The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-04-11
IT Was Long DELAYED.
BY cLARlssA MAckiE.

Her slender. girlish figure was ciaor I'm
pale blue linen coat and gown. with n
ven the same tint shrouding her white
hat. She stepped across the turf with
eager feet, her charming face now
rose red with anticipation, now lily
pale with sudden dread.
The low. rambling house lay quiet in
TIE hot sunshine. The broad verandas.
awninged and vineclad. seemed To he
deserted. Her glance wandered to the
launch The party had boarded her
ana were .cunging in wicker chairs
about the deck. Norman was at the
wheel. She saw his backward glance
at the house. The whistle footed i'm
pudcntly. and they were away, cutting
the water into thousand twinkling
lights and shower of falling spray.
When they had rounded the point she
hurried across the drive and entered
the veranda. There was litter of
smoking things on convenient tabo-
rets, heaps of sporting papers ana gay
ly covered magazines. A siphOn. n de
canter and Il tray of empty glasses
We're on round table and bespoke re-
cent refrcshment. II was very like old
times when she had gone away for n
few weeks aud left Norman to hold
bachelor reves with old cronies. She
smiled NJ the disorder. II was all so
natural that the past three years were
blotted out ms If they had never been.
She was merely returning home from
"A days shopping In the hot town.
Thus she deludcd herself
The wide cool hall was quite desert
ed The polished floor gave back blur
red reflections of the heavy furniture.
The huge fireplace was crowded with
fresh branches of fragrant bayberry.
The library door was closed. but other
open doorways offered cool vistas of
drawing rooms, billiard and dining
rooms. The stairs wound in a broad
spiral to the second floor.
Genet paused, her eyes lingering on
each well known object. There was no
change in the arrangement of furni-
ture. Even the hatrack bore its Gus
tomary heterogeneous array of coats
and caps, riding crops, golf sticks and
tennis rackets. With quick hervons
gesture she threw back her veil and
turned To the library. Before she
sought her own apartments she would
peep in here. And now the creeping
fear at her heart found shape and sug-
gestion.
II her portrait, the one Giddy had
painted. still hung over the fireplace in
the library. then all would be we'll;
Norman would be forgiving, would re-
lent. His mothers picture had graced
that space until Norman married, and
then IL had given place to Genets. And
now that she had forfeited her right
would il he there? If not she would
steal away from the house and never
return. The answer to her questioning
heart lay behind the closed door
suddenly she, turned the knob and
slipped inside. closing the door softly
with emotion against It's mahogany
surface.
The long room lay in shadow save
for one sunny window ut the farther
end Here high backed winged chair
was placed.
She fell To trembling rs she heard the
flicker of a turning page behind the
winged chair. In the silence ii seem
ed as il her heart throbs would betray
her presence In her joyful imaginings
q
no such fearful terror and apprchen-
sion as came upon her now. Her glov-
ed hands wrung together in Il supreme
effort for control Suddenly "A little
sigh of relief escaped her. Perhaps
no one was i'm the room after all!
Then, as il her sigh had been heard,
r voice came from the chair. a voice of
quiet inquiry. Norman's voice.
"Who is there
Genet's lips were dumb.
"Who is there?" he repeated, And
after another silence the winged chair
creaked with his uprising Genet's
glance flashed to the fireplace for cour-
age and reinsurance. and then a great
joy came into her dark eyes.
Her portrait was there In its place
and beneath it a vase Of fresh violets.
Norman came down the room. his
eyes half blinded by the sudden change
from the sunlt window 10 the gloom
of the room Genet saw that the
smooth chestnut of his hair was llcck-
cd with silver; that his face was worn
and his eyes were weary. Then the SUI
rrcme moment came when he saw her
and recognized her. PuZzlement gave
way to surprise and something else
What was il?
He stopped abruptly. one hand rest
ing on the table. his deep gray eyes
fixed upon her face. white as snow
against the dark paneling.
IL am sorry. have come home. ]
love you. Norman" she whispered
Then she hung her head. not daring to
look into his beloved face.
Afraid? Afraid Of me? Why. l
have been waiting for you all these
years.
Safe in her husbands arms once
more. Genet Saville knew that her
greatest punishment would lie in the
knowledge that she had brought sor.
rn,., e., him