gar
don. like the house, was obseqniously
awaiting signal to wake. The flow.
crs seemed still inotionless, holding In
their perfume that breath might not
disturb the slcepers whom the resplen.
dent rising SUN itself could not attract.
But beyond tho garden, through a
hodge OF trees where the honcyed
trickle OF song came from the tbroats
Of Wild birds. path led to wide awake
fields and meadows.
Fowls were growing, cackiing. COB
bling. gabblIng, In matutinal exuber.
ance: calves were bounding outside
tho milking pen, bungrily bleating at
tho sight Of the usurpation of their
rights within; In the pastures the sheep
were grazing industrlously.
To Kennard M he walked along
there seemed TO be vague. expectant
quality In the morning. Az II, he said
to himself, the very freshness and
grace Of II all were preparing the way
for something splendidly alive and
debonalr!
His path suddenly merged into lit.
Ito bypaih, largely screened by thick
cts. At the end was dilapidated
summer house, fastened between three
trees on bank oyerhanging a CUR
Cling stream. A girlish figure was
leaning over the rlckcty railing, appar-
emily looking at the pebbly, varicgated
mosaic OF the streams bottom. She
had thrown or her hat, and her chin
was resting In the cup OF her two
hands. He could sec nothing Of her
profile because Of the mass Of dark
hair coiled over the back Of her head.
Not wishing TO intrude or disturb
the girls evident reverie, Kennard
would have rctreated, but at that In.
stant, hearing twIg snap under his
feet, she turned.
She felt his immediate recognition
and calmly faced him.
II reckon you are a BIT surprised"
she admitted quietly. well, it's the
simplest sort of story. The old
estate down there yielded nothing, and
for three years now I've been earning
my own living. At present am Mrs.
Archer's companion"
"For three years, Gwendolenf"
"Yes. You've been In England most
OF that time, haven't your And you've
written several mighty successful
books. Oh. | haven't lost complete
track OF my old friends, you see"
There was still that inimitable flash
OF raillery In the beautiful eyes, Ken
nard noticed. And stlll that dear,
blessed little smile.
AS Gwcndolen's glance met the quick
flame that spread across the mans
opaque pupils all the playfulness went
out of her own. andsfhe spirit of thrust
and parry went out of her soul. An
other spirit, guarded against often
crushed out. leaped In again.
"You-you are stlll the same old Bob.
aren't youy" said she, with adorable |
lncoherence. But Kennard was very
grave. He was looking now where the |
girl had been looking before-at the
mosaic bottom of the clear water.
Yesterday, Gwendolen," he said, II
saw some women buying violets. Ever |
since i've been haunted by the eyes of |
q girl / once knew, girl whom I've
tried, oh, so vainly, to forget Do you
dear
She made little impulsiye, forward
as II to stop his words. He,
seeing 1t. held out both his hands.
And then they-well, all at once she
knew that the question he had put to
her down In Mississippi when the
birds We're singing hadn't
been mere poetic sentiment any
more than his thought of her eyes had
been, and he, for his part, illumlnat-
ngly realized that the answer she had
given him that moonlight night hadn't
been an ultlmatum.
The morning air was giving Gwendo-
EN- Moore the repose and refreshment
lenied by sleepless night, but withal
The looked pale and a little tired.
We'll have to change all that sort
II thing, sweetheart" Kennard was
aging an hour later as they sauntered
lappily toward the house. "And you
we're not at dinner last night--you
we're ILL., Was that
"Your telegram, SIR" she broke in
With mock severity, while the dimples
vent riotlng. Look, there are Mr..
md Mrs Archer coming down the gar
len to meet u.s."