Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-12-05


Lees slender form appeared once
more.
Here am again." she cried breath
Iessly. I've got SO much TO do I
don't know which way 10 turn. En-.
/ I'm going TO have masquerade TN
I be lots of fun. We won't unmask until
midnight I'm going as witch, and
I've got to make the dress. thought
maybe you'd have some red cotton
stur that might do"
When she had made her purchases
under Emily's careful advice. Flora
turned TO go. II hope you won't mind
IL don't ask you. EN-" she apollo
giZed You see. it's for us young
folks. and our house is so small. Moth
er's going to have party in Novesn-
Der when her sister comes. You'll be
there. you know"
The days flew by, and Emily did not
leave the house save TO walk I'm her
back garden. She sent a neighbor
boy after her mail. and she wrote sew
eral letters 10 her cousin in the city.
Once Mr.. Silas Smith called about the
sale OF the house.
There's somebody considering the
Offer" he said brusquely. II can't get
anything decided out of him yet. I'll
know next week. You seem In a hur-
ry to get away. Emily"
Il want to get settled before winter
comes on" murmured Emily
The evening of the party came, and
she sat there in her shop lonely. I'M
happy. OF course she knew why
Flora did not want her at the party.
1t would be embarrassing indeed for
Arson Cook to meet this faded little
woman who once had been engaged to
marry him. If Emily had married it
would have been different: unmarried
she was still n reproach to Arson. 1t
was not the party itself that caused
bitter tears to rise to Emily's eyes: IL
was the thought that she would not
be permitted to move with freedom
here and there among the social af-
tairs or the village because OF this
old affair with Arson Cook If pcopIc
would only forget all about the mis-
cradle affair
Eight. nine, ten, the courthouse
clock rang the hours. Now and then
music drifted up the street, setting her
all a-tingle. Her little slippered feet
beat softly to the dance tunes, and she
was lost in dreamy retrospection of an
other Halloween party years before.
when the shop door opened suddenly
and somebody entered
"Anson Cookw breathed Emily sharp
ly. She arose and stood poised as IL
for flight.
He took off his soft hat and, leaning
against the closed door. looked down
ut her from his six feet of muscular
manhood with such n smile in his gray
eyes that Emily's heart futtered in her
breast
Emily Paine" he said softly. why
aren't you at the party?"
II wasn't invited. belong to an
older generation" she laughed. with
little catch Of the breath.
"Ah, you belong to my generation.
Emily. 1 was afraid you might not be
there, and yet hardly dared ash, Flora
Lee. l thought l might come upon you
all of a sudden there. but heard some
one say you did not come"
He moved away from the door and
sat down near Emily.
III loOl, Emily, out not Sucn
one as left you in anger ten years ago
when you postponed our wedding be-
cause of your duty to your father. 1
wish | could tell you how bitterly
have repented Of it-how I've tried to
make myself better, stronger. so that
some day might come back to try to
win you once more if you were still
free. I've only been here a week, and
I've been hungry for sight of you
I'm not worthy of you now, Emily, but
will try to be Is il too late? Is
there anybody else
There never has been anybody else"
sobbed Emily into his convenient
shoulder.
A half hour before midnight the Hal