The Washington herald., 1907-10-03
A SUMMER STORM.
By A. NJ. DAVIES OGDEN.

the West, threatening masses Of violet
The sun had sunk below the horizon ia a
sullen blaze of dun red. The stiffness
and the heat We're intense. Margaret,
restless and wearied, had slipped outside
seeking refuge. a breath among the
stately pines. Above her head they mur-
INJURED in endless cadence. musical and
mysterious. But 10 her troubled mind
the tranquility Of the woods brought nc
peace As yet the pain was too fresh
fer natures assuagement. And twisted
through the tangIe Of her own persistent
thoughts ran a teasing little question OF
Belens Before dinner the cir. had come
10 her room. The camsIlia-lke face was
pale, the dusky eyes had an odd look Of
suffering She had picked up Margaret s
silver hand-glass and stood balancing IL
absentIy.
Mr.. Townsend. he is a very great
man, is he not2" She had put the ques-
ton wistfulIy. and Margaret had an
swered yes.
Tit is strange that he can care for
one-one so young SO ignorant. so un-
trained faltered the young voice do
you-do you think he really does
rea]ly?' The big eyes had searched
Margaret's face with an eager, almost a
supplicaung intensity
For a moment Margarets heart had
almost stopped It's beating What could
the child meau2 Then she had forced
herself to Calmness
Il know be does" she had answered
steadily. lie cares very much"
But the question fingered in Marga-
rets mind, touched to a poignant sig
nihcance by the memory o. that small
white face. OF what was the child think
Ing; whence came the hidden feeling
which had prompted the query?
Margaret despite the close atmosphere.
shivered. Why had Lasslter returned.
and why. ON why. had he come here. 10
destroy, this time forever. the peace Of
mind, which Margaret had believed s0
secure at last. And this poor child who
loved her, InvoluntariIy Margaret wruug
her hands How hard. how complicated
was life. 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 needles. a quick. firm
tread coming hurriedly down the path
| Margaret turned II was dusky under tie
thick sheltering boughs. but she recog-
nized az once that Il was Lasslter. A;
sight of the white figure before him the
man started.
Margaret" he calculated sharply, "Alar.
garet." But he caught himself az once
/ I beg your pardon he smiled. you
/ looked almost Ike a ghost there amone
/ the trees. ! am on my way to the boat
/ house explaining easily. "Belen and
young Morris are on the lake, and il
/ looks so like a storm"
! Margaret glancing upward, saw thai
/ in truth the last star was hidden from
[ afaT came a duh rumble of thunder. HI.
vague anxiety communicated itself sud
denly TO her. She turned toward the boat
/ house
/ Come, she said quickly 1t had growr
very dark. The sultry air was breath
/ less. Not a sigh stirred the branche.
above. The slippery, overgrown path was
difficult 20 find. But Margaret sped un
/ heediHgly on. That little fran canoe ou
on the tumhling waters Oh why wa.
/ the boathOuse so far And then all a
once q gnarled old root thrust boldly out
caught her foot, she tripped, stumbled
/ the next instant she had fallen into Las
ster's arms.
. It was only for one brief fraction o.
time oue-half anguished moment. durinl
which the man. his stern self-contro
shaken. had gathered her close. TheI
Margaret broke from him.
'Belen." she gasped. The lines arounC
/ Lassiters mouth whitened
I know" he said. I know" But de
spite his effort at self-mastery, the emo
tiol reused was not to be so easily
/ leashed. The bitterness Of years surgeC
TO the surface.
Margaret" he cried. "Oh. Margaret
why did you send me away?"
II didn't know" murmured tn
woman unsteadily II thought I didn'
care. And then it was too late: you ha,
gone. But-but you are happy now" sh,
urged. "Belen--"
"Belen is a child said Lassiter quietly
! when she was left so alone with onl,
me for guardian there seemed nothing
else to do. I shall try to make her
good husband. But Margaret
his voice suddenly dropped to an uncon
scious entreaty. -"Margaret--"
Margaret, her throat aching and throb
ing, was again hurrying blindly dowI
the path. She must not listen. Th'
thunder was drawing nearer. a low
moan was beginning to shake the pin
boughs. The storm was almost here.
Then out Of the gloom a voice echoe,
clearly across the water.
/ No no" it sobbed, and both man an,
woman, stopping suddenly, recognize,
the voice as Belens. You mustn't tall
so. I can't marry you; oh. I can't II
loves me. Miss Allston says so, and h
has been too good TO me, I must no
break his heart. But love Billy.
Across the murky darkness leaped
white flash Of fire; a tremendous crash
ing peal seemed to split the very heav
ems; and then suddenly the rain, loose,
at last, came pouring down, cool cleans
ing. revivifying bringing a grateful
freshness TO the thirsty ground. restore,
/ equilibrium to the surcharged atmos
phere. Great drops pattered on the pin
boUghs. But Margaret, her eyes we
with happy tears, was not conscious 0
/ the peiting rain. For in that secon,
when lake and woods had stood distinc
and clear, silhouetted against that un
earthly brillianCe, in that instant Of Wis
ion had been revealed the picture of
man. and a maid. a picture old whel
Time was young-Billy Norris kissinj
Belen.
Margaret" cried Lassiter, hoarsely
| "Oh, Margaret You saw, you heard
Belen is going to marry Billy Morris
Ard you-you are going to marry me
Aren't you, Margaret" as he lifted he
face to his
I copyrighted 1907. by Homer sprague.l