The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-07-09

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returning.
And Mary knew that. She had not
slept that night. She had thought, all
through the long, sleepless hours, Of
that other ruin, their common life
Had she not also been to blame for
that? She recalled times when she
might have been more to John; en-
dearments which she had repealed;
times when she had let pride master
her inclinations toward reconciliation
And John had not changed, only he
had let material things creep up be
tween their love like noisome weeds
and strangle it. Yet she could not
bring herself to call him back. She
watched his tall, bent figure pass out
of the enclosure, and out Of her life
as she thought.
Half an hour later he was back
his face afiame. She looked at him
in amazement. He might have been
another man-no, the old one, her
boyish sweetheart who had so long
been only a memory to her.
Mary" he called. Come! No.
put on your cloak and bring your grip
l will carry it for you. Come-Il]
show you."
She accompanied him outside the
squalid buildings to where the reced'
ing floods had left swampy stretch
Of earth. Here their farm had been
their house and growing crops. and
now
She started in amazement. A new
house stood almost upon the spot OF
the old one. 1t might have been their
hOuse-the house they had planned
in the first dreams of their married
life. Firm and foursquare it stood,
with its eight rooms, it's neatly shut.
tered windows, it's front door with
the cleaning knocker. Mary turned
to John.
Its magic, John. What does it
mean?" she asked.
John pointed to the receding river.
1T is the rivers gift to u.s." he an.
swered.
Torn from it's foundations, hundreds
Of miles away, in heaven only knew
what county or state, even, it had
been deposited there by the flood It
needed but two teams of oxen to
place 1t upon the foundations OF the
old home. And It was theirs! For
it could never be taken away; prob
ably those who had once owned it had
died In the cataclysm. 1t was theirs.
this home. They crept up toward it.
wading like children through the
swampy places. And, looking In,
Mary gasped with wonder. For 1t was
furnished. neatly, cheaply, but taste.
fully. There was parlor, with a
table and chairs, living room; even
the curtains swayed upon their rods.
The river had borne 1t upon it's breast
as gently as child.
Il wonder if the upper floor is furn.
ished, Mary John suggested.
Suddenly she caught his hand in
hers and motioned to him to remain
silent Hush, john" she whispered,
listening intently. Did you hear any.
thing?' she added presently,
John had heard nothing except the
sullen tapping of the waves upon the
river banks. But Marys eyes were
alight with a strange fire and her
cheeks flushed and the hand that he
held In his was trembling.
What is it, Mary?' he asked stupid.
ly.
Suddenly she dashed wildly up the
steps OF the stranded house, while
John looked after her, wondering at
the feverish eagerness which had sue.
ceeded her customary apathy. She
disappeared inside, and almost imme-
diately afterward she reappeared,
Her hair was tumbling all over her
face. upon her lips there played a
smile Of tenderness that he had often
imagined there but had never seen.
In her arms she carried bundle.
She came toward him, and, as she
unwrapped it, the feeble cry of a child
smote upon his ears.
Look, john" she whispered.
An infant of six months was living
in her arms. And even as John looked
he saw the little arms go upward.
seeking Marys neck, and, having
found it, they clasped themselves con.
tentedly around it.
What do you think, john" said
Mary, with little laugh He hasn't
even finished his bottle-although the
milk Is souring. You didn't hear
him." she added, but did"
She stood there so proud, SO happy
in this vicarious motherhood that
Johns arm stole timidly around her
waist and he drew her toward him.
Mary. DEAR he whispered. 81 have
often thought that If We had a child
like. this-it would have drawn us to.
gether. We would not have drifted
apart as We have done"
so have /, she answered passion.
ately. Il felt that you resented It,
John, my-my childlessness, and So
and So"
You hadn't grown tired of me?"