The Democratic advocate., 1909-06-11
By Nellie cravsy GillmOrs.
Copyrighted, 1908, by Associated
Literary Press.

missing, Thomas. l am afraid you
have been careless. can't locate that
red calf edition of Shakespeare any
where"
you left orders, sir-begging your
pardon-to accommodate any of the
young gentlemen''-
"When / rushed Off to Europe, ehY
A whimsical smile made its transient
passage acrosG 'Farrington's scowling
face 'Yery well. presume you are
right. l was a bit upset, / remember
You may GO"
But as the man started toward the
door he called him back.
"By the way, are there any book
stores hereaboutT'
mo first class ones, sir"
"Any-er-frst class neighborsY"
"a few, SIR"
Good Scrimmage around and find
me a Shakespeare before night and
PlI"-
But Thomas had already disappeared.
Marjorie Hayward was just coming
out Of the front door when Earring
toms man stepped up ON the veranda
His request surprised her little, but
she was very glad, indeed, TO be able
to accommodate him.
She had n copy of Shakespeare some.
where, she said, an old, battered one,
but his master" was welcome to the
use Of It, certainly. And with this in
formation she went back into the II.
brary TO search for II.
What sort of people were they, any
how, the new neighbors who had just
moved in the day before and We're al
ready beginning to borrow peoples
books? she wondered good naturedly.
At last she came across the rusty
little volume, stuffed 10 overfiowing
with old letters. clippings and scraps
Of memoranda.
She held it up and shook them out
suddenly aroused by the hong buried
sight Of certain familiar bits of writ
ing. pressed flowers crumbling to
atoms, yet vaguely red0lent stili Of a
dear, dead past.
With n smothered sigh she caught
herself back sharply from her foolish
reflections and returned TO the door
with the book. Thomas thanked her
elaborateiy and hastened away. Mar
Jorie waited till he had passed up the
short stone walk OF the house next
door. Then she buttoned up her coat
and walked down the gravel path 10
the gate
burlington took the volume eagerly,
turning the yellowed leaves with deft
fingers TIL he should come TO Ham
let" But suddenly he paused, his
eyes narrowed curiously and his heart
gave startled jump A brief extract
from THE Merry Wives OF Windsor
caught his attention ASK me no rea-
son why love you, for, though love
use reason for its precision, he admits
him not for his counselor"
The passage was heavily under
scored, and below Il were scribbled
in corroboratiOn the initials M. H.
"W. r." They we're hers-and hisl
Marjorie Hayward The name sent
his thoughts tumbllng tumultuously
back over the past, sent the blood tin
Cling even to his eyelids. How many
years--nearly teni-since he had called
that name. Yet how many days, In
deed, had 1t been absent from his
hearth
The minutes Hew by as he sat there
wrapped in meditation. At last he be-
gan again TO slip the leaves absently
through his fingers, when abruptly
they came in contact with something
alien.
He glanced closer, almost Indifferent
ly, and started again as his gaze rest
ed stupidity upon an envelope stuck TO
one Of the pages and addressed In
full to himself--addressed I'm Marjorie
Hayward's clear, resoIute characters
half score Of years ago, when they
had both lived in the same little west
ern town.
Without a second thought as to
whether he should or should not open
1t Farrington deliberately tore the let
ter from its Enclosure and read:
Dear walter-I have been thinking
things over. and, after all, you must be
right / made the mistake. and | am
willing 70 acknowledge II. We love each
other too much. do we not, to let silly
quarrel separate us for life? Come 10 me
tonight shall be waiting for you. As
ever, MARJORIE
For an indeterminate space Walter
Harrington sat half stunned. What
had happened7 What could It mean ?
Had she changed her mind about send
ing the letter, or had there been some
oversight. some carelessness. in the
posting?
And Marjorie herself, where was she
now? Gould 1t be that she was less
than a block away at this minute?
Perhaps she was married. Or was she
dead, and bad fate chosen this ironical
opportunity to thrust an added misery
into his bitter memories?
Harrington was not man to hem
and haw. He thought quickly, and he
acted with proportionate dispatch. He
took out his watch. 1t was almost
s. In fifteen minutes he was ringing
the doorbell next door.
But be was destined to disappoint-
ment Miss Hayward had gone to
Hamlet Harrington hurried down
the avenue that led to the playhouse
Luckily, his ticket was to be called for
81 the box Office. It was good seat