Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-03-15
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1t Was Long
Delayed
BY cLARISSA MAcKIE

For three long years Genet Savilie
had nursed a bitter resentment against
her husband. During this time there
was ever before her the mental pic
ture OF their quarrel and the parting
The recollection of his white. con
temptuous face always stung her I"
fresh hatred Of him. She could hear
his low spoken acrid reply TO her ~
braiding. The few words that had
sent her fleeing from the room and
later from his hous' with all the quirh
passion Of her southern nature stirred
TO its depths.
She had sought solitude in an oh
scure swiss hamlet She. who was
without kinsfolk. had cut herself loose
from the only tie that bound her 4"
her world She had not seen faniliaf
face nor heard the sound of wei
known voice IN all those thirty.siA
months She had not read news
paper nor heard any tidings of the old
life Her private fortune. IN ncsoii
able securities. afforded her every ma
terial comfort She had music ard
books. her favorite dog and bitter
thoughts.
Three years. thiriy-slx months. q
thousand days. and more. ages age.
since their parting IN the library Never
had she once longed for the sound q
Normans voice. for the sight Of biz
face. for reconciliation. she hated him
for HIS ouihurst that night. hated him
for his cool contempt Of her "heroics.
as he called IL Always she would re
member him as she had last seen him.
cold and stern and bitter. with no love
for her She fed her soul on these ~
wholesome reflections
Then one lovely morning Genet climb
ed up the verdant upland pastures re
claimed from the rough mountain sides
She paused In the shadow OF q dark
clothed pine tree. inhnling the pure aIr
and glorying in the panorama Of noun
tain and valley. pine forest and dis
tant glacier. when close beside her
there spnng into view tnbleau
young dairy farmer and his sweetheart
Genet had often watched the peas
ants. her fair face amusedly con
temptuous OF their crude loyemakin.
This man might have been Norman's
twin Observation-Disclosures. clean cut.
gray eyed brown skinned. The glr
was fresh and sweet and fair Sin,
was in his arms and his firmly nodded
chin was pressed against the parting 81
her golden hair.
Genet watched them. a strange new
feeling leRpins 10 her head. to her henri
IA white tame Of jealousy that sear'-i
her wounds the bitterness. the anaer
against her husband Her pulses throi,
bed. and the blood flew to her cheeks
She watched the mans face wistfuliS
hungrily. rs one who looks on lie
loved forgotten picture and revelS Ia
the wonderment Of rediscovery.
The face of the man was curlouSiy
like that OF Norman the finely shipped
head with its closely brushed chestnut
hair. the straight nose. the resaigie
mouth now ~oftened into tenderness
The steadfaSt gray eyes. deep set AMI
black laSlied were liked on the girl :
face. shyly lifted 10 his and exquisite
In It's virgina purity Of expression.
So Norman must have looked ~ hef
when he lad told Genet Of his love.
Genet drew bnck among the pine
boughS aud leaned her face against thu
rough bark of the tree She was treui'
bling with long controlled emotion. de-
iiciously thrilled at the wild PROMPT
ings OF her Maynard heart. lmpe,r
ously she had withdrawn from her h,sr
band. too hurt 10 render him justice
As pasSionately would she return q
him and heap the smothered riches %
her love and lifelong devotion II his
feet 10 repay for his suffering. his ~
greet his loneliness. for he would hav'.
suffered keenly he who worshiped He
ground she irod All the world should
know that she who had left him In an
ger without due reason acknowledged
her mistake and had returned 10 hini
After awhile she descended TO :Dt'
village. singing all the way TO the tiny
chalet where she lived The siinpl'.
peasants among whom she had spout
her exile looked after her aud wonder
ed aud srnilngly agreed with one an.
other that the sad faced lady had founh
happiness after all.
All the nightmare OF Genet's nurtur
ed resentment which had robbed her
Of three years Of lIfe WAS banished by
her preparations for immediate depar
ture. Now that she saw herself IN the
wrong She chafed to be Inundated be-
fore her husband ia expiration Of her sin
Arrived IN New York and settled IN
hotel under an assumed name. she
called cab aud motored slowly pas;
the town house As she expected. Il
was closed and shattered She looked
up az the familiar windows with dim
eyes and registered n vow 20 live more
earnestly more worthily. II she was
permitted TO 20 back
The next day the train carried her
down 10 Fairiields where she entered
the ancient surrey which served MI