Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1913-12-09

Rn 4. IA. EaRERT.

sewing upon the stoop. Fancy, after
ali these years.
Lillian looked up gravely 4
heard Il too. she said
Il must b. Is years since he was
in Port Smith. continued Miss Snp
son And he hasn't showed his face
among the neighbors yet. Weren't
sou and he sort Of
Engaged z" asked Lillian, conscious
OF her heightened color Yes -Cnce \
Dear me- who would ever think OF
YOU as having been engaged. my
dear aoiiloquized the visitor THAT
isl mean. Of course. you and / seem
10 be such settled creatures.
That was a bitter word. but Il was
a true one The women who stayed al
home in the lit,le New England town
had just half the opportunity OF be.ns
married that those had who Nent
away That was a matter OF statistics.
There were twice rs many women as
men IN Port Smith And Lillian had
stayed at home
Her sister Anna had gone to the
city to be a slenographer. and had
married a rich lumber merchant Sine
wrote from time TO time, but never
g. me back Her other sister, Marian,
had become O hospital nurse and mar.
ried rising young doctor Lillian
was thirty three. She he'd stayed at
home because she was the eldest and
somebody had to care for her mother
Caleb rreYethan had been the only
son OF old lliram Treyeihan who own.
ed the homestead at the top of Maple
avenue, nearly a hall mile distant lie
had lett Port Smith as an the young
men did and, like all had leit his
sweetheart behind promising to re-
urn.
Lillian could remember that last
night as wildly ais if it had been yes.
terday
4 shall come back for sou. dear
he had said And shall write TO
you every week, or oftener Promise
me shat you will wait FOX me till then
Till when? asked the girl. feeling
utterly lonely and desolate
Three years" said Caleb. clenchins
his fists TO emphasize his words IN
three years time l shall come back
and take you away with me Promise
me. dear"
Lillian promised. Then She did some
thing that she had never done before;
she raised her lips to his And the
night air became suddenly fragrant
and her heart swelled with Happiness
So Caleb went away. and for two
whole months his letters came Ae
was domg wei, he said; he had a 10
sition with a big min II might be-
less than three years
Then the letters came less often ana
grew more formal And at last they
ceased
Lillian lived on with her sick moth
eT until her death d year before Her
sisters left one after the other, and
married. Lillian heard of Caleb at
times He had become a partner at
the age OF thirty. Then the big con.
solidadon had come and he was q
power in Wall street before he was
thirty-flve, Then. only six months
before. she had read the news Of his
engagement She was amazed to find
herself so little moved.
The past had become obscure, and
half forgotten The girl who had
loved so passionately was not she but
somebody Of whom she thought with
a wistful, kindly smile
And Caleb had been three days in
the old homestead. He was alone. save
for the old housekeeper. He had not
brought his car, but had walked up
from the station at night, like any
traveller. He must have passed her
house
Lillian, What do you think, ex-
claimed Miss simpson on the following
Gay. Have you seen today's papers,
Mo- Wen. Caleb Trevethan is
bankrupt he had to run away from
New York They're talking of prose
cutting him And he's hiding in his
house because he doesn't dare face
he people who used 60 know him
And-and his wife?" asked Lillian
tmidly
II guess she's act the kind that
would stand BY hing when he's in trou
BILE answered Miss simpson. Though
now come 10 think Of it, whom old
be marry?"
LILLIAN did not know what she an
severed Caleb returning. to revisit
his home. was one thing, but Caleb ia
trouble, That Was quite different TO
her amusement she found that all the
CID feelings had come rushing back as
f the thirteen years had never
sieped
she per on her hat and started up
the sgreet on every porch women
we're rocking in the cool OF the after.
noon watching the passers-hy. One
nailed her
Come III. Miss Darrell she said.
YOU look as if you were on an er.
rand. though
Yes, answered Lillian I'm going
70 caH on ar Trevethan
An electric shock would have
stunned the other less. Lillian going
shamelessly to cali on her old beau
can ca man-a fugitive. waiting for
the officers OF the law to come Tor
him, She must have loved Caleb
Trevethan mighty badly. then,
You see explained Lillian. now
- 49, Is 9.- !.