The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-06-03

chimed II Randolph reused himself
with a slight start from the half doze
in which he had INDUCED.
Inyoluntarily he gazed at the por-
trait. and great wonder came into his
eyes. He wheeled his chair away from
the fireplace and stared. He rubbed
his eyes, looked about the softly light
ed room and stared again.
There was the same youthful figure.
with its gray plumed hat gray gown
and rose pink cloak caught together by
one slender white hand. 1t was all as
1t had been before save that now
there was life in it--life in the soft
brown eyes and in certain tremulous
movement of the pink bowed lips.
With white face and unbelieying
eyes he watched the figure step slowly
down from the frame, and he saw the.
movement Of the purple velvet dra-
peries that formed the background.
She stepped upon the wide mantel-.
piece, which was devoid of ornament,
and made an imperious gesture with
her hand, and as she did so he was
conscious of the heavy scent Of white
lilac from the branch she carried.
"My good sir, pray assist me to the
door." she said in a low, vibrant voice.
AS in a dream. Randolph hastily
fetched chair and supplemented Its
height with hassock. With grave
courtesy he extended a hand TO the
lady on the mantel, and as she gave
him the tips of her fingers he felt the
warmth of flesh and blood.
Lightly she stepped down, gathering
her skirts gracefully about her dainty
gray shod feet, and presently she stood
beside him, looking timidly at him
from beneath the shadow of her. long
lashes.
'My Godr' he muttered, staring from
the vision before him to the empty
frame above the chimney piece.
With a quick movement the girl
slipped the pink cloak from her shout
ders and removed u. s ga 'p Nd HE'D
nas I'M her crown of dusky hair. 1t
~ only 1, Mark" she said wistfully.
"I-don't UNDERSTANDABLE" He pass
ed hand over his dazed eyes.
She stepped forward and pressed
upon a carved portion Of the mantel.
Instantaneously there was movement.
and the painted canvas swung into
place with little click. There was
Mistress Mowbray in her accustomed
place above the shelf. and beside him
was-Beth.
ut is one of Harrys jokes" she ex-
planned in low, breathless tone. He
wrote me a month ago and asked me
to come here and enact the apparition
of Mistress Mowbray. 1t was favor
lite pastime when we were children,
for there Is a secret stair behind the
chimney, and the portrait is really a
door which opens upon it. Harry said
that a 'skeptical friend would spend
the night of the 18th here and asked
me to play the part. | was reluctant to
do such thing, but Harry has been
very kind to me-and / consented.
They did not tell me who the 'skep-
ticai friend would be, and it was--a
surprise to me-when looked down
upon your upturned face"
She leaned against the tall back of a
chair with down bent head and CULVER
ing lips.
"And you could have gone back-and
away from me again-and never
would have known" he said, a vague
wonder dawning in his eyes.
She did not reply.
"But you stayed-you made yourself
known to me-you came down to me-
What do you mean, Beth?"
She lifted her head slowly and look
ed at him through misty, joyous eyes
and he understood.
Hannah's voice broke crisDly upon
the blissful silence. "a cablegram, Mr.
Randolph"
Mark tore open the yellow envelope
SIT is from Harry" he said, gather
ing his love into his arms, "and ht
| says, Bless you, my children!"