The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1914-12-12

SILVER went over her set face
like breath OF wind over tall grass,
and she seemed to come back from an
infinite distance to place and moment
Between the curtains q white butter
fly lowered an instant, and In the yard
she heard the sound OF some winged
thing fiuttering. The thought darted
to her that It was the sound OF her
own dead heart awaking. She looked
at the key and all at once put hand
to her mouth as though to still words
clamoring there.
Judith" he said TREMENDOUSLY. be-
tween short struggles for breath, all
these years. after found there was
no chance for me. reckon I've
prayed only one prayer. God, let II
be Sassoon that she lovedl' And I've
prayed that mighty near every day
The thought that maybe It was Valiant
has haunted me like a ghost. You
never told-and | never dared ask you.
Judith"
Her face was still sverted. and when
she did not speak he turned his head
from her on the pillow. with breath
that was almost moan. She started.
looking at him an instant In piteous
hesitation, then swiftly kissed the III.
tie key and closed her hand tight upon
1t. Truth? She saw only the pillow
and the graying face upon Il! She
threw herself on her knees by the
couch and laid her lips on the pallid
forehead.
Tit was Sassoon. Monty" che
said. and her voice broke on the first
lie she had ever told
Thank Godl" he gasped. He strug.
gled to raise himself on his elbow,
then suddenly the strength faded out
and he settled back.
Her cry brought the doctor, but this
time the restorative seemed OF no
avail, and after a time he came and
touched her shoulder. With las,
long look at the ash-p face on the
settee she followed him from the room
In the yellow parlor he put her into Q
chair.
NO" he said. in answer to her look
he won't rouse again"
II will watt" she told him, and h,
left her. shutting the door with care
full softness.
But the slight figure with Its silve
hair. sitting there. was not alone
Ghosts we're walking W and down
Not the misty wraiths John valian
had at times ina yined went fittini
along the empty corridors. but face
very clear in the sunlight that cam,
and went with the memories so lonl
woven over by the shuttle OF time
evoked now by the touch OF a key tina
her hand still clenched tightly In III
palm.
There welled over her In tide thos,
days OF puzzle. the weeks OF waitin,
silence. the slow memorable months o
heartache. the long years that ha,
deepened the mystery of Beauty Vail
ants exile. In the first shock OF tn,
news that Sassoon had fallen by hi,
hand. she had thought she could no
forgive him that broken faith. Sh,
and his promise to her had not weighe,
in the balance against the idea o
manly "honor!" But this bitterness
had at length slipped away. He viii
WRITE" she had told herself. "and OF
plain" But no word had come Wits
pers had fitted to her-the tale o
Sassoon's misunderstanding barb
that chung to Beauty vallant's name
That these should rest unanswere'
had filed her with resentment ant
anger. Slowly. but with deadly surety
had grown the belief that he no longe
cared. In the end there had been lef
her only pride-the pride that cover
its wound and smiles. And she ha,
hidden her wound with flowers. Blu
in the deepest well of her heart he
love for him had rested unchanged
+ clear and defined as a moss In amber
wrapped in that mystery OF silence
CTO BE CONTINUED