Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1911-10-11


folio and arose to her stately height.
Pauline" she said in her slow con-
tralto, Il have instructed James to
lay out a new court on the north side
of the house. In the meantime please
do not play tennis"
"Why not?' asked Pauline boldly.
Because l desire it, returned her
aunt haughtily. THAT should be rea-
son enough, Pauline. but l will add
that the owners of the house next door
have returned, and 1 forbid any one
Of my household having communica-
ton with them"
81 am sorry" said Pauline calmly,
''but have been talking with the son,
Paul Graham"
What do you mean? Where did you
meet him?" demanded Miss Greye
quickly.
In q Jew words Pauline related the
incident which had led to her acquaint-
ance with young Graham. He said
he used to know you when he was
little boy, Aunt Ruth, but if you don't
wish me to l won't speak to him
again.
Miss Greyes fine eyes blaZed with
anger Il do not forbid you to, Pau
line, but l hope you will not. Paul
Graham's father is a detestable man.
When l tell you that once upon time
I was engaged to marry him he was
widOwer, and Paul was a little lad in
dresses then. Walter Graham is a
7
had written. Pauline, he laughed at
it."
Pauline, startled by this sudden con-
fdence, knew not what to say. Max
ers of books and publishers were re-
mote beings who rarely strayed into
her practical little world. Still. she
longed to comfort the troubled woman.
perhaps he laughed because-was
it a humorous poem, Aunt Ruth?' she
asked timidly.
"Humorous." scoffed Miss Greye. "It
was called Loves Dirge.'"
"Oh," said Pauline family. Il have
no doubt it was a beautiful poem
at was" admitted the poetess brief
~. "After that, of course, everything
was ended between Walter and me.
had the gate in the rose garden nailed
up. and now the hedge has so over
grown it that it cannot be found. It
is. like the incident-it is closed for
ever"
"And overgrown with the roses of
memory" murmured Pauline as she
left the room and went upstairs.
In the library Ruth Greye stood
with down bent head, her eyes fixed
on the rug at her feet. The roses of
memory" she repeated softly, and
| there were tears in her eyes.
At the end Of six weeks the repairs
on the stone house were about COM
| pleted. Father and son had aoverseen
| the regeneration of the neglected es-
cate until it verify doomed as the
roses that crowded it. Paul Graham
had REGISTERED time by his encounters
| with Pauline Greye.
They had met many times. Four
| times he had passed her pony cart as
| his motor whizZed by. Then he had
! tired of the car as an unsOciable
means Of lOcomotiOn and mounted a
| horse Often he had Oyertaken her
equipaGe and ridden slowly beside her
| as they talked. for Pauline had de-
| cided she would avail herself to Miss
| Grpye'S permission and continue her
| acquaintance with the most interest
| inc young man she had ever met.
| Their acquaintance ripened quickly.
and one day when Pauline returned
| home and saw the reflection of her
own happy face in the mirror she
! bUShGd IS she realized she had learn
ed the most beautiful thing in the
world. After that she did not drive
! She shyly kept to the northern grounds
! or dreamed over book in the wide
veranda.
Paul haunted the roads restleeslv.
| His own love was an acknowledged
! fact to himself. yet because of Pau
| lines unguarded position he dared not
| trust himself to see much Of her. and
| he was miserable when she, too, hid
herself away.
| One gIoriously beautiful morning
| Ruth Greye arose from q sleeplesS
couch and walked slowly among the
dew drenched roses in her garden
She stopped now and then to inhale
the fragrance of a Cloth of Gold rose
or TO break tiny cluster of half open
ed buds. Suddenly she came to the
place where the hedge had overgrovn
the rustic gate. She stopped abruptly
and looked with startled eyes
The hedge had been carefully trim
med away, and the rustic gate. releas-
ed from its fastenings, swung idly
with the light breeze. Ruth moved
close to the hedge and buried her face
in the sweet smelling roses.
There was Il firm step on the path,
and she looked up quickly to meet the
glance of Walter Graham on the other
side of the rustic gate. Her breath
came quickly, and she. summoned all
her pride and fortitude to steel hel
| heart against her former lover