The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-17

voice, singing her old appealing love
song for him, Il hear you calling me.
So he had called her in his heart.
ceaselessly through the years. Had she
heard? Had she understood?
hear you calling me, though years
have stretched their weary length be-
tween Anne's rich voice rang out
in mellow sweetness across the noun
| tain.
Lights flashed in the windows of
| all the houses along the road. but the
little stone house remained unlighted
save for the glowing hickory logs that
made summer of early spring. Il hear
you calling me- The words were al
most whispered. yet Marshall heard.
ana getting to his feet, he started tow
ard the niger. AS he went up the
fern-lined pathway, he saw Anne in
the doorway, her white dress touched
TO color by the rosy flames behind her.
Anne, dear Anne" he said numbly.
back such train of tender memories
| that l feel just a boy again. The lit
tie dream house We planned together
came true for you, didn't it?"
It's very real. Tom. Won't you
come imp" She had schooled herself
for just meeting and had herself
we'll in hand.
She lighted a lamp and so presented
the little house, built according to
| their youthful dreams, for his inspec-
ton. His eyes took it all in quickly
and then went back to the slender,
| beautiful woman by the IRE whom
Time had passed without taking his
| customary toll of youth.
I have wanted to see you sagain,
Anne" he began quietly and tensely,
ito explain something to you which !
hope you will be good enough to hear
for my own sake
What is it Tom?" She turned to-
I'm h. lferl7f rct.k q
little jeweled pin in the laces of her
gown. 1t had been his last gift to
her.
You knew that I loved you and
that 1 married Polly for her money.
I acknowledge all that. There were,
however, mitigating circumstances that
seem to lessen my guilt. 1 was young
and did not stop to consider that /
was wronging three people to save one.
MY only thought was my duty to pro-
tect father
Protect your father?" Anne's voice
was only a whisper. "How?"
HE became financially involved. /
bought his honor at the expense of
my own. There is only one thing that
is not reprehensible in my part of it.
Polly was happy. She lived and died
without suspecting why my hair turn
ed gray in few weeks and why 1 for
got how to smile. I have heard your
voice calling me through every day of
those lost years. That was my pen
atty. I loved you then. 1 love you
| now and yet I cannot hope even for
forgiveness"
Il. too, have paid a penalty, yet
perhaps, it was for the best
Then you cared, Amer he cried
brokenly. IF I could only have suf-
fered for both of us!"
Il tried not to think of you. but a
robin outside my window warbling q
lifting love song, sang of you; the vino
| sighed your name to me, and every or.
| chard, sweet with May blossoms, was
| fragrant with memories of you"
And whenever 1 saw or heard any.
thing beautiful, 1. too, thought of you
| When did you forget, Amer"
A nightingale called plaintively tt
| his mate in the dusk outside.
was calling you tonight when yol
came" she said softly. st have 81.
ways known that some day you ,woulc
| come back to me-"
And there in the little house OF
| his boyish fancy he came at last t.
his destined goal that, elusive as 9
| dream, had always led him onto her
copyright, 1913. by the Mcclure
| Newspaper Syndicate.)