Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-03-05
ITO commune with hima What

otoOu III uccu VI So0u SOu1Sci, ne
answered oheerfully, ''or a friendly
word, perhaps. and as sat there after
awhile it came"
What was it 2"
ITO forget that was sodden with
selfishness, to pretend not to be as full
Of meanness as really was. Doesn't
that seem TO be Eskew's own voice?"
Weren't you happy last night. Joe?'
"Oh, it was all right, he said quick
ly. Don't you worry"
And at this old speech of his she
broke into little laugh, of which he
had no comprehension.
Mamie came to see me early this
morning" she said after they had
| walked on in silence for time '.Ev-
erytlling is all right with her again
that is. | think it will be- Eugene is
coming home. And she added thought
fully, st will be best for him to have
his old place on the Tocsin again. She
showed me his letter, and | liked it.
think he's been through the fire.
Joe's distorted smile appeared "And
has come out gold?' he asked
No she laughed, s'but nearer it.
And think he'll try to be more worth
her caring for. She has always thought
that his leaving the Tocsin in the way
he did was heroic. That was her word
for it. And it was the finest thing he
ever did,
81 can't figure Eugene OUT Joe
shook his head There's something
behind his going away that l don't
understand" This was altogether the
truth, nor cas- there ever to come a
time when either he or Mamie would
under.ta land what things hal ..eter-
mined the departure of Eugene Ban
try, though Mamie never questioned,
as Joe did, the reasons for it or doubt
ed those Eugene had given her, which
were tie same he had given her father,
for she was content with his return.
Again the bells across the square
rang out their chime The paths were
decorously enlivened with family and
neighborhood groups bound church.
ward. and the rumble of the organ,
playing the people into their pews,
shook on the air. And Joe knew that
he must speak quickly if he was to say
what he had planned to say before he
| and Ariel went into the church.
"Arielr' He tried to compel his
voice to a casual cheerfulness, but it
would do nothing for him except be-
tray desperate embarrassment.
She looked at him quickly and as
quickly away "Yes?'
81 wanted to say something to you.
and Id better do it now, / think-be-
| fore go to church for the first time in
| two years." He managed to laugh,
| though with some ruefulness, and con-
unued stammeringIy, II want to tell
| you how much like him-how much [
admire him
| Admire whom7" she asked, little
coldIy, for she knew.
Mr.. Ladew.'
$50 do t. she answered, looking
| straight ahead "That is one reason
why | wanted you to come with me
today"
1T isn't only that. want to tell
you-to tell YOU He broke off for a
second. You remember that night in
my office before Fear came in?"
Yes, l remember"
| And that THAT something l said
troubled you because it-it sounded as
| if | cared too much for YOU
"No; not too much" She still looked
straight ahead. They were walking
| very slowly. "Yor didn't understand.
| You'd been in my mind, you see, all
| those years, so much more than / in
yours. | hadn't forgotten you. But to
| you | was really a stranger
no, nor he cried
Yes, l was" she said gently. but
very quickly "And IL didn't want
| you to fall in love with me at first
| sight And perhaps / didI But
hadn't thought of things in that way.
| | had just the same feeling for you
| that / always had-always! had
never cared so much for any one else,
and it seemed to me the most neees-
| sary thing in my life to come back to
| that old eompanionship. Don't you re-
member-it used to trouble you so
| when would take your hand? think
/ loved your being little rough with
me- And once when l saw how you
had been hurt, that day you ran
away
s'Ariel!' he gasped helplessly.
Have you forgotten?"
He gathered himself togeth r with
all his WILL 81 want to prove o you"
he said resolutely, that the .s.r kind
ness of you isn't thrown away on me.
| want you to know what | began to
say-that it's all right with me, and
think Ladew'' He stopped again.
"Ah, I've seen how much he cares for
your
Have your?
ariel" he said, that isn't fair to
me, If you trust me. You could not
have helped SEEING