The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-10-10

/ Please do! His tone was per
emptory with suddenly reused ex-
element.
You see" she began. her grasp
on the table edge tightening, when
l reached here there were crowds Of
people about you so that It was i'm
possible to speak to you by your
self. l had had a Slight headache
when l left home, and by ten o'clock
1t had grown so much worse that |
saw it was foolish to try to remain
/ the rest Of the evening So | slipped
in here for a moment, scrubbed
note to you-with my answer-and
hid it. | wanted you to read it,
/ alone in the quiet, after everybody
was gone. Then I gave directions to
one of the servants, told him where
| had put the note and how he was to
tell you about it before you went to
| bed. Wade insisted on going home
with me, and to keep from distressing
anyone we slipped away with only
hurried goodby to your grand
mother"
She paused. Lethridge looked at
her with a strange expression.
I never got the message" he
said
q know it-now. But ! didn't
know it the next day when l was
sick in bed-that headache was the
beginning of an attack of grip-and
when I waited thinking surely you
would come You sailed without
even telephoning me. was angry
and my pride was hurt. It didn't
occur to me until long afterward that
there might have been q mistake
What I believed was that you had
changed your mind about how you
felt toward me and that you thought
the safest way out of it was merely
to disregard my note"
ITO what servant did you give the
message?" asked Lethridge after
pause.
q think it was your grandmother's
old butler I knew his face and was
sure I could trust him TO deliver the
message"
Lethridge's face changed. Watson.
I remember it all The old fellow was
stricken with apOplexy that very eve
ming and never regained conscious
ness. I didn't know it till next morn
ing. So that explains it." He turned
to her again And where did you
put the note?" he inquired.
Here. In this room. I slipped 1t
into the silver lamp there"
With a quick gesture Lethridge
reached up into the carved recep-
tacle and withdrew his hand, Gov
cred with dust. He held a yellowed
scrap of paper which was wrapped
| around something brown and crum-
! bling.
That was a rosa pink rose
from my bouquet" said Mrs. Barrow,
with a nervous little laugh
Slowly Lethridge read the faded
writing. his face paling He finished
/ and put the note into his pocket then
stood gazing at her, a queer pain at
| his heart. For a moment neither
spoke.
"After-after I married" said Mrs.
| Barrow, hesitatingly. 81 sometimes
wondered if something like this hadn't
| happened. 1t was so unlike you to act
as first accused you of acting But
! didn't feel right about trying to find
out when I was Wade's wife I would
never come here even on the small
chance of finding the note while he
was alive"
While Wade was alive"
Yes. You knew, of course that
Wade died-at Carlsbad-two years
ago."
Il hadn't heard it. Poor Wade,
But why do l say that? He must
have been happy. He had everything
a man could want to make him So"
She looked down at the faded car.
pet. Yes. I believe he was-very
happy" she replied. Then, after a
moment and in brighter tone, We'll
| my mission is fulfilled. I have found
what I came to search for-my old
note. and my belief in you And
now it is time to depart Shall | look
forward to seeing you before you go
away? Come in some afternoon to
tea and we'll talk OF old days"
why not talk them over now"
Lethridge moved step nearer her
Say It is ten years ago. | am the
same Frank Lethridge, and you are
Polly Hayden. You're just twenty"
That's a far fight for fancy" she
smiled ruefully
For fancy perhaps, but is It far
| flight for-love? Listen: l have Just
read your note. The nine years It
| took to reach me have not been long
enough to alter the question to which
1t replies. Tell me the TRUTHS 1t
too late for me to hope?"
She hesitated. much as she had
done on a previous occasion. a sud
den shyness in her eyes. He leaned
toward her impulsively and caught
her two hands In his
Polly! I'm repeating my CUES
ton What answer Will you give
me?"
You have it IN your pocket" she
/ replied
! Copyright. 1912, by Associated Literary
Press)
/
Boy Poet From a Farm.