The Cairo bulletin., 1909-12-19

the old roof-tree, wished that this
Christmas might be the happlest OF
I'll the Christmases he had ever eX
oerienced, and lastly assured him that
he was sending him a memento OF
he season, which she hoped he would
herish and love for her sake.
Parrish Morton repeated the words
sadly: For her sake All, for her
ake!"
RI she but knew what he would do
1or her sake. were it possible' But.
10, she was not for him. The violet
and the cosmos are incongruous.
Youth and late summer are not born
to trip hand in hand across the fields
Elysian into Agapemone.
The bell rang sharply. He heard
Phipps' soft tread upon the stairs, and
listened. Yes, it was she. There was
no mlstalting the ripping cadence Of
hat sweer-throated bird of passage.
Turning, he pressed a button and the
room was sparkling with light. At the
top of the stair he stood hesitating,
striving to gain control Of himself At
he foot, she paused, made him mock
courtesy" and held out her arms:
"Oh, Par, dear old Par ! have
brought you your Christmas present
instead"
The attitude, the look in her eyes,
The irresistible enchantment of her
beauty flooded him with impelling
POWER. What did she mean? Was 1t
herself she was Offering? For briet
moment he stood swaying to the
mighty impulse within him. Standing
supplied there, he remembered, as she
bounded toward him, He must not
ne could not
And then as he was about to sweep
aside all the positiveness Of his duty,
al the negatives and forbearances and
Give free impulse TO his heart, there
came a step behind her She heard
md turning as she was about to enter
he yearning haven Of his eager arms.
cried
oh pardon me, Mr. Morton, lot ma
introduce Marshall Marriott He"
Suddenly the stairs went black be-
fore him, He realized now She was
bringing him a Christmas surprise.
Che man she loved the
Somehow he managed to greet the
stalwart young fellow with the frank
eyes In a maze of conflicting pain
rvd -trt,vF-n ba df9 4Lo J,,tfa-. as ,
host, and when Verona and her es-
cort had been shown to their rooms to
dress, he slipped into the den and
cast himself into the great arm chair
before the pulseless Goals Of the fire
place.
Lost, Lost" kept ringing in his
cars. and with a groan OF anguish he
Guce more buried his face in his
lands and gave way TO mans
grief In vain he tried to reason
with himself that 1t were better so.
He should not have expected or even
dared TO think it might have been
otherwise. He was too old for her
She was sunshine, he was the sombar
cloud but, oh, how he loved her! And
for the moment he had thought she
meant to give herself The misery OF
it all. The heartache of it!
Suddenly, behind him he heard a
rustic, the frou-frou of woman's
gown. and over the side of his great
chair a warm arm stole softly against
his neck.
oh Par what is 1t, dear? What
have ! done? What"
Instinctively in the darkness be felt
the frightened rabbit look, the appeal.
ing gaze. summoning all his reserve
strength, he said, with scarcely a
tremor in his voice;
Nothing dear nothing to offend /
am glad slad--for you. Il he is
worthy If
"If-if he--is w0rthy--oh. YOU
rocse. I see Il all uowH" In a fash
size threw her arms about his neck
Her face was close 10 his How soft
aad warm and soothing her flesh was.
He-he is my brother, lost that day
III the foothills Of New Mexico r. n
have just found him Thought you
would be glad wanted to surprise
Sou-- IL don't you want your
Christmas PRESENT. in desperation
With a mighty heart throh he
reached about and drew her to him.
Tenderly trembingly he clasped bis
arms about her and as their lips met
| ia d piishtiag kiss, tiny flame spring.