Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-03-14

In silent wonder the mother lis
tened, but before she could speak, Law
eAder whispered: Say no more. dear
est, I think understand" and the
talk was Of other things.
But constraint lay upon the little
company, and it was a relief when
America came in and insisted that the
invalid go to bed. Lavender walked
out of doors with the guest, and to-
gether they leaned over the garden
hedge. The tall trees hemmed them
close as in a cage over which the
stars peeped curiously.
Winslow was first to break the long
silence: l am distressed at your
mothers GOODNESS tonight. l cannot
understand It"
81 think / can" she said.
He bent nearer, trying to see her
face, but she kept it from him, her
eyes on the mock orange she was idly
lingering.
"You understand it? Then please
let me into the secret"
With an effort she met his eyes.
"She is hurt because, well, because she
thinks you are forgetting a promise"
81? A promise? Surely l never prom
ised her anything l would not gladly
fulfill" and he seemed mystified.
She paused to gain courage, listless-
ly twirling the fragrant fruit. "The
promise was made by another" she
said, "but-but in your character
whether Intentionally or not, we shall
never know"
mo, it would never be clear" she
sighed to herself, "and it need never
be. It was a part Of the hopes and
fears, the sins and orrows of the
dead; a part Of the final tragedy in
which they all lay buried beneath the
new-piled turf within the tiny church
yard"
From this short, sorrowful reverie
she reused herself to say: During
mothers illness she did not always
recognize those with whom she talked.
She M had a conversation with
with one whom she supposed was you;
it is all clear to me now"
"But it is not clear to me-" Wins
low returned, gravely, "and, pardon
me, 1t is only simple justice that you
make it so. If | am to be held re-
sponsible for the promise of anothep.
have not l the right to know who THAI
other is, and what the promise?
His manner was so masterful as to
make obedience easy, and she an
swered, frankly: "Of course you have
every right. But l, too, am puz-
zled-or vas until tonight. l have
believed that mother knew of my en-
gagement to marry Senior Gonzaga."
Lavender said this bravely, boldly.
In spite of the effort it cost her, she
would not repudiate him now; she
must not deny the dead. But her eyes
dropped before the gaze which dark
ened the eyes Of the living.
Nervously, rapidly, she talked: "But
when she heard the news of Senior
Gonzaga's death, and received it as
concerning a stranger, with only the
ordinary humane regret, l realized
that there was something unexplained.
1t then occurred to me that her inter-
view with him had been blotted out
lost to her memory along with other
dreams of delirium. l was glad it
could do nc good to remind her. But,
since her words tonight l am sure that
she remembers all-all except the--the
one who made the promise"
And what was that promise?"
She said nothing, only lifting one
hand in an embarrassed, deprecating
way.
He took it in his, and held it tight
ly, while he said: Tell me every
thing. Have I not told you how l
love you? Let that make your part
easy"
She shook her head. mo; it makes
it all the harder"
Then, with tears and smiles she
said low: "He asked her consent to