The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-09-28


skLad fesed ol,,hs oons1en e "a The
iFlast 20 yealtss s
II AT last LeAsct sail iro.a Bar.sal,
India ana on the eth Of June ar
rived at Coolid.c, his lit,!e native
town. He stopped at noArishlag
hotel over night. noiag G4th interest
changes the Village hal unierg one
and was listening with no lltt.e am
usement to a number OF remarks
which were ma ie abo 1T his oil man
sion. 1t seemed that few tourists
the night before. had come back to
the hote! rather late, ami IN passing
4 the stately old house hal seen a
light through one OF the tlrret win
| dowa.
He was eager to throw open this
/ cold drcary house altogether too
| suggestive OF the tomb to prove
agreeable 10 him. The next morn
ing he walked bliskly through the
great gateway. A wilderness that
had once been an evergreen PARK
revealed itself In all its uncomyro
missing beauty and loneliness Wind
ing walks and lawns alike had long
since disappeared in jungle OF
weeds There was the stone seat
under the popular where he ana
all, well. he wouldn't think OF these
happy days, They were all gone by,
and some day he might be able to
atone. The same thing Ire said
for the past 20 years" he muttered
bitterly to himself
He reached the huge door and in
serted the key he had kept so many
years. TO his surprise the door was
unlocked and easy to open He
walked ito the uncarHoted hall ANA
stood wondering The mantlepiece
above the cavernons fireplace and
even the smooth faces of the long
French mirrors In the drawing
room We're gray with dust Every
thing about the place looked desert
ed. but what about those lights the
tourists had seen? Here was an adj
venture!
But the adventure. however. seem
81 to slip from his mind. for he sat
Town on the edge of dusty chair
and seemed lost in thought.
Twenty years ago that day. In that
very room, he hal told his wife that
he vas going away forever. that il
VAS st they should part AMI that
she could get on without him as
he could without her There had
been stormy words fpssn him, cold,
3rael words, AMI from Martha there
ha been first mild reproachcs, then
tears. and finally when she could
bear 1t no longer. she rad swept out
Of the room Ike a queen All, how
he remembered that day. ana the
I sars trlckled down his sunburnt |
face Cnhee1e1
At last he aroused himself from !
his reverits and walking aimlessly up |
the stairs lie reached The room where /
Davie. the manager OF his estate. |
long since dead hal written to him |
that his wife had died. Yes IN that |
very room. and, covering his face
with trembling hands. the oh man
@ept as though his heart would /
break
After composing hims IF as best
be could. he reached Tie attic #
vas a hage room. half the height OF
;hests aud articles OF furniture such
IS atticG are universally constructed
10 hold. He reached the cupoa
.h:AIgh a trap-door and found him
self In an octaeonal superstructure
IF good size Many Of the win 'og
oanes were either b oxen or hi ! fall
IN out. but the y!ew Ct the old
grounds AMI The slrro II ding hills
ook up mort o. his thou yhts, This
was where he an Martha. when they
we're chiidIen, ueei to cli.zb and
play
He stool these - minutes per.
maps, when there was a creaking
sound below, and after few nom Il
,nts the trap-daor o ne. cantinas-
" Before him. " III strange START
ed look. vas most be1utifdl girl
She gave enc Sligltenel cry. and
hen dartci through the trap-loor.
Cir Abbot Sglges or following
the bedcflambars anG han
hey rushed sh. running nmbiv as
squirrel h. pan iag AL stlta fling
.fter her When she reaohe a 'afge
aiken door she tunnel around. and
diving him one look Of defiance pa s
through SIR Abbot paused. breath
ng heavily AMI scarcely kno1ing
What to do He inslly opened. the
oor, and 10, there on the couch
'roppei up with pillows was an old
woman. the girl kneeling b. her
ide. sobbiRg The cid woman SAFE
n wonder at his figure and he eazel
Jack al her There was look of
on both their faces The
goman's face turned to an ashen
ne, aud she cried. Have yo1 At
asst come back" II was Martha.
nd that beautiful girl w. their
laughter.
Well. it was after 20 years. bat :
tho would not give 20 years fuI
UGH a reconciliation?