Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1911-10-26

these. She gave Ives her hand with
the sweet cordiality Of an old friend.
ship.
you can't think what pleasure 1t
is." she said. ito have you drop in once
every three years or So"
For half On hour they talked. con.
fess THAT cannot repeat the converse.
ton. You will find it In books In the
circulating library. When that part
of It was over Mary said:
"And did you find what you wanted
while you We're nbroad!"
"What wanted?" said Ives.
"Yes. You know you were always
queer Even as boy you wouldn't
play marbles or baseball or any game
with rules We've often talked about
your peculiar ways"
IL suppose | am an incorrigible.'
said Ives Il am opposed to the doc
trine of predestination. to the rule OF
three. gravitation, taxes and every.
thing Of the kind"
Mary laughed mer1ly.
Bob Ames told US once" she said,
"of funny thing you did. 1t was
when you and he were on train IN
the south. and you got off at a town
where you hadn't intended to stop
Just because the brakeman hung up
sign in the end of the car with the
name of the next station on It,"
81 remember" said Ives. That next
sutton has been the thing I've always
tried to get away from"
Il know It," said Mary. And you've
been very foolish. hope you didn't
find what YOU wanted not to find or
get off at the station where there
wasn't any or whatever II was yon ex'
pected wouldn't happen to you daring
the three years you've Leen away"
There was something | wante'l be
fore went away" said Ives.
Mary looked in his eyes clearly with
a slight but perfectly sweet smile.
There was" she said. "You want
ed me. And you could have had me, as
you very we'll know"
without replying Ives let his gaze
wander slowly about the room. There
had been no change In 1t since last he
had been in it three years before. He
vividly recalled the thoughts that had
been in his mind then. The contents
of that room were as fixed. in their
way, rs the everlasting hills. No
change would ever come there except
the inevitable ones wrought by time
and decay One coming from and 60
ing back to that house would never
need to forecast or doubt. He would
find what he left and leave what he
found. The yelled lady Chance would
never lift her hand to the knocker on
the outer door.
And before him sat the lady who
belonged in the room. Cool and sweet
and unchangeable she was. She Of
fered no surprises. If one should pass
his life with her, though she might
grow white haired and wrinkled. he
would never perceive the change.
Three years he had been away from
her. and she was still waiting for him
as established and constant as the
house itself. He was sure that she
had once cared for him. 1t was the
knowledge that she would always do
SO that had driven him away. Thus
his thoughts ran.
II am going to be married soon."
said Mary,
On the next Thursday afternoon
Forster came hurriedly to Ives hotel.
"Old man." said he. well have to
put that dinner Off for year or so.
I'm going abroad. The steamer sails
at 4. That was great talk we had
the other night. and 1t decided me
I'm going to knock around the world
and get rid Of that incubus that has
been weighing on both you and me-
the terrible dread Of knowing what's
going to happen. I've done one thing
that hurts my conscience little. but
I know it's best for both Of us. Eve
written to the lady to whom I was
engaged and explained everything
told her plainly why l was leaving:
that the monotony Of matrimony would
never do for me. Don't you think !
was right?"
1T Is not eor me to say" answered
Ives. "Go ahead and shoot elephants
II you think it will bring the element
Of chance into your life. We've got
10 decide these things for ourselves
But tell ou one thing, Forster. I've
found the way. I've found out the
biggest hazard in the >wOrld-a game
of chance that never Is concluded.
venture thst may end in the highest
heaven or the blackest pit 1t will
keep a man on edge until the clods fall
on his coffin, because he will never
know-not until his last day, and not
then will he know 1t is a voyage
without n rudder or compass, and you
must be captain and crew and keep
watch ever; day and night yourself.
witt, not one to relieve you. have
fornd the Venture. Don't bother your
self nbou' leaving Mary Maraden,
Forster ! married her yesterday ut
noon"
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