The Irish standard., 1910-01-01

make marriage nearer for him. But
when they met he did not ask her.
They assumed the old easy relation as
1t there had been no separation. Life
sped on with days too full of content
to ask promises from the future.
When the time of parting came in
June he found that he could let her
60 with less dread than he had
thought possible. The time would not
be long, and with the increased free
dom that had come to him in money
affairs he could run east during the
vacation. If trouble came to her, or
harm. he could be with her in few
hours. 1t was with light heart that
he saw her go.
He had accompanied her to the
train and provided her with all the
comforts for the journey that love
could suggest. Between the leaves of
one Of the books was tucked letter.
He had not told her it was there.
She would find 1t. The train began to
move. "Good-by," he said, hurriedly,
Il shall come to you If you need me.
In any case shall see you SOON"
He sat up late, working on an ar
ticle for the next day. When at last,
tired and exhausted, he threw him
self on the bed, he fell at once into a
sound sleep. He slept long and heav-
lily. He started up with q sense of
suffocation.-Where was he?-What
was the matter?-Was the house on
fire? Before he was fairly awake he
knew that the room was quiet-so
quiet that he could hear the ticking
Of his watch. Then an awful fear
came upon him-she was in danger.
Great God, how the feeling mastered
him! He sprang up and looked at
his watch-three o'clock. He dressed
quickly and went out-of-doors. He
could not stay In the house. It suf-
located him. He must move about or
go insane.
Instinctively he turned towards the
lake. A light, fresh breeze greeted
him as he came to the breakwater
He lifted his face to meet it. 1t would
blow these foolish notions out of his
brain. He had been dreaming and had
been frightened by his own fancies.
He slackened his pace, listening to
the soft tapping of the water against
the breakwater, and looking up to the
stars. Then again fear took posses
sion Of him and he quickened his step
until at last he broke into a run,
driven by an awful. nameless dread.
Thus he alternated between hope
and fear until the first faint line of
dawn appeared across the water AS
he stood looking at It, longing for day
to break, sudden peace came upon
him. He drew quick breath as the
tension gave way. She was safe once
more. This time he did not question
his mood. He knew with quiet Ger.
tainty that all was we'll with her.
He turned away from the dawning
sky and walked home. Throwing him
self once more on the bed, he slept
soundly until the breakfast hour. AS
he entered the dining-room, his heart
gave sudden leap and stood still.
He thrust something far down below
his consciousness. It was not q
thought, it had not shape enough for
that, 1t was formless, unrecognized.
The two young men bending eager
ly over the morning paper looked up
as he came in. Have you seen the
paper?-Awful accident-Miss Cor
don's train"
He reached out his hand for the
paper They gave it to him and left
the table. Their departure left him
alone. But he gave no sign. He I'M
folded his napkin and spread it across
his knees before he took up the pa
per. He opened it and glanced down
the column.-He had known before he
looked.-In the list of those killed
Helen Gordon, Chicago"
He did not read the details Of the
accident. He merely noted the place
where 1t occurred Then he folded
the paper and gave his order for
breakfast. If he ate little, no one
knew 1t. He took plenty of time for
1t. He listened to the discussion of
the accident that went on as the
boarders, one after another, came in
to breakfast
When he left the house he knew
that he had exactly half an hour to
report his absence at the office and
catch the east-bound express. It was
more than enough. He did not want
to be alone and think. He saw before
him long years in which he would
have time to think. To-day he must
60 to her. He might be needed He
had said that he would come IL she
needed him, and that he should see
her soon-"1 shall see you soon."
tIow the wheels caught up the words
and tossed them back to him. They
reiterated with clanking monotony-
Il shall see you soon-I shall see you
soon" Underneath the rattle and
roar, between the shrieks of the en-
CINE, in the midst Of the conversation
around him, he heard them with aw-
full diStinctness and wondered vague