Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-25
IN SEARCH OF SUNSHINE.
I(Continued from Page Six.)

after looking aDOut Der lor AN InStdht,
she crossed the room, stepped out on
the broad verandah, and going to It's
edge, leaned her bare arms on its rail-
ing, looking out to sea. A band
played softly in the distance. near at
hand could be heard an occasional rich
darkey laugh and scraps Of songs-in
the balcony off the hail. musicians
were tuning up their Instruments
Suddenly, as she looked and dreamed,
her thoughts drifting idly. she was
brought back to the present by rapid
step behind her. and turned to look
into a ran's face. For one moment
her world swayed before her. then
with a mighty effort. she commanded
herself, and putting out her hand, said,
without even q catch in her voice:
"Why. Mr.. Grant! what surprise
1 am very glad to see you again Is
your wife here?'
Eyes, Esther Howard Grant an
swered, dropping her hand, putting his
back against the railing, and looking
down into her eyes. They met his
braveIy, without tremor, for what
seemed to her an eternity, then he
hent lower isn't she, Esther?' he
asked. "T have worked for her q long
time-five years, my dearest, and at
last I am able to ask her again what I
asked so long ago--why. Essie, dar-
ling. what is it? You surely have not
thought that I was married? How
could / be to any one but you?
Didn't YOU feel that you would see me
tonight?'
"I thought that you were in st.
Petersburg
"rhere is no and l left Russia in
time to reach you this evening. 1t is
only a month since all these years
Were finally crowned with such sue
cess that I hardly dare believe in 1t
myself and / wanted to come to you,
pleading, as the boy you called me
then---as the man l have grown to be-
for the only thing that has made life
worth living. | had conviction you
would try to escape me. so 1 gave my
self time to follow you. You made q
wise choice of a refuge"
when did you get here?" to her
surprise, her voice was quite steady.
Day before yesterday, I was with
Mary while you were out riding"
Mary"
81 asked her to find out if it WOULD
hurt you to see me. She asked me to
join your party this morning, but"
"Wnat a pity you didn't" she broke
in. hurrldely, ''the service was lovely
at tha: little church. It's really
beauty, stone, you know, with
clerestory and it has the most brilliant
floor. the tiles for it were brought from
England years and years ago. There are
lovely stained glass windows. but they
were all open and one could hear the
birds outside. Such masses of flowers I
never saw, but it did seeem odd to be
singing Shout the Glad Tidings," and
"IIark the Herald Angels Sing" in what
seemed to be the midst of summer-'she
was quite out of breath. and stopped from
necessity. He stood looking at her. grave
ly. but with growing amusement in his
dark eyes.
ut is no use, Esther" he said, you
must listen now-listen and answer he
laid his hand on hers as he spoke, and
when she would have drawn it away. his
fingers closed tightly about it.
"You are very lovely he said. lovely
and beautiful too4y You have something
in your face it once lacked. Is 1T the
Jamaica sunshine, wonder! Oh. my darl-
more the boy you called me five years
ago I have had a hard time, Essie. I
don't mean the work I've done-that was
for you. and I loved it, but I was so full
of terror, lest while / toiled my Diana
might find another Endymion. You wore
holly that night too, You said that l
would forget you and my calf love in
year-a north, a week-I said that I
would not. Who's right?'
II wasn't so horrid. Howard, l only
told YOU that
Never mind what you told me then,
that's past tense-what do you tell me
now?" She tried to laugh, but the laugh
died in her throat, to speak, but the
words refused to come. Then he spoke
again, this time very gravely.
Esther, of course there is one thing
be honest with me, I can feel that this
is rot vet to you what it is to me. All
these years. while was forgotten, I was
piiing up treasures Of devotion Tor you,
now do rot ask for the same lOve-ah!
for she had foolishly lifted her eyes and
his had pierced her very Soul-'my be-
loved" he said softly, and as he drew
her. unresisting, to his arms, the silence
of absolute content fell upon the world,
in which they We're the only two people.
Il meant to ask YOU" he said at length,
'ff there were any other man. If there
we're, now, he should never have you.
But-darlng. do YOU know thac it is
Christmas night. and there ought to be
mstletoe, so that can keep my vow and
kiss YOU under it? No. for she half lifted
her head from his breast and shyly trrn-
ed her cheek. "no. I will not take tit
must be free gift, I have waited too
long to be content with your cheek, and
YOU must realize that you go with your
kiss quick! there are people coming.
Even Mary Graham, who knew Esther
best of all her friends. would have stared
with anazement, could she have seen the
flushed, tear-stained radiant face. which
she raised to her lovers.
II cannot understand" Mrs. Goddard
said, that evening, for at least the fifth
time, "you mean that you have been in
love with Esther all these years, and
have never told her so?'
Both Esther and her lover laughed
happily.
''Did Esther know YOU were coming"
"She says she didn't, Mrs Goddard.