The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1913-07-17


work. In her tactless, good hearted
way she had hoped to please the
stricken man by reviving neglected
custom.
He reached out his hand to toss the
flowers into the waste paper basket
and out of his sight when there came
Hannah's knock at the door
Come in" he said in strange voice.
Hannah Dates round face looked dis
turbed. Did you hear any strange
noises around the house last night, Mr..
Fleming?" she asked abruptly.
mo, Hannah" he replied. What
has happened?"
II don't know, sir, only | did hear
queer sounds, as If somebody might be
trying to enter the house. Just at day
light It was. sir, and | was going to
ask you II you noticed anything wrong
In this room. I've examined all the
other windows and doors in the house"
She was staring with unmistakable Gu
riosity at the flowers on his desk.
"Then you haven't been in here this
morning. Hannah?" he asked.
"How could come in when the door
is always locked and you carry the key
In your pocket sir?' asked Hannah.
with surprise. 81 haven't been near
the room since | came In the other day
to ask you about Joe"
Every true. Hannah. had forgot
ten. No, | didn't hear any sounds last
night Very likely it was cat on the
piazza roof" He was impatient for
her to be gone.
"I'll have to think it was that, SIR"
And Hannah went away apparently
dissatisfied with the lack of explana-
ton of what to her had been matter
for excitement and investigation.
John Fleming stood there staring at
the white flowers on his desk.
How had they come there? He
asked himself the question again, for
Hannah was innocent of placing them
there, he was positive. Such delicate
sentiment was not in Hannah's line
anyway.
There was only one person who
could have done it, and that was the
person who was least likely to do it
in the face of all things-Anne, the
unforgiving.
Suppose he entertained that wild
supposition, that Anne had plucked the
flowers and placed them there, how
could she enter the locked room? The
answer was before him as his glance
included the glass doors that led to
the garden porch. The bronze door
key lay on the carpet, but the door
was locked, had doubtless been locked
from the outside by one who had
pushed his key in and opened the door
with duplicate.
Who had such a duplicate key;
nocent purpose of placing that white
flower, symbolic of resurrection, upon
his desk?
Who, but Anne?
He must go to her long closed room
and look for the duplicate key she had
owned. If 1t was not there 1t meant
that hope and happiness were not
dead after all. Only a forgiving Anne
could have placed the white flowers
on his desk.
He went upstairs to her room and
unlocked the door and entered. The
curtains were drawn. and the air was
close and smelled of dried rose leaves.
John knew that there were several
Jars of fragrant rose petals about the
room. Anne loved them
He lifted curtain and looked for
the key In places where she might
have kept it, but 1t was nowhere to be
found. Overcome by the task Of
touching her belongings, stung to the
quick by bitter recollecdons, he flung
himself into an armchair and closed
his tired eyes. Outside the world was
golden with the sunshine of an Easter
morn Within his closed heart little
flower of hope was springing to re-
newed life.
He did not hear Hannah's voice lift
He did not hear hesitating steps COM
ing up the stairs. The knob turned
gently, and a slender, pale faced wom-
an came In. At f1rst she did not see
him. She was looking at the familiar
room with tear blind eyes. Her sud
den sob of grief aroused him, and hus-
band and wife faced each other In the
dim light of the long closed room.
"Anne! he said hoarsely, and then
stared at her.
"John," she said brokenly, 81 have
come back to ask your forgiveness
More ! cannot expect Nay, listen.
, thought l was doing right to stand by
my father and brother. Alec swore
that 1t was you who had diverted the
funds of the firm to your own uses
and you stood back and only smiled.
You denied nothing
"Early this morning came and en-
tered the Library with the use Of my
duplicate key placed some flowers
there because love you. John, and in
spite of my belief In your wrongdoing
my love was the same-undying-and
| wanted you to know it.
"This morning letter has reached
me from Alec. You know he went to
Auaf ra Ita ftar fha huSinaaa vVaa wound