The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1909-01-21

misery and sent him back to the ia
Their he was not to see.
At mention Of the will she threw out
her hand with a passionate gesture.
The money is not mine!' she cried.
ut is yours! He intended to change
it! He told me so the day he died!
Oh, if you think r.
''No, no." he said gently. 'There is
no resentment, no false pride, in my
love, Jessica. I am thinking of you
and of Aniston. You would have me
go back, would you not?"
She looked up, smiling, and slowly
shook her head. "You are blind
guesser," she said. Don't you think
I know what is in your mind? Not
Aniston, Hugh. Some time, but not
now-not yet. It is nearer than that
His eyes flowed into hers. ''You un-
derstand. Yes, it is here. This is
where I must finish my fight first
Yesterday I would have left Smoky
mountain forever because you were
here. Now
Il will help you," she said. Cali
the world besides counts nothing if
only we are together. I could live in
a cabin here on the mountain always,
in a forest of Arden, till I grow old
and want nothing but that-and you.''
AS he did not answer, she faced him
with crimsoning cheeks; then, reading
his look, she suddenly threw her arms
about his neck.
Hugh" she cried, 1--WE belong to
each other now! There is no one else
to consider, is there? I want to be to
you what I haven't been-to bear
things with you and help you"
He kissed her eyes and hair. ''You
have helped, you do help me, Jessica"
he urged. ''But am jealous for your
love. It must not be offended. The
town of Smoky Mountain must not
sneer-and it would sneer now"
''Let it!' she exclaimed resentfully.
"As if would care"
"But I would care" he said softly.
II want to climb little higher first"
She was silent moment, her fingers
twisting the fallen leaves. "You don't
want them to know that I am your
wife,"
"Not yet-till can see my way"
She nodded and smiled, and the
cloud lifted from her face. "You must
know BEST" she said "This is what
I shall do, then. I shall leave the san
itarium tomorrow. The people there
are nothing to me, but the town of
Smoky Mountain is yours, and I must
no orf- If %<> fIo
Mountain Valley House. Mrs. Halo
ran will take care of me-" She sprang
to her feet as she added, II shall 60
to see her about it now
He rose, and walked with her through
| the bracken to the road They came
out to the driveway just below the
trail that led to the Knob. The
bank was high, and, leaping first, he
held up his arms to her and lifted her
lightly down. In the instant as she
lay in his arms he bent and kissed her
on the lips.
Neither noted two figures walking
together that at that moment rounded
the bend of the road little way above.
They were Tom Fielder and DR.. Brent.
Both men saw the kiss and instructive.
~ drew back. The doctor noted now
the telltale flush on his companions
face.
I'VE have surprised romance" he
said as the two unconscious figures
disappeared down the curving stretch.
"Who is the man,"
"He is the one we have been talking
about
Fielder nodded. His cabin Is just
below here on the hillside"
"Good Lord" calculated the doctor.
What an Internal pity! What's his
name"
Hugh Stires"
"Stires?" the other repeated. "Stires?
How odd!" He stood moment, tap
ping his suit case with his stick. Sud-
denly he took the lawyers arm and
led him into the sidepath.
Come" he said, 81 want to show
you something"
he led the way quickly to the Knob,
where he stopped. as much astonished
as his companion, for he had known
nothing Of the statue. They read the
words chiseled on its base. "The prod
igal son." said Fielder.
"Now look at the name on the head
stone" said the physician.
Felder's glance lifted from the stone
to peer through the screening bushes
to the cabin on the shelf below and
returned to the others face with quick
comprehension. You think"-
"Who could doubt it? I will arise
and go unto my father The old mans
whim to be buried here had mean
Ing, after all. The statue is Miss
Holmes work-nobody in Smoky
Mountain could do it-and I've seen
her modelling in clay at the sanitarium.
What we saw just now is the key to
what might have been a pretty riddle
If we had ever looked farther than
our noses. It's case of a clever ras-
cal and damnable propinquity. The
ward has fallen in love with the black
sheep"