The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-03-19
"The Shadow Between"
SILAS X. HOOKING.
SILAS X. HOOKING.

Two days later came a telegram
from Clement: Doctor has ordered
me home for rest and change. Meet
the 6 o'clock train"
Now you will be bound to meet"
Esther said to Marion a few hours
later. 81 wonder if you will find each
other very much changed?" and she
laughed gayly.
Does he know l am here?" Ma
rion asked, seriously.
HE has not the remotest idea; we
should have told him in our letter
today"
Il hope he will not look upon me
as an intruder?'
Il don't think there is much like
lihood of his doing that" and she
smiled knowingly.
Marion was coiled up in a corner
of the big couch when she heard the
gritting of carriage wheels under the
window.
Here he u.s." she said to herself,
and she felt her heart beating per-
ceptibly faster. She did not move,
however,; she sat quite still, listening
to every sound.
She heard the outer door cliik at
length, then footsteps and voices in
the hall. Yes, it was his voice-a
little deeper, a little more musical
perhaps softened by the intervening
door. She knew her heart was beat
ing much too fast, but she couldn't
help 1t. If she kept still nobody
would know.
HE loved M once" she reflected.
The thought would come in spite Of
everything. The color %deepened on
her cheeks, her yes grew brighter.
The door flew open without any
preliminary sound, and before she
had time to get out of her corner
Clement stood before her. She saw
him start. He had not expected see-
ing her, that was certain. The color
warmed suddenly his pale face.
She sprang out of her corner and
stood up before him. Her hand was
in his in an instant.
Are you not glad to see me?" she
asked, brightly, and with a touch of
coquetry in her manner
VERY glad"
and l am glad to see you. hope
you are b~etter?"
Ever so much better. But this
really is an unexpected pleasure
Thank YOU and she looked frank
ly into his eyes and smiled.
His heart thrilled till his lips trem-
bled, and he walked to the nearest
chair and sat down.
His mother and Esther were by his
side in a moment.
Your long journey has exhausted
you, my DEAR" his mother said, anx-
iously.
"A little, mother"
I'VE will soon have you all right
again. Esther i~nterjected, brightly.
He smiled at her a little plaintive-
ly, and then his eyes sought the face
of Marion.
She had not changed much since
last they met. Her face was perhaps
a shade paler, and there was a look
in her eyes he had not seen before,
but otherwise she was unchanged.
She was still beautiful-wonderfully
beautiful in his eyes. He wondered
if among her many admirers she had
lost her heart to any one.
Refreshments we're brought to him
in the drawing room. He was too
tired to dress for dinner. Esther
waited upon him as though he were
still an invalid, and Marion watched
her with almost envious eyes.
While the others were in the din
ing room he lay on the big couch
quite still looking at the fire. Had
he known that Marion was at Nav
gan Chase would he have come
home? 1t was . question he would
have ignored II he could, but it clam
ored persistently for an answer.
He felt as though he had suffered
sufficiently already on her account. It
did not seem fair that he should al
was be fighting himself. He had kept
out of her way with steady persist
ency. He had recognized the inevita-
BILE, and had bowed to It. He had
reached a state Of emotional calm
which he believed was the nearest
approach to peace he would ever find,
and now In a moment his souls was in
a tumult once more.
Would he have come back had he
known? His heart said EYES," His
reason said mo" It was good to
look upon her face again-good to
listen to the low music Of her voice.
But oh! the pain Of it all.
So he lay staring at the fire and
wrestling with himself tin the ladies
came back into the room again.