The Topeka state journal., 1913-04-19

her young enthusiasm forgetting that
only few years before he had come
down there in the same mood.
That night Sidney slept in the hay
and Marie had his cot, which he had
pulled up before the fire for her. The
next day the storm had not abated,
ana Sidney felt an intense joy at the
thought that Marie would have to
spend another day under his roof,
ana that the day was too stormy for
the intrusion of school children. AS
early as he dared he was outside his
little cabin wondering if she were as
lovely by day as she had been by
night. She opened the door and re-
with short little apron. The cot
mad been pushed out of sight, the
room been put to rights, and coffee
was boiling on the hearth.
DO you know" said Marie as they
sat down together for breakfast, 'I
always imagined that parsons were
very different people. 1 never knew
one well before"
"And l." said Sidney. always
thought that school teachers were
membering his informal gray shirt
and faded red sweater, "I am afraid,
Miss Reagh, that 1 am not much of a
parson. / am not much of anything, in
fact and I never really cared before
Sidney forgot that he had known Marie
only a few hours. He forgot that she
was guest in his house. He thought
her near him. He didn't remember
afterward just what he said, but ap-
parently it was something very foolish
for 1T changed Miss Reagh from a most
charming companion to rather naughty
young woman, who insisted on having
him drive her over to ST. Matlda's 1T
once.
But the thought of Marie Reagh in this
cold, unsympathetic mood was none the
less d1stract1ng, and Sidney found fire.
quent and repeated excuses to go to st.
Mauldas within the next few months.
Sometimes he saw her only in the hail
and then he would drive back over the
first night. He would reproach himself
for his stupidity in having broken the
spell of their first friendship by his silly
show of feeling the next morning. But
Sidney did not mend matters, for one
spring day when he drove over to st.
Matllda's and found Miss Reagh alone
reading in the school room he opened his
heart to her only to haXe her hurry away
rr0m ON him him. IN J.; apparent 2 Terror
ing gently from across the mountains to
the parsons little cabin. He was sitting
little music box which was playing brief
snatches from '"Traviata' and "Lehen-
grim. Suddenly he heard footsteps in the
road, and looking up he saw the figure ul
a woman, Marie Reagh She had a SMALL
bag il her hand, and now turned in at his
gate In few words she explained. As
air had filled the mountains with life she
had become unutterably lonesome. She
would take the stage back to the city in
the morning. In the meantime, she asked
Sidney to drive her down to the stage
drivers wife for the night.
Sidney forgot to ask her into his little
cabin. but drew her down to the steps at
his side to listen to the music box.
There is no hurry he said. Besides,
my horse has just been fed. Perhaps you
can wait an hour with me. 1t is the last
time we will ever see each other"
He turned to rewind the little music
box, and looking back again heard Marie
What he was prompted to do
was foolish, he thought, just the sort OF
thing that had spoiled his chances before |
but he would risk it. Thereupon Sidney
put two strong arms on Marie's shoulders
and drew her to him. Still Marie said !
nothing, and for a wonderful minute he
sat there with the music box jingling |
meaningless fragments and the wind out |
of the mountain sky blowing her hair |
against his face.
Then with burst of courage that Sid |
ney could not account for, he drew her |
into his arms.
Marie. we are both homesick, and 1t is
not for the mountains and it is not for |
the city. 1t is for each other"
This time Marie surrendered.-(COpy
righted, 1918, by the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate.)