Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-06-24
THE RETURN.

came aware Of the utter folly of it.
Then he came to a halt, and stared
down the road in miserable state of
certainty that she, too, would laugh at
him for his absurd behavior.
And he stopped counting. He had
been counting for fifteen days, ever since
the impulse seized him in its irresistible
grip-frst the days, then the hours, the
minutes, and even, until this halt, the
seconds. Every stride he had taken on
the road from the station to where he
now stood had been second accented
with thumps of his heart.
| He had started his journey with pre-
clsely the same elation as he remem-
bered to have filled him as boy when
breaking day came and he left school
for long, splendid holiday. For fif-
teen days his body had been mechan-
ism, wound up to go so far, with his
mind curiously detached from it, up
lifted to some airless region of its own,
where it could dwell upon the vision of
her undisturbed, and count and count
the time until the vision should become
reality. Now the mechanism had run
down. couple of hundred yards short
of its destination.
The certainty of his folly and the
uncertainty as to what to do made him
grind his teeth He did not know
whether to go on or to turn back; what
he should say when he saw her and
what he would do if by any chance she
were away from home. He wished he
had acted with average sanity and sent
cable to prepare her, instead of idiot.
ically occupying himself with gloating
over the glad surprise he was going to
give her.
Fer two years he had been sensible
and self-controlled, theoretically devot-
ing himself to the duties of his profess
sion-which was something to do with
the erection of gas plants in various
parts of the republic; and he had been
fast making money and reputation,
both of which he had set himself to
achieve before marrying her. Then
came mis- wild, ungovernable impulse to
see her-an excuse to ms principals that
matter of private urgency demanded
his presence in England for time, the
cordial granting of six weeks leave; and
there he was-in a blue funk. He
groaned inwardly.
The house itself was in sight-it was
the one with white gate near the bend.
He could see the bay window of the
dining room. Almost he fancied that he
could see her. 1t was there that she
generally happened to be standing when
ever he used - call of an evening; and
he remembered the tiny, mconcerned
smile she gave as she watched him come
up the path. The smile was subtly
| triumphant, as though something had
occurred exactly as she expected while
yet it defied him to think she had been
waiting there on the lookout for him.
That was in the early days-before
they understood; but afterwards, when
they were engaged and other people had
ceased to consider them interesting. the
same smile often appeared. 1t had been
there, furtive suggestioo of elfin glee.
if ever he lost his temper over any
thing; and it seemed to clear away his
spleen much as the sun clears away a
morning mist. 1t had been to see that
smile that he had come these thousands
of miles.
He felt that he was getting into a
state of sentimental intoxication-un-
willing 20 progress, incapable of turning
back. To be in this condition. in a
placid uneventful suburban road. held
hint of dissertation; to be there when
he ought to be in Mexico doing his work
like any other sober purposeful young
fellow.
shell chuck me-" he said with con-
} viction.
He lit q cigarette and began to pace
up and down the road he had come along
but minute or two ago with such eager
anticipation.
The recollection of another look on
her face then came abruptly to him It
was the one that had been there when
she stood on the quay while the shin
; slowly slid away from her. She did not
wave handkerchief; she just stood
watching.
"Gad!" he said, and flung his cigarette
5 AWAY.
5 Then, rapidly, decisively, he covered
the intervening 200 yards.
e She was not standing at the dinino
lroom window as he walked up the path
!, lnor, though he searched the other win.
!. dows hungrily. did he catch q elimpse
: of her.
o 1t was not until he pressed the he'll
a that he had a hot fear that it would he
p her mother he would see first. II was
y afternoon tea time. and as likely as NOT
: there would be one or two lady visitors
\ vivid mental picture of himself talk.
ing banalities to the said ladies or max,
ing stumbling explanation of his own
+ startling visit, gave him another impnls,
Y this time for flight.
n But the door opened The face of the
e servant was unfamiliar, and his beart
. sank. He became in an instant abso
= lutely sure that something dreadful had
n happened during his absence.
h rs Miss - in - he asked, with smell
' voice and expression that the girl Looked
g scared.
!, She was-and alone The mistres.
4 had gone to make a call His heart cave
. n great leap.
d He gave his name, and was conducted
I to the drawing room, the door of which
I was softly closed behind him.
/, Like a rock he stood listening. Fl,
heard the girl going upstairs distant