River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-12-10

bring him back" she promised and
passed out She felt a tremor shake
her, now that she had followed the
impulse which had caused her action
and found herself surprised that there
should have been an impulse.
/ She passed forward and from under
the trees about the house. a faint.
new crescent moon had come up and
hung above the rim of the oasis, its
/ sickle blade giving a faint, glistening
light which made her able to see
where she went with care She was
recalling lines of the letter Meade had
mailed TO her from Hite:
I To the west of the house lie the pas
lures. green with lush growing 1ucerne.
and sometimes when the longing and the
loneliness crowd too close upon me l rise
and go down and stand in the midst of the
sleeping vegetation and stretch out my
arms to the east. And | lift up my face
to the moon, if there be one, and try to
picture it shining on a wonderful crown
of wonderful hair and lighting woman's
I face
The grasses of the oasis swept her
feet and ankles as she passed and
went down the little incline.
"Meade-Meade Stillmanr' she call
ed softly and paused to listen.
A figure rose from among the alfalfa
and stood at distance before her.
Meade" she repeated and started
forward, unconscious that she had ad
dressed him by his given name. Again
the culver of unnamed feeling shook
her body.
Miss Gethelds-Bernice." said Still
man and came to meet her. What is
it? Why do you come to me here?
Why not father or DarlingY'
Il came because wanted to and be-
cause we wondered what kept you.
thought Oh, | thought | understood
better how you felt. And l remember
ed what you wrote in the letter-that
you came here to think
about you" said the man. WELL
it was true / was thinking about you
again just now before you came.
"Bernice-dont take offense. for
mean none, and you are Bernice to me
i know nothing of the art of making
love, but the last year has taught me
much of love itself. for | have been a
lover ever since that night | told you
| would come if you ever asked it, and
ran away because l did not dare to say
goodby for fear | might say something
else How | should tell you of this
do not know.
Il believe there are rules to be OBJ
served, but l do not know them. All
| know is that ! love you; that | want
to give you my life. that want to
| guard you and shield you and protect
you; that | want to work for you, win
for you and bring what | win and lay
it at your feet, as the cave man brought
home his kill to the cave.
"Bernice - sweetheart woman-come
to me!'' He opened his arms to her.
Like one moving in dream she
sWayed toward him, reached him.
| touched him, felt his arms close about
her, leaned against him, buried her
face OH his breast and ceased to trem-
BILE as the strength of his body struck
! through to her own.
A sudden swift sense of peace and
satisfaction filed her and was follow
! ed by the recollection Of the arms of
another man which had held her and
quivered as she herself had shaken but
moment before.
A great wave of pity surged in her
breast, but could not drown the com
| fort of Meade's arms. She lifted her
face and found his bent above it. Her
own arms crept about him. Meade"
she whispered "Oh. Meade, my boy
my own boy" She strained him to her
and lifted her lips to his.
He heard her catch her breath.
"Oh, was forgetting! Meade. was
forgetting am poor agent had
forgotten everything else-the war. the
need Of haste Come. dear. we must
] 70 back to the house. You must get
your things ready. for we must hurry
back
| II think I'd best go over to the labo
ratory and pack the stuff for tomOr-
row." Meade decided You go in and
try to get some rest. I'll take dad and
we'll get everything ready. And
/ think I'll tell him about what has come
to us while I'm up there He'll be
glad" He reached out and gathered
her into his arms again. drew her face
up to his $50 this is good night, little
girl"
Darling opened the door The light
streamed out and bathed the man and
woman in revealing radiance.
Thought you'd both got lost" began
Harold and paused abruptly With
something like gasp be shut the
| door.
CHAPTER XIV.
Generous to the Last.
I" 1ARLING," whispered Der