The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-07-29
were welded. indeed. into . strange

were welded. indeed. into . strange
unity and harmony.
Suddenly, as he looked upon the
summer fields, as he turned to the
gracious lady by his side, Basil Mar
riott knew, with a swift realization,
that in all his life he had never known
anything, any splendid moment, so
rare and perfect as this.
The moment of all moments had
come. He had the curious certainty
which required neither confirmation
nor proof, that from his heart to her
heart strange electric currents were
passing, like the swift passage of a
shuttle in the loom of Fate itself.
He was always, had always been,
in life man Of singularly direct i'm
pulse-things had come to him with
out subtlety, they had always been so
for him-singularly direct and real.
And SO now, now, at this moment
of all moments, he did the direct, the
simple, the primeval thing.
He wheeled round upon his heels
and saw her looking over the sunlit
country with musing, dreaming eyes.
He caught her by the hands and
drew her towards him.
Dearest" he said, you of all wom-
en- in the world, are the one girl for
me! 1t is terrible, know--at least,
| suppose you will think sO-it is
swift, it is sudden, but l cannot help
it. What l have to say l must say
here and now. And, oh. girl of all the
girls that ever were, it is just this:
From the first moment when | saw
you, | knew, unconsciously, that there
was no one like you-that you and
were destined for each other-made
for each other! | knew that l loved
you, and now know it as a consum-
ing fire in all my veins, and as one
great, unalterable, unconquerable pas
sion.
Dear, radiant girl! Princess Of
my heart-queen of my life-whatever
you may say, 1 know that you are
mine, and that l am yours! Forget
everything. Come to mel"
A bee droned past them, with
deep, diapason, organ sound.
Somewhere in the shy recesses Of
the woodland, a sleepy bird sent out
a single flute-like trill.
She looked at him very gravely for
moment, and then-as it was or
dained from the very first-she made
her dear surrender.
His arms were round her; his kiss
es were falling upon her face. She
cooed and murmured little shy, mar
ticulate words of love.
Man and maiden, clean, unspotted,
with their heritage of love unspoiled
within them, were mated and elapsed
at last, as the yellow, low, summer
sun poured down upon them and the
bird in the woodland took up the live
ly burden of his song.
An anthem of their own swift, pure
love!
Very gravely and quietly they
walked up the avenue again towards
the house. They walked hand in
hand.
AS they neared the garden once
more they heard the click of the GRO
quet balls, and an exultant shout from
the old rector came to them-he had
performed a more than ordinary feat
in his tortuous game!
And then a maid came hurrying
towards them-a maid with a silver
tray, upon which was the flimsy en-
velope Of telegram.
This telegram has come for you,
Miss Daisy" she said.
Daisy took it from the tray and tore
1t open.
1t was long telegram-three sheets
of government paper cracked in
Daisy's shapely hand. She read them
and turned to Basil.
oh" she said, what does this
mean?"
He took the papers from her and
read them.
This was the telegram:
(To be continued)