The daily tribune., 1909-04-12
The Secret Of
the Oak


watching the woodmen work their
havoc in the small patch of woods,
stood John Matthews To all save
one or two he was stranger. yet less
than half score OF years before he
had been known by almost every one
in this little village.
But during the years Of his absence
most OF the older folks had gone to
their last home, the companions of his
larger cities. while the children had
grown to manhood and womanhood.
and to the present inhabitants John
Matthews, owner of the big house on
the hill. was somewhat OF myth.
He had returned from Africa the
day before, returned upon the urgent
request of his solicitors, who needed
his assistance In settling the estate.
He had come from the city on an early
morning train, anxious to close up his
affairs at once and get away from the
village as soon as possible, for he
had no desire to remain there.
He had expected to find strange
faces and many changes. but was
hardly prepared for the scene before
him. the destruction of this woodland
the Black Forest of his boyhood
days. In which he had slain imaginary
giants and dragons, and where in his
gentler moods he had huntel for fair
les with Mary, his little playmate. his
later sweetheart, and the cause of his
desertion of home and country.
As he stood looking on. the chop
pers paused to select another tree,
and a cry almost escaped him when
he saw that their next victim was to
be great oak. 1t seemed to the man
that an old friend was about to be
sacrificed
Under this great oak tree, centuries
old. perhaps. he had spent the hap
piest hours of his life. There WAS a
hollow In 1t that they had discovered
one day. Mary had trained wild vines
to grow over 1t. and they had called
1t the treasure keep of their castle.
Then when they had gone away to
school and college, 1t had been their
post office.
Returning for the holidays, II Mary
was absent he was sure to ind let
ter waiting for him in the hollow, and
he would leave one for her when he
went away. At last. when school days
were over, and they wero home once
more, the oak had been their 'rysting
place, until the summer that his rival
had come to the village.
A strong will. new scenes and
friends, had helped him to forget, but
now the memories came rushing back
Once more he could see Mary as she
paused at the entrance of the woods
when he had pleaded with her to give
her answer to the question he had
asked so many times that summer.
"You will find your answer In the
oak at sunset" she had said.
He had come back at sunset only
to find the hollow empty, and then he
knew her answer. knew that the other
man had won, and that she had let
their old friend. the oak. tell him what
her lips could not. That had been the
end, for he left the village that night,
and now after ten years one would
scarcely recognize the b. in this
stern. gray-haired man.
The blow OF an AK brought John
back to the present. AS he was about
to turn from the scene of destruction.
he saw something small and white
balance a moment on the edge of the
hollow and fall to the ground The
woodmen picked It up. consulted a
moment. and then one of them came
toward him.
'"rhe boss thinks this belongs to
| you," he said, handing John a small
| envelope, stained and yellow
John nodded to the foreman, one OF
the few that had recognized him, and,
with quick-beating heart. hurried
| away from the curious throng. Ar.
| irving at the house he went quickly
| to the study that the care-takers had
made ready for him. Hastily he tore
open the little yellow envelope. The
| note 1t contained was dated ten years
before. Don't you know the answer
| Is yes, Jack?" was all It said.
| Then the truth came upon him like
fash A wind had carried the note
| upwards as she tossed 1t into the hol
| low Wnlcn Snc WIS not quite tai
| enough to reach, and It had lodged In
n crevice above instead of dropping to
| the bottom.
| The woodman's ax had Jared I,
| from its resting place OF years. In his
haste that day long ago he had over
| looked It and had misunderstood. II
had been he that she cared for after
all and not the other man. But what
must she have thought OF his sudden
departure. what had she thought dur
ing those years OF silence? He would
find her.
| There was n CLEAN OF the fire OF
| youth In his eye and the sternncss
had vanished from his face as he has
| tily glanced over some mail which his
lawyers had forwarded.
"That can walt" he said, but one
.....,,, .nau,nl D., ,a,.t III.