El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-01
After Fifteen Years.
By d. Muir.

"HE man who stood hesitating on
the threshold of the house in
u Clarence avenue looked to the
fuII his 45 years. He wore a Drown
beard streaked with grey, and round
his eyes lay the network of fine lines
so common with those who LEAD
strenuous life in the open
Edward dunbar was a strong man. a
man who hardly knew what fear was,
vet at the moment his knees were trem5
bling. and the beating OF his heart
seemed to him to drown the roar or
distant traffic.
Truly he had some cause for emotion
Katie Elwynne had remained true to
him for Is years. He had spent the
long interval cattle farming in New
Zealand. amassing slowly and painful
" the small fortune which was to en-
able him to marry and settle down in
London. Katie had continued her pro-
fession Of nursing.
But the separation was over at last
Edward had arrived in London less
than an hour ago, and now he was &C
tuallv on the doorstep of Katie's house
in Kensington-
Timidly he rang the bell
It was some minutes before his sum-
mcrs was answered.
The door opened so quietly that he
heard no sound. He merely had an in
stinctive feeling that someone was
near him He swung round, and look
ed-not into Katie's eyes, but into those
of a frail-looking silver haired lady
clad in a lavender teagown.
Edward could not, at first, find words
to explain his errand- Surprise and
disappointment that it was not Katie
after all were mingled with keen pleas
ure in the delightful picture the little
lady made.
He managed to stammer at last:
I'm afraid 1 have made-that there
is some mistake. / thought Miss Ell
wynne lived here.
The little lady smiled, and her smile
moved him strangely. 1t made him feel
suddenly young again
There is no mistake, she said
Miss Elwynne-your Miss Elwynne-
is away from home. If you'll come in
1 will explain. j am her aunt, and my
name IS also Elwynne. have been
keeping house for Katie for some
time"
Katie away from home, This was
the day they had talked of in each let
ter, the day which had never been out
of their minds for Is years, and now
that it had come Katie was not here.
Edward Dunbar was conscious OF
keen spasm of anger, the first he had
ever experienced dSdi1Ao( lis AAe@iA~~O'
Dunbar followed her into the tiny
drawingroom. Everything was arrang-
ed exactly as he remembered It,
His hostess made him sit down be-
fore the fire while she prepared the
tea in Katies delicate eggshen china
cups.
Presently she drew her chair opposite
his. 'Tt must be a very great disap-
pointment to you, Mr.. Dunbar, that
Katie is not here to greet YOU An OLD
woman like me is indeed poor sub
stute. And Katie has left me in a very
difficult position. / do not know how
to explain to you her reasons for rum
ming away"
Running away Katie has run
away from me. Please tell me every
thing" he said. Katie has grown tired
of waiting for me. She has seen some
one else she likes better-a younger
man."
"Ah. no," said Miss Elwynne sharp
" Not that. You must sit down
again while try to tell YOU"
Edward obeyed her, but with a sigh
of impatience-
'You see, Katie has always been so
sensitive Fifteen years are more to
woman than to a man. She can less af-
ford to lose them. Katie, too. has
worked very hard. You know what a
nurses life is? She thinks the years
have changed her so terribly that you
that you will hardly be able to care
for her quite In the old way She was
afraid to meet you until you were pre-
pared for this. She wants you TO I'M
derstand that you are not coming back
to the lighthearted girl you left
"As if 1 wanted tor Edward broke
in Miss Elwynne, you must make
her understand. You must write to her
at once; or, better still, give me her
address, and i will follow her. 1 have
come home hoping to find a comrade,
a helper; not a girl wife. ] am a mid
dleaged man myself. Did she imagine
that she alone had grown older-that
/ should have stood still?''