The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-08-26
To the Land of Content
By RICHARD BARKER SHELTON
Copyright, 1910, by Associated Literary Press)

ISOLATED Literary Press.) ~
back from the wreck, for that is not
my way. It would cause endless COM
ment should feel was shelter1nR
behind your skirts. With you it will
be different I owe you this much at
least. Yours always,
bob"
He read the brief note through, was
rather inclined to add to it q few
things of bit more personal nature,
but upon second thought decided to
let 1t stand as it. was.
He folded the note, placed it in an
envelope, addressed it to his wife and
rang bell on the table.
Edward" he said, when the butler
answered his summons. give this
note to Mrs. Waid at half-past seven
Not before-understand?"
Then, as the man slipped noiseless-
~ out Of the room, Waid donned his
coat and hat and went stolidly down
the front steps to the wintery street.
Ruth Waid, standing at the head of
the stairs, had heard those brief in
structions to Edward. No sooner was
the front door closed behind her hus-
band than she summoned Edward to
her.
"Mr. Waid left note for me?" she
asked. Somehow she felt some vague
premonition that trouble impended.
1T was to be delivered at half-past
seven, ma'am," said the imperturb-
able Edward.
Bring it to me now" she COM
manded.
Alone In her room above the stairs
she read it, gasped and read it again.
Then she called for the carriage and
her wraps.
Ten minutes later she was bowling
along the cheerless streets, covered
now with fine, powdery snow which
was sitting down, toward the station.
Arrived there, she sent back the car
| riage, looked up on a time table the
schedule of western trains and took
up her vigil at the gates half hour
before the departure of each and wait
ed there until the gates were closed
;; as the train started.
It was not until nine o'clock that
she saw her husband coming through
the wide center arch to the train shed.
She hurried away from the gate and
from a distance watched him show his
ticket, pass through the gate and
| down the platform. Then she, too,
passed down the platform and boarded
one of the ordinary coaches.
The train had pulled out into the
cold night. The city was behind and
in the white, open country, where
lights were growing more and more
| infrequent, the train was gathering
| speed.
Robert Waid sat stolidly in his Sec
| ton of one of the sleepers, his face
| close to the frosty window pane,
past.
Ruth had read his note by this time,
he reflected. She had probably wept
over it perfunctorily and then called
up Hastings, the attorney, to see what
provision had been made for her. He
smiled to himself as he fancied her
relief when she found it was so ample.
Some one had sat down beside him
without so much as asking leave.
Waid turned. stared in unbeliet, and
then sat up very straight.
Ruth" he cried.
| Silently hor bond woo c13rnoh I'M
his own, just as it had been wont to
do in those old, old days-the days Of
the first struggles, when they had
sat together in the shadows of eve
ming, building air castles together and
dreaming great dreams.
where are you going?" he STAN
mered at length, namely.
Where are you going?" she asked
very quietly.
Me? l don't know. West some
where. I'm going to start over. Pm"
She smiled and her fingers tight
ened about his own.
"Then that is where I am going.
West somewhere. to start all over
with you"
you can't" he said, almost harshly
! 1T means"
Don't I know what it means?" she
asked. Work, work, fight and strug-
gle, just as it was In those glorious
days before. And in the evenings
we'll dream our dreams and build our
air castles all over again. Oh, Rob-
ert, you silly, silly boy, you thought it
was what we got that cared for; but
you were wrong. 1t was the struggle
that was the real fun-the fight
against odds, close together, oh, so
very close together in those days, Bob,
dear, you and l."
In the back of the car two grinning
porters watched couple In a certain
section and nudged each other delight
eddy.
Zone O. dem yere spoony middle.
aged honeymoons," said the first.
"Uh-huh," assented Number Two.
"Oughter fall fer good fat tips, de ole
boy had"
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