Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-10-04
NO. 3.

All day heavy clouds had heen piling
I'D IN the west, threatening masses Of
violet, The sun had sunk below the
horizon In a sullen blaze OF dull red,
The stiffness and the beat were in
tense. Margaret, restless and wea!
Klsd, had slipped outside, seeking a ref
age, . breath among the stately pines-
Above her bend they uurmured 10
endless cadence, mustcai and mysteri-
qua. But to her troubled mind the tran
Quillity OF the woods brought no peace.
Al yot the palm was too fresh for ma
furt management. And twisted
fhtol,.fi tie tanglt of her own per-
sistent thoughts ran d teasing little
question OF Belen's Before dinner the
girl had come to her room. The ca1
mellia. like face was pale; the dusky
eyes had an odd look OF suffering. She
had picked up Marguerite silver hand
glass and stood balancing It absentiy.
"Mr. Townsend, he Is Q very great
man, IL he noti'' She had put the
question wistfully, and Margaret had
answered yes 'A+
EFT 10 strange that he can care for
one-one 30 young. 30 ignorant, Do un-
trained" faltered the young voice.
"Do you-do you think he really does
reallyY' The big eyes had searched
Margarets face with an eager, almost
a supplicating intensity
For a moment Margarets heart had
almost stopped It's beating. What
could the child mean2 Then she had
forced herself to calmness.
II know he does" she had an
swered steadily. "He cares very
much" f3
But the question fingered In Marga-
rets mind, touched to poignant sig
nihcancs by the memory Of that small
white face. OF what was the child
thinking? Whence came the hidden
feeling which prompted the query2
Margaret despite the close atm0s-
phere, shivered. Why had Lassiter re-
turned and why, oh, why. had he come
here to destroy, this time forever, the
peace Of mind which Margaret had be-
Meved SO secure at lastf And this poor
child who loved herl Involuntarily
Margaret wrung her hands. How
hard, how complicated. was lifel But
thank Heaven, tomorrow they would
all separate. After tomorrow she need
see him no more.
There was step behind her on the
soft carpet Of fallen needless quick,
Arm tread coming hurriedly down the
path. Margaret turned. II was dusky
under the thick sheltering boughs, but
she recognized at once that 1t was Las
sitter. At sight of the white figure be-
fore him the man started.
"Margaretr' he calculated sharply.
"Margaretw But he caught himself
at oEce. III beg your pardon" be
smiled. you looked almost like q
ghost there among the trees, am ON
my way to the boathouse." explaining
easily. "Belen and young Morris are
on the lake, and II looks 80 like q
storm"
Come" she said quickly. 1t had
grown very dark The sultry air was
breathless. Not sigh stirred the
branches above The slippery, over
grown path was difiicult to find, but
Margaret sped unheedingly on. That
little frail canoe out on the tumbiinR
waters! Oh, why was the boathouse
so fart And then all at once a gnarled
old root thrust boldly out caught her
foot. She tripped. stumbled, and the
next instant she had fallen into Las
siter's arms.
It was only for one brief fraction OF
time, one half anguished moment, dur
Ing which the man, his stern self con.
troll shaken, had gathered her close.
Then Margaret broke from hun.
"Belen!' she gasped. The lines
around Lassiter's mouth whitened.
IL know" he said. II know" But
despite his effort at self mastery the
emotion reused was not to be 30 easily
leashed The bitterness OF years surged
to the surface.
Margaret he cried. ''Oh. Marga-
ret, why did you send me awayT
I'll didn't know" murmured the
wOmasl unsteadily. IL thought !
didn't care. aud then It was too late
you had gone. But-but you are happy
now" she urged. "Belen"--
"Belen Ii child" said Lassiter
quietly. "When she was left so alone
with only me for guardian there Seem
ed nothing else to do I shall try to
make her a good husband. But you,
Margaret" voice suddenly dropped
to an unconscious entreaty-"Marga-
ret
Then out Of the gloom voice echoed
clearly across the water.
"No, no." 1t sobbed, and both man
and woman, stopping suddenly, recog-
nized the voice AZ Belen's. you
mustn't talk So can't marry you.
Oh, l can't! lie loves me. Miss Aston
says so. And he has been too good to
me. must not. break his heart. but
I love Billy"
Across the murky darkness leaped q
white fash OF fire. A tremendous
crashing peal seemed TO split the very
heavens, and then suddenly the rain.
loOsed at last. came pouring down.
cool, cleansing, revivifying, bringing
grateful freshness to the thirsty
ground, restored equilibrium to the
surcharged atmosphere. Great drops
battered on the pine boughs, but Mar
garet, her eyes wet with happy tears,
was not conscious OF the peiting rain,
for I'm that second when lake and woods
had stood distinct and clear, silhOuet-
ted against that unearthly briiliance.
in that instant Of vision had been re-
vealed the picture OF q man and a
maid, a picture old when time was
young Billy Morris kissing Belen.
"Margaretr cried Lassiter hoarseiy.
"Oh. Margaret you saw. you heardi
Belen is going to marry Billy Morris.
and you--you are going to marry mo.