Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1908-09-24
CHAPTER XV.-Continued.

She leaned forward a little, her
d~raperies flowing softly about her
feet behind the graceful stage-edging
of fir tips, her dear, wistful eyes peering
into the gloom. He knew she thought
him out there somewhere in the dark;
hungry, weary, waiting for her. He
was not hungry, he was not weary;
but he needed her-she little knew
how he needed her. And no matter
how far asunder lay their future, to-
night he would have her, love her, &C.
cept the service of those dear hands.
Impulsively she called again: ooh,
Romeo, Romeo, won't you Gomez"
The tender voice with the heart
ache in it thrilled him, chided his ST
lence; startled him with apprehension
also, lest the association of the name
lead her to say those other too true
words:
otis but thy name that is my
enemy"
1t should be her enemy no longer!
Here | am Stella-sweetheart." He
whispered the last word as he caught
her down-reached hand and sprang up
beside her.
AS in a baby's face fresh-waked
from sleep, the warn color swept up,
rose-tipped cheek and lip, veined the
white lids and paled off to the softly
waving hair. Her eyes opened wide,
frank and joy-f1ooded as a child's. She
turned to him. Doubts and questions
fed. He was there! He called her
Sweetheart"
In the sheltered, spicy nook behind
the screen, prudence, business, duty,
all slept forgotten, while a nameless
youth pledged lifelong love and de-
votion to a dowerless, homeless, I'M
worldly woman.
1t was Stella, remembering his long
fast, who cut short the precious mo-
ments and lured Alfred from his loves
empyrean SUBMITS to his daily bread.
She r~earrapged the dishes and went to
the kitchen to make fresh tea, he fol-
lowing that no dear breath of her
should be lost to him. Back to the
table again they went, stepping lightly
that they might wake no ear above;
whispering, with gay little laughs sup
pressed with difficulty, lest caves
dropping walls might hear and tell.
Radiantly CARRIED, glowing, together
they ate, the food ambrosia, the Sc
questered scene a rite, a pledge, pre-.
figuring a home to be.
1--WE known all the time | oughtn't
to love you, still less ought / to win
your love; yet-yet-oh, Stella, l
couldn't help til" said Alfred.
She regarded him earnestly, plying
ly, a moment, her heart in her tender
eyes; but he did not look up till she
spoke. "Tell me, is it's it any fault
of your w that" She did not fin
ish, but he understood.
mo" He paused uncertainty. "No,
and yes. cannot tell you freight is
not all my secret. / am suffering for
another's wrongdoing, yet l caused
him to commit that wrong, unwittingly
God knows, unwittingly!" The last
words were vehement; and he looked,
not at Stella, but away, as if he ad.
dressed another auditor.
She slipped to her knees beside him,
her clasped hands against his breast,
her gaze probing his soul.
Dear heart, suppose l were your
sister and her lover were in your
place would you not have her say, as
/ am saying, All my heart, my trust,
my life, are yours, now and ~always?'"
Alfred lifted his head. Her fervent
words beat back his fears. He took her
hands in his own, steadily giving her
look for look, his eyes reverently read
ing the soul she laid bare. ION my
honor, Stella, yes; though / should
pity her for the long, dreary waiting
ahead of her."
Stella sprang up, Joy in her voice.
mo waiting will be dreary when 1t is
for you! Wherever you go / can
think of you, see you. The world will
be bright since you are In 1t and my
Dwn. I'll count off the days gayly and
land make a little prayer for you
each night"
"Mr. Crocker's special leaves at