Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1910-09-10

living room down there with Mrs.
Morgan placidly sewing by the open
window and Carlotta leaning forward
In the old mahogany divan listening
intently to whatever he had to say.
her face rejecting her interest.
For grown man. DR.. Duval was
very boyishly homesick and heart
sick. Gertrude Whitcomb parted from
him at the hotel with some irritation.
The trip home had been dull She HAD
exerted herself for a man SO ad.
stracted that he had scarcely answer.
ed. Still, she comforted herself, 1t
was because Of his disappointment.
She really did not imagine he had
been so desperately devoted to her!
1t was rather pleasing on the whole.
And in very satisfied frame of mind
she turned to the question of what
gown she should wear down to din.
ner for the delectation of the other
guests.
DR.. Duval at the same time was on
a car speeding out toward the ram.
bling cottage. 1t was almost like old
times to be so welcomed and fused
over and graciously forgiven for his
winters desertion.
You are SO busy with your work,
we understand" Mrs. Morgan had said
as she got out his favorite preserves,
And Carlotta, the usefulness of
whose face was hidden from him by
its Joy in his presence, was like some
graceful white wrath In the shadows
of the big room.
i had forgotten" he told her with
the privilege of lifelong acquaintance,
how wonderfully pretty you were.
Carlotta! What have you been doing
with yourself? You seem to shine"
Don't talk about me-" begged the girl,
nervously. A great fear was hers lest
this stupid. laundering man should
discover it was her happiness In see
ing him again that had transformed
her. Tell me of yourself, of what
has happened to you this winter"
He had come to tell them-selfshl
to demand comfort for his wounds
yet he held his tongue. A dim sense
that he had no right to appropriate
this sweet understanding and ready
sympathy SO ruthlessly was struggling
to consciousness, realization brought
to light by absence that Carlotta was
a personality. not merely a haven OF
refuge
1t was comfort Just to watch the
curves OF her face, the brooding light
In her eyes. BY contrast his memory
of Gertrude Whitcoms face showed
it brilliantly haunting, little cold and
hard.
He stayed late at the Morgans and
when he left he felt oddly contented
and at peace for man whose heart
had only that afternoon been broken.
He was surprised when next he saw
Miss Whitcomb that he felt none of
the bitter resentment which had at
first been his at her refusal. In some
strange way that fever had burned
itself out as though cool hand had
banished 1t utterly. He simply did
not care. She was just as beautiful
and fascinating as ever, but his ro-
nance had crashed that afternoon in
the foothills and he had no desire to
pick UP the broken pieces. She was
too glittering for comfort, and she had
hurt his pride by her carelessness.
Nothing cures mans devotion as
does a stab at his pride Besides.
Carlotta's smile stayed In his memory.
1t was not. as he argued to himself
some weeks later In sort of Mortified
dismay, that he was tickle and man
of unstable affections--it was simply
that he had been under a spell, luckily
now broken, and had gone back to
where he belonged
Having once found his welcome in
the rambling cottage, he found him
self drawn there irresistibly oftener
than In the years before. It was abb
sence, he told himself that had
awakened him and shown him Car.
lotta's real loveliness, her sweetness
and womanly sympathy. And when,
half tearfully, before the summer was
over and when Gertrude Whitcomb
was only vague memory, Dr. Duval
told Carlotta Morgan he loved her, he
realized he had always loved her and
always should
Il don't deserve anything so won
dereul," he told her, "as that you
should care about me, Carlotta! I've
been stupid in many ways-but I'm in
my right mind now!"
I've always cared she told him |
simply. For moment she hestated |
The previous winter, when he had
deserted the cottage, often troubled |
her. But with all her sweetness Car.
lotta Morgan had clever instincts
That winter was past and he was
hers now for always, and she was the
rare woman who knows when not to
question.
The night fragrance of roses foated
In through the open window as they
talked Of the future in serene happi-
ness. In the mans heart was a thank.
Jul and wondering content that things
were as they were, and In Carlotta's
nothing except that she loved him.
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