The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-27

earnestly at the pictured face. when
Miss Raimund spoke of you so warmly.
noticed that the name was the same,
and i determined to inquire, but II
seemed to me unlikely. Yet it is. Miss
Wing, have a message to you from my
uncle"
She noticed that there were gold notes
III the air, and his pleasant, blond face
seemed to wander through them: the
room was full of sunlight
II was with him when he died.
That was a strange thing to hear when
the message of his uncIe's death had
come to him in another country; she
hoped that her brain was not going to
play her false
1T was fifteen years ago last July, you
know. I never knew how many details
you received. or only the bare fact in
the papers"
Fifteen years-ffteen years, Whist
was that date he was giving? That was
the day on which she sailed for America,
the day after-what was that story he
was telling of a visit and a fire and a
child rescued and an accident? But still
she listened with the same iron compo-
sure. The next words she heard dis
tinctly.
1T was like him to lose his life that
way; and he did not grudge IT, Yet
it was hard that I should be the only
one OF his blood with him. He could
speak with difficulty when he told me
to take lock Of hair and his signet
ring to you. He dictated the address.
himself. to me. You must be sure
and take it, he said. 1t is to the lady
that hoped would be my betrothed:
you must tell grandmamma about 1t,
too She has my picture and she knows
but tell her'-and then, 1 think MS
mind must have wandered a little. for
he smiled brightly at me- saying III
tell her myself and then the doctors
came. He said nothing more. only once.
they told me, he murmured something
about his betrothed. But I had the
ring; he took 1t on hts finger and kissed
it and gave 1t to me. Child as I was.
knew that 1t was sacred L wrapped
1t in the paper. and aIterwaro 4 pur
the lock of hair beside IT. So soon as
could, 1 went to Heidelberg. to the
pension. You had gone, and there was
no address. no trace
Il left my address with the coun-
tess
My aunt Is dead" said the young
German gravely. II would not criti-
CHE her, but she had her own choice
of wife for my uncle: 1 do not think
one could trust her with addresses
we all gave ours to her to give to
Frau Muller"
That is why. then. could not find
you. My grandmother also tried. But
you were gone. 1 thought or the panKs.
long after. but / found nothing. Often
1t has seemed dreadful that you should
learn OF this only through the papers
But L could not tell Neutrality-suspicious.
Wnen L came TO America, 1 confess II
was always In my mind. 1 always car
ried my uncles little packet with me.
L will have II sent to YOU
Excuse me- said Miss Wing gently
VIII you please bring me the glass or
Water-l-am afrald-I can't walk to IT.
But she would not let him pour the
water on his handkerchief to battle her
head She slipped the water. and very
pale. but quite herself. brought him back
TO his own matters. She found that IL
was a cousin. miscalled an uncle, in the
German manner, who had died II did
not seem to her that Max's nephew could
be unworthy of any girl: yet she con-
scientiously questioned him regarding his
worldly affairs, for Florence was an only
daughter whose father had great possess
sions and distrusS of adventures. and
at last she sent him forth to walk in
the grove with his sweetheart And
speak to her." she said. with a look
that sank into his heart; 1T Is the Amer
lean way; don't wait to write, the Ameri-
can way is best"
SO, at last. she was alone Alone with
her lover who had always been true.
whose love many waters could not
quench, and it was stronger than death.
She often pondered. afterward, whether
there had not been some note written
TO her and sent with the photographs:
whether the countess might not have
tempered with the package, taking the
note, but not suspecting the picture.
But none of these puzzles troubled her
today. She stood in front of the picture.
All the years, an obscure and virginia.
'hyness had withheld her from ever
overstepping her first attitude She told
him every thought of her heart in regard
10 others and herself He was her dear
Est friend. She called him Max" and
my friend Recalling the French use
If the latter term, she used it sometimes
with a little futter of the heart But
hose innocent endearments that a wonl-
In Keeps for her lovers portrait-to make
amends for not proffering them of free
Will to the poor fellow himself-these il
would have shocked her TO imagine She
lever touched the picture, save rever-
,ntly to dust il, to take il down when
'he went away, to replace il in its STA
ion when she returned But. now.
yet not blushing. she took the
picture into her hands. She looked long
nto its eyes; she kissed il with a light
md tin1id kiss. and swiftly hid the smiI-
ng face against her heart, pressing the
ame in both hands, and touching II
With her cheek bent over il, while she
You did tell me You came
Jack and told me. I love YOU Max. nv
husbandr