The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-09-10

coming along that runnelled highway
at such an hour in such breakneck
fashion?
The train was nearer now; he could
hear its low rumbling hum, rising
to roar, and the click and spring Of
the rails. But though he lifted q foot
from the stirrup, he did not dismount.
Something In the whirlwind speed OF
coming caught and held him motion
less. He had a sudden curious feeling
that all the world beside did not ex-
list; there were only the sweeping
rush Of the nearing train-impersonal,
unhuman-he. sitting his horse In the
gloom, and that unknown rider whose
anguish of speed outstripped the
steam, riding-to whom?
The road ekirted the track as It
neared the station, and all at once a
white glare from the opened fire-box
flung itself blindingly across the dark,
Illuminating like fare of summer
lightning the patch of highway and
the rider. Valiant, staring, had an IN
stant's vision of streaming cloak, of
girls face, set In tawny swirl of
loosened hair. With a cry that was
lost in the shrek of escaping steam,
he dragged his plunging horse around
and the white blaze swept him also, as
the rider pulled down at his side.
"You!" he cried. He leaned and
caught the slim hands gripped on the
bride, shaking now. "You!"
The dazzling brightness had gone
by, and the air was full of the groan-
ing OF the brakes as the long line of
darkened sleepers shuddered to its
enforced stop. "John!"- He heard
the sweet wild cry pierce through the
tumble of noises, and something in it
set his blood running molten through
his veins. 1t held an agony Of relief,
Of shame and Of appeal. John .
John!"
And knowing suddenly, though not
how or why, that all barriers were
swept away, his arms went out and
around her, and In the shadow Of the
lonely little station, they two, in their
saddles, clung and swayed together
with clasping hands and broken words
while the train, breathing heavily for
y resentful second, shrieked itself
taWay into the night, and left only the
fragrance from the misty fields, the
crowding silence and the sprinkling
stars.
The breeze had risen aud was
blowing the mist away as they went
back along the road. A faint light
was lifting, forerunner Of the moon
They rode side by side, and to the
slow gait of the horses, touching noses
in low whinnyings Of equine comrade
ship, by the faint glamour they gazed
into each others faces. The adorable
tweedy roughness of his shoulder
thrilled her cheek.
%. And you were going away
Yes, yes, know. 1t was my fault
misunderstood. Forgive
mel"
He kissed her hand. "As If there
were anything to forgive! Do yol
remember in the woods, sweetheart
the day 1t rained? What a brute
was-to fight SO! And all the time
wanted to take you in my arms like I
little hurt child.
She turned toward him. = "Oh,
wanted you to fight! Even thougl
It was no use. had given up, bu
! your strength comforted me. To hav
, you surrender, too"
"It was your face in the church
? yard" he told her. "How pale an,
worn you lookedl 1t came to m
. then for the first time how horribl
selfish 1t would be to stay-how mucl
, easier going would make it for you.
, ". And to think that it wa
4 Mad Anthony-Did the clock reall
strike thirteen. do you think? Or di
. fancy it,"
/. why question it?" he said. II bt
4 lieve in mysteries. The greatest my.
:. terry of all is that you should Low
1 me. I doubt no miracle hereafter
A Dearest, dearest!"
v At the entrance Of the cherry lan'
\ he fastened his horse to the hedg'
I and noiselessly let down the pasture
:. bars for her golden chestnut. Whe
: he came back to where she stood wal
!. ing on the edge Of the lawn, the lat
q moon, golden-vestured, was just shov
ing above the rim Of the hills, pain
ing the deep soft blueness Of the vi
q ginian night with a translucence q
v pure as prayer. Above the fallen hoo
4 of her cloak her hair shone like min
!. bus, and the loveliness of her fac
y made him catch his breath for tn
wonderfulness of 1t.
n AS they stood heavened in eac
n others arms, heart beating againi
. heart. and the whole world throbbiu
g to Joy, the nightingale beyond the a
" bors began to bubble and thrill i
d unimaginable melody. It came
them like the voice of the magic
a. rose-scented night itself, set to IL
"a wordless music of the silver leave