The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-10-10
LORNA MAKES HAY
WHILE SUN SHINES
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

out to sea. She was stunned with the
2 sudden knowledge that her husband
was glad to be leaving her.
They had been married a seant
year, and through all those Months
l Lorna had fought against the hints.
from kindly neighbors. that her hus-
band had married her out of piQue.
But Lorna had believed In her hap
piness until the moment the ship had
pulled away from the wharf with her
husband on board. Then, she had
looked up suddenly at him as he leaned
over the bulwark and was surprised to
see an expression of relief, as from a
released burden, in his eyes.
She had taken the blow like a little
soldier with smiling lips and happy
waving OF farewells. When the boat
was we'll out in the bay the hand that
held her handkerchief swept across
her eyes and she stood for moment
In blank misery. After that she
braced her shoulders and went home
She knew, first OF all. that she had
come upon blank wall In the path of
her life.
II am married to a man who does
not love me-" she told herself with
peculiar sense OF aloofness stealing
over her.
So. with her fighting blood aroused
and her pride hurt, Lorna probed deep
into the heart OF things In order to
discover the lack, for she knew the
lack was In herself.
Il will make hay while the sun
Shines" she smiled at her own ex
travagance.
As Lorna descended the stairs the
big living room struck her as being
dull and toneless. This, too, was her
fault
Il will also make over the rooms
She laughed quite like the old Lorna
who had not known David Brooks. 81
will buy yards and yards OF cretonne
with big pink roses In 1t, and when
David comes home be will think the
garden has walked into the house
When Lorna first beheld herself In
her new raiment she blushed at her
own extravagant beauty. Her hair was
fiuffed as If from a lovers caresses,
and her eyes were aglow.
But David will not know me-" she
reminded herself.
Even in her new view of life Lorna
was not without her moments of blank
dismay. What If David could not
stamp the memory of Beth Cornish
from his heart? Could 1t be possible
that the gossip she had heard was not
true-that merely her own careless.
ness had made David Indifferent?
Fortunately these morbid thoughts
We're short lived.
AS the weeks passed swiAly, Lorna
realized that she was indeed improV
ing the hours.
perhaps, after ALL" she reasoned,
at is good for us to come against
blank walls in our paths. | might I
never have known that the biggest
things in life were passing me by
perhaps I was really contented with /
only half of Davids love-
So in the end Lorna came to look ,
upon her cross as a blessing. She |
seemed to have made new friends;
she seemed to hold them firmly at heI
side. She gave one or two dinner par
ties and found herself branching out I
In many directions.
Lorna had not ceased to love her
husband, but she began to feel indie
pendently strong.
When the letter came which men
toned the day of her husbands ar.
rival, Lorna sank down into her big
chair and trembled After all, now
that he was coming, she felt strangely
weak. There was so much at stake.
She knew that she could never again
be happy with half his love. She had
struggled for the whole and she must
have it.
She did not so down to the wharf
but waited for him at home. Lorna
had dressed with unusual care. Hel
gown OF trally blue and her little blue
slippers peeping from beneath were
only tho setting for her exquisite beau.
ty. She knew that she was looking
we'll, and the knowledge lent a certain
proud carriage to her figure.
David saw her through the French
windows before he entered the house
He caught his breath and was con
scious of thrill Whether 1t was from
surprise or longing he knew not But
certain 1t was that he quickened his
step and took her into his arms With
an emotion for which he had not bar
gained. 1t left him b$eathless and
trif1e confused
Lorna" he said, and stopped.
What is it. DAVID" she asked with
a little unsteady laugh. She looked up
at him and the glow In her eyes left
him dazcd
You are not the same Lorna
whom l left hardly feel that you
are really mine"
But | am, Davy boy" She smiled
because she knew that she had won
His arms held her in way that made
her knowledge certain. 81 have made
the house over, though. See!" She
turned and swept In the changed sur.
Ioundings
David looked over her head, but did
not release her. "Lorna!" he put a
firm hand under her chin Lorna
little wife-look at me. Did you-did
you think all this was necessary to
to make me love your"
She looked up for one tieeting
glance, then her head went down on