Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-11-28

49,
The truck with which Faith was
fairly burdened consisted of two bas-
kets. In one were all the flowers the
garden would yield, in the other win
ter apples, shining and rosy, pearly
corn and golden pumpkins.
Faith blushed prettily as she looked
down on her burden
Il am doing 1t for her, Aunt Creecy.
She is long way from her home, and
want to have the chapel look pretty
tomorrow. There is no harm in trick
ing our little altar out for her bene-
| fit.o
Harm It's good, sweet thought,
my darlin', an eff Creecy's hans
warn't more than full she'd like to
help in the trickin'."
ssThat is Just what do not want.
Don't let anybody follow me to the
chapel, Aunt Creecy. II choose to
stay little late it won't matter
She chose to stay very late. The tiny
altar was decorated with the fruits
! and flowers she had brought As she
placed the last long spray Of tube
roses atop Of feathery pyramid of
ferns she knelt before the altar with
ciasped hands,
1.-THE first fruits Of penitence, dear
Lord, lay before thy altar. For the
blessings thou hast vouchsafed receive
my thanks, for those thou hast with
held pardon my murmurings. have
been rebellious, and for that / do re-
! pent me-"
The gloom about her deepened, but
she was not afraid When she rose
! from her knees she passed behind the
curtains that yelled the choir gallery
| and took her seat at the organ. With
head dropped into her elasped hands
| she sat for few silent moments; then
| with the sad sweetness of an aeolian
/ harp there stole upon the quiet Of the
little church the last piece of music
she had ever played for Larry Har-
court. How he had loved it! And how
| naturally the soft strains seemed to
mingle with the perfume of the sweet
olive and the tuberoses! He had loved
them too.
Presently her touch became more as
sured. II she was to make music for
the services tomorrow, as she had
promised to do, she must close that
door to the past, which was fast I'M
nerying her. But even as she touch
4 ed the chords to a more triumphant
strain her heart chung desperately to
thoughts Of the lover she had driven
to his death.
Her hands dropped from the keys. A
wave of passionate regret claimed her
body and soul a wall smote upon the
stiffness.
Larry, Larry, If you could but come
back to me, my dear, then indeed
would know what 1t was to return
thanksp'
The silk curtain that separated her
from the body of the church tinkled
softly on its brass rings. She turned
angrilv to rebuke the intrusion. In
the dusky light Of the chapel Har-
courts broad shoulders made deeper
shadows. She lifted frightened eyes
to his face, made a step forward and
fell in heap on the flower strewn al
tar.
=
The altar decorations were a sad
wreck when he looked laughingly into
her happy eyes.
'But, my beloved one, i did not
mean to startle you so. 1t would have
been inexcusable. / got out at the
first gate, and Graham carried my
note to you. I told him I would wait
an hour at the lodge. If after reading
my note you were ready to take up the
old sweet life where it was jostled out
Of our keeping you were to so to the
chapel and play my fayorite air. Nat
urally when | heard 1t / thought 1t
was your welcome home to me, and,
my own, never did bird fly to its mate
on gladder wing"
He glanced ruefully at the wrecked
altar. 81 am afraid, dear, I have play
ed the mischief with your arrange
ments"
She laughed happily and lifted her.
self to place her hands on his shout
ders.
Larry, did you hear what said
just before you frightened me INTO .
belief in ghostsy
II doubt If did correctly. / just re
call general impression of sweet
sounds, sweet perfumes of the old IA
miliar flowers and the blessed con
| seriousness that the dearest girl in all
the world was still mine to have and
to hold
: When Faith next entered the chapel
It was on Harcourt's arm.
d Milly and the girls had removed the
struck" that had SO excited Aunt
!, Creecy's scorn to make place for q
bridal array of white flowers. The
bridal robes that had been packed
away for years came forth resplen-
dent. Harcourt's plea for an immedi-
j ate marriage was ably seconded by
Milly: