Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-03-14

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decided to give him charge OF the Mas.
ters mill when Guy Masters, weary OF
the struggle, sought the rest that lies
beyond the grave.
The little floral offering brought this
all back more strongly than ever. Per.
haps he would see her. Perhaps she
would explain why It was that she had
not answered his passionate letters. He
had thought then she had determined
10 put him out of her mind, but the
flowers told another story. She had
always loved pansles best of all the
flowers.
He whistled her favoritc air as he
moved about the Office settling things
to his liking lie was still whis.
Ting when he brought up in front
of the door of the big safe. 1t was
filed with n mass of papers, most OF
which Paul knew could be of little
value.
Mr.. Masters had had an almost su.
pcrstitlous dread Of destroying any
paper.
Rapidly he drew from the pigeon.
holes the accumulation of years and
threw them on his desk for examlna.
ton. Far bacl; In the safe he came
across n package that caused his eyes
TO open wide. Neatly banded with
tape were the letters which he had
sent Lllith eight years ago.
lie had sent them to Lilith's old
nurse TO be given to her. Only the
outer envelope had been opened, and
the inner covers were still sealed. Mas.
tiers would bride TO gain possession of
the letters, but apparently his sense Of
honor prevented his reading them
Paul turned them over curiously.
The cheap paper was yellowed aud
stained. At best they had been poor
things, the best that lie could AFFORD
at the time. He smiled as lie drew
toward him his own personal paper
with its embossed heading upon the
heavily laid surface. Many things had
changed in those eight years. He won
dered II Lilith had changed with the
| rest. She had been seventeen then
| Now she must be twenty-five. II she
had been married, as lie had been told
she must begin TO look matronly by
now. Perhaps there were children-it
seemed funny TO think OF children IN
connection with Lilith. She was still
a child herself in his minds eye.
II she had never received his letters
he did not blame her for marrying
Doubtless she had thought that he had
forgotten. Forgotten! As If he evel
could forget!
So sunk was he In his reverie that
he did not notice that some one had
entered until voice broke the still
ness, and he sprang TO his feet. Fol
an instant It seemed as though the
concentration Of his thoughts had ma
teriallzed vision, for before him stood
the girl who had been in his mind ali
day.
Don't let me disturb you," she said
but / came to ask for some of ia
Tiers personal papers. thought Il
would be best to wait until a repre-
sentative OF the purchasers came be
fore asking for them"
as It really you?" he asked. "Fo
a moment II seemed vision, you lool
SO like your old self. thought mar
riagc would change you"
Don't tell me that you heard tina
absurd report Of my marriage. 81
Henry was three years older than fa
ther, and he came over to investigat,
the mill. That was all. Was tina
why you did not writer
Paul handed her the package Of let
tiers.
81 found them In the safe" he ex
planned simply. Evidently our trus
In Mrs. Willis was not well founded"
Curiously she turned the packet owe
In her hands. The tears came into he
eyes as she realized that her fathe
had withheld the letters.
This explains much" she said n
length. 81 thought you ceased t
care"
IL have never stopped loving you,
he said passionately, mot even when
read that you were married"
Nor l." she admitted; mot evel
when I thought you had forgotten"
Silently they regarded each other n
their hands met in clasp more elo
quent than words. Paul looked on
through the glass screen ut the bus
, works beyond. "rhis Is indeed
r home coming" he said at last, an
, Lllith smiled response.