The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-04-04
Copyright.

Copyright, 1910, by Associated
Literary Press
The ainness of the big drawing
room as slightly lessene by the glow
OF the samovar. Evelyn Herrick was
pouring the tea
Il had ii letter from Christine this
morning" she said as she handed a
cup TO Bruce Mckenzie.
what did she say" he asked
eagerly.
murrnured, and then | viii read IT 10
you.
IL was an hour before the crowd
melted away, and even then they were
not alone. Tor Philip HerriCk lounged
on the couch In the corner. Evelyn
read the note in an undertone.
u am coming home, Evelyn. After
all these Years OF study my voice Ie
a failure. De YOU remember that
used to say that ] would find my
pot Of gold al the end Of the rain
boa, and Bruce would tell me that no
one ever really found rainbow golds
All these years / have been seeking
a. thing that did not exist, and you
. have stayed at home and have found
happiness ] often think of YOU and
Bruce and Of the friendship that mas
grown up between you. Something,
You ssid in your last letter makes
me feet that you two are about TO
enter upon a dearer relationship than
-rtsudxn1p, and / WISH YOU nHpptnevs'
I-Aha-AaAa- missed Happiness 4a-InS
search for rainbow gold"
Bruce and Evelyn lookedf at each
other. You see, she knows" Evelyn
said at last
From out of the shadows Philip
Herrick asked. Has she lost her
voice ?"
Yes" Evelyn told him, her beau
tiful voice: and she gave up every
thing for it
She did not say, however, what was
In the thoughts of each one of the
three as they sat there In the dim
room. They had all loved Christine,
and she had been engaged to Bruce.
hat feeling the callnf-her- genius she
had chosen a career rather than mar
riage. And now Evelyn and Bruce
were engaged and Christine Was COM
ing back.
Behind the samovar Evelyn whis-
pered to her lover. ~ am afraid"
''Of WHAT he demanded.
That when she comes back you will
find that YOU have not forgotten
her"
He shook his head she did no
love me, and now l know that / die
not love her--not in the way that
love you, Evelyn"
Their voices after that sank into
murmured monotone. The darkness
gathered. and the man on the couch
looking through the parted curtains
could see the stars. He thought of tn,
girl who was coming back When sn'
had gone away she had been radian
with hope and beauty. She had beer
& courted by dozen admirers. Ant
she was coming back failure; com
ing back to find her lover ready 1,
marry another woman.
His heart aohed for her as it hat
never aehed for himself His own low,
had been hidden that she might no
be hurt by seeing II, but through al
the years there had been for him n
other woman
And even as he thought of her sn
came. parting the curtains softly an
standing there in the dimness befor
any of them saw her
She laughed little as she came to
ward them. and they jumped to thei
feet in startled amazement
You didn't expect me so soon p
she asked. and kissed Evelyn and CAV,
her hands to Bruce and to Philip. Sh.
had lost some of her beauty. Sh'
was paier and thinner and the ligh
was gone from her eyes. She CAV
a little tired sigh as she dropped int
the chair that Philip had placed Il
front of the fire for her.
How good IL seems to be with Vol
all again" ahe said; the three dea
people with whom | played as
child
Presently she went on. And now
Evelyn lis going TO marry Bruce. whicl
is as IL should he. ! have come baci
10 give you my blessing"
The word was said lightly. bu
Philip. watching her saw the trou
bile in her face. Did she still Low
Bruce? Would this marriage max
her still more unhaDpy2