Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1912-05-10


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 notT" asked Pauline boldly.
Because | desire it, returned her
aunt haughtily. That should be rea-
son enough. Pauline. but | will add
that the owners Of the house next door
have returned. and forbid any one
of my household having communica-
tion with them"
a am sorry" said Pauline calmly,
but | have been talking With the son,
! Paul Graham"
What do you mean? Where did jou
meet him? demanded Miss Greye
quickly.
In |; lew words Pauline related the
! incident which had led to her acQuaint-
anre with young Graham. He said
| he used to know you when he was Il
; little boy, Aunt Ruth, but II you don't
wish ME to | won't speak to him
again"
Miss Greyes fine eyes blazed with
anger. Il do not forbid you to, Pau
line, but |. hope you will not Paul
Grahams father Is detestable man.
When | tell you that once upon a time
| was engaged to marry him he was a
widower, and Paul was little lad in
dresses then. Walter Graham is d
publisher, and | showed him u poem
bad written. Pauline. be laughed at
| it."
Pauline. startled by this sudden con-
tidence. 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 humorous poem. Aunt Ruth" she
asked timidly.
"Humorousr scoffed Miss Greye. 1T
was called Loves Dirge.'
"Oh." said Pauline family. Il have
no doubt it was beautiful poem.
at was" admitted the poetess brief.
ly. 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. 1t
| 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
Oh the rug ut 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 overseen
the regeneration Of the neglected es-
tate 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 be had passed her pony cart rs
his motor whizzed by. Then he had
tired Of the car as an unsocIable
means Of locomotion and mounted Il
horse. Often he had overtaken her
equipage and ridden slowly beside her
as they talked for Pauline had de-
| cided she would avail herself to Miss
Greyes permission and continue her
acquaintance with the most interest.
ing 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
bushed as 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 a book in the wide
veranda.
Paul haunted the roads restlessly.
His own love was an acknowledged
| fact to himself. yet because OF Pau
lines unguardrd position he dared not
trust himself TO see much of her. and
he was miserable when she. too. hid
herself away.
| One gloriously beautiful morning
Ruth Greye arose from S!eeplesS
couch and walked slowly among the
| dew drenched roses in her garden
! She stopped now and then to inhale
| the fragrance of IA Cloth Of Gold rose
or TO break d tiny cluster Of half open
ed buds. Suddenly she came TO the
place where the hedge had overgrown
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 aud 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 anh fortitude 10 steel her
heart against her former lover.
His hand was on the swinging Sate
You have opened II III last. Ruth,
no said in Il low toup Did YOU open
il for me after all these yearst
She did not answer. She was look
ing through the viStas of the rose gar
den, for In the distance two people
were walking. 1t was Paul and PAU
| line. and his arm was about her waist,
and the CLINT of her golden hair Shone
against the black OF his coat SO Ruth