Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-12-14

the room, ran quickly down the stair
The house was hushed; no passing
but her own, no butler in the hall, no
kitehen-maid on the back stair. Only
grim faces Of pietures-ancestors not
her own-glimmered reproachful
upon her as she fed past. Light
echoes called her back along the hall
The furniture, the muffling curtains,
her own reflections flying through the
mirrors, held up to her her madness.
and by their nutc stability seemed to
remind her of the shelter she was
leaving to forbid
She ran. This was not shelter; It
was prison. He was rescue: he was
light itself. The only chance for her
was to get aear enough to him. Near
hin no shadow lived. The thing was
to get near enough She rushed di-
rect from shadow into light She
came out into the sun. into the gar
den with its blaze of wintry summer.
its whispering life and the free air
over It. The man standing in the
middle OF il, for all his pot hat and
Gothic stick, was none the less its
demigod waiting for her, laughing.
He might we'll laugh that she who he'd
written that unfiinching letter should
come thus flying at his call; but there
was more than mischief In him. The
high tide OF his spirits was only the
sparkle OF his excitement. IL was
evident that he was there with some
thing of might Importance TO say.
Was II that her letter had finally
touched him? Had he come at last to
transcend her idea with some even
greater purpose? She seemed to see
the power, the will for that and the
kindness-she could not call II by an
other word--but though she was be-
seeching him with all her silent atti-
tude to tell her instantly what the
great thing was. he kept II back mo
ment, looking at her whimsically, in.
diligently, even tenderly
Il have come for YOU he said.
"oh, for mel" she murmured Sure
ly he couldn't mean that He was
simply putting her OF with that.
Il mean 1t, | mean Il" he assured
her. This doesn't make II any less
real. my getting at you through a gar
den. Better" he added. and sweet
of you TO make the duller way Inn.
possible"
she took step back. II had not
been play to her; but he would have
II nothing else. He, too, stepped
back and away from her.
Come" he said. and behind him
she saw the lower garden gate that
opened on the grassy pitch OF the
hill, swinging idle and open. The
sight of him about to vanish lured her
on, and as he continued to walk back
ward she advanced following
ooh. where?" she pleaded.
with mel" Such guaranty Of
good faith he made it,
She tried TO summon hetre.Setance
But why?"
Wen talk about II as we go along"
His hand was on the gate. I'VE can't
stop here. you know. She'll be watch
ing us from the window"
Flora glanced behind her The win
dows were all discree.iy draped--
most likely ambush--but that he
should apprehend Claras eyes behind
them All, then, he did know what he
was about He saw Clara as she did
She would almost have been ready to
trust him on the strength of that
alone Still she hung back.
"But my things!" she protested
She held up her garden hat And my
gownl" She looked down at her frail
silk founces. Was ever any woman
seen on the street like this!
"oh. la, la, la" he cut her short.
we can't stop TO dress the part.
You'll forget EN-"
She smiled at him suddenly. looked
back at the house, put on her hat
the garden hat The moment abe had
dreaded was upon her In spite of her
warning reason. in spite of every
thing, she was going with him.
GRO BE coNTINUED)
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