Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1913-12-25

Blake glanced quickly about the
room.
Yes said Wanda. answering the
\ question in his look and jerking her
pretty head back in the direction OF
the rooms she had just quilted. In
/ there. l wouldn't worry II l were you.
Jim Blake's grim face took on a
/ light as incOngruous as the play OF
\ sunset rays on a mummy. The mask
OF age and defeat seemed to melt be
meath it. He took an eager step to-
ward the inner door.
Just a minute" Wanda halted him.
"You asked me TO wait. II you don't
need me here any longer"
Yes" hesitated Blake, trouble fit
ting across the new light In his eyes.
Il wanted to ask you-to-not to let
Tom know about this. His sister"
"I'll never tell him." she promised.
81 sent him away so he wouldn't find
out"
You're white. clear through" grudg-
ingly admitted Blake. will you do
one thing more?"
"What?"
Bring him back y me-"
IF l meet him again." she assented
primly, III send"
II didn't say send" corrected
Blake, Il said bring.
That's different. +"
I'm out of politics. My own game
has broken me at last. I'm old. l
know 1t now. | never did till tonight.
I'm old and want my children around
me-"
I'll tell Tom" she agreed, softened
despite herself by the new suppliance
in voice that had never before beer
turned to the uses of entreaty. I'll tell
him. I'm sure he'll come back to you
when he understands. Good night,
Mr. Blake"
There's another thing" he broke
in roughly, staying her departure, "a
thing that isn't easy to say"
Then, why say it?'
Because" he growled, like all
things that aren't easy to say, It's
thing that's got to be said Miss Kel-
ly, hasn't tonight pretty nearly squared
the old debt between you and me?
You and yours have suffered lot at
my hands. But. after what's hap
pened here this evening, l guess you'll
admit, as far as suffering goes, you
haven't got much on me. Haven't
paid? Won't you say we're square?
"Were-we're square, Mr.. Blake,
she returned In tone she could not
make wholly steady nor impersonal.
And" pursued Blake, 'and-Tom?
That's different, too" she faltered.
Il"
The jangle of the telephone inter
rupted her. Blake. who was beside
the desk, picked up the instrument
Hello" he called into the transI
ter. ''Ye-yes-she's here.
wants her? Oh! Yes. put him on
wire"
He an U :6hf tssx = es297 =
Some one % speak 8 yo.-, ~
Kelly reT srted.
Mechanically. she took up the Il
ceiver, and, by long habit. her voSsEse
took its professional drone: ond
"Hello!" she called. n
Then, turning on Blake, in surprise, :
she cried
"Why, it's Tom"
yes" drawled Blake. so ! gath
cred from the name. I'm glad. Glad
clear down to the ground. For both /
of you. Tell him so, won't you?"
The winter sun was butting its way
over the eastern skyline. The dawn
was bitter-cold, mercilessly clear.
And into the track of the first white
glittering rays walked tired man. A
man who that night had won mighty
A victory that foreshadowed
he richest gifts his country could be-
stow. Before him the future stretched
bright as that winters dawn. AS daz-
,lingly brilliant, and as cold and stark
" empty.
In Matthew Standish's ears, as he
returned toward the loveless abode
hat he hated to call home, still rang
echoes of the pandemonium that had
broken loose in the house when the
Mullins bill had gone down to defeat.
There is only one lasting victory"
le muttered disjointedly to himself.
IS he moved onward in the dazzling
ce-cold trail of light. AT the last, it
won't be the worlds applause that the
worlds great men will remember. 1t
will be the love smile Of a Woman.
And shall never have known that
memory What is the rest WORTH
(THE ENID
!; - = - :: -