Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-05-22

shed tears. But IN some subtle way
his ~voiceless greeting comforted and
lightened by a little the weight of
dumb impotence that he had borne.
In the library. lighted so brightly by
the sunlight, yet grave with the hush
of that solemn presence, the major
looked into the face of the woman for
whose coming he had waited SO anx-
iously.
Its all-up, Judith" he said family.
I've come to the jumping-off place."
She looked at him Whitley. Monty,
Monty!" she cried. Don't leave me
this way! l always thought"
He guessed what she would have
said. Heaven knows you're needed
more than me, Judith. After all. l.
reckon when my time had to come I'd
have chosen the quick way" His
voice trailed out and he struggled for
breath.
"Jerry's in the hall. Monty. He asked
me to give you his love-"
poor old niggerl He-used to tote
me on his back when l was a little
shaver" There was a silence. Don't
kneel, Judith" he said at length. you
will be so tired"
She rose obediently and drew up a
chair. Monty" she faltered tremu-
lously, shall I say a prayer? I've new
er prayed much-my prayers eve
seemed to get above the ceiling, some
how. But T1l-try."
He smiled wanly. IT wouldn't want
any better than yours, Judith. But
seems as If I'd been prayed over
enough. I reckon God Almighty's like
anybody else, and doesn't want to be
ding-donged all the time"
He seemed to have been gathering
bis resolution, and presently his hand
fumbled over his breast. my wallet;
give 1t to me-" She drew 1t from the
pocket and the uncertain fingers took
out a key. ut opens a tin box In my
trunk. There's--a letter in 1t for you"
He paused a moment, painting: "Ju-
dith," he said, I've got to- tell you, but
it's mighty hard. The letter i.
it's one Valiant gave me for you-that
morning, after the duel. l never gave
1t to you"
II she had been white before, she
grew like marble now. Her slim fin
gers clutched the little cane till it rat
tied against the chair, and the lace at
her throat shook with her breathing.
"Yes-Monty."
He lifted his hand with difficulty and
put the key into hers. 1.-THE seals still
unbroken, Judith" he said, but I've
kept it these thirty years."
She was holding the key In her
hands, looking down upon it. There
was a strained half-fearful wonder in
her face. For an instant she seemed
quite to have forgotten him In the
grip of some swift and painful emo
ton. y
Il loved you, Judith" he stam-
mered in anguished appeal. "From
the time we were boy and girl togeth-
er, ! loved you. You never cared for
me-Sassoon and Valiant had the in
side track. You might have loved me;
but I had no chance with either of
them. Then came the duel. There was
only Valiant then. / overheard his
promise to you that night, Judith. He
had broken thati If you cared more
for him than for Sassoon. you might
have forgiven him, and I should have
lost you! / didn't want you to call
him back, Judith l wanted my
chance! And SOL took it. That's
the reason, dear. lists a bad one,
int lit"
A SILVER went over her set face
like a breath of wind over tall grass,
and she seemed to come back from an
infinite distance to place and moment.
Between the curtains a white butter
fly lowered an instant, and in the yard
she heard the sound of some winged
thing futtering. The thought darted
to her that 1t was the sound of her
own dead heart awaking. She looked
at the key and all at once put a 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, 1 reckon I've
prayed only one prayer. God, let 1t
be Sassoon that she lovedl' And I've
prayed that mighty near every day.
The thought that maybe 1t was Valiant
has haunted me like a ghost. You
never told-and I dared ask you.
Judith"
Her face was still averted, and when
she did not speak he turned his head
from ler on the pillow, with a breath
that was almost a moan. She started.
looking at him an instant In piteous
hesitation, then swiftly kissed the lit
tie key and closed her hand tight upon
1t. Truth? She saw only the pillow
and the grazing face upon It'll She
threw herself on her knees by the
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