The Holbrook news., 1914-10-03

lively household, in which there were few hours of loneliness. Now she was forced to find entertainment within herself and she found the task was burdensome.
 The stiffness of the house. accentu- ated by the steady scratching of the tireless pen in the other room, op- pressed her. She went to the window and looked out. The moonlight fell soft over the landscape. Down at the farther end of the orchard small red light glowed and disappeared to glow again at regular intervals. She could see a shadowy form moving backward and forward under the trees. Down there she knew was conversation, ad- miration, sympathy. She glanced into the room where her husband sat writ ing. If only he would give up his work for this evening and talk with heri She pulled a rose from its stem and went softly in to him, putting one arm about his neck and laying the blossom on the page before him. He did not look up, but with a hurried gesture pushed the flower aside and bent over his work. She felt how ut terly she was out of his life and turned away with clouded eyes. A few min utes later she was going slowly down the dewy path under the orchard trees toward that glowing end of a cigar.
 Dear little. woman," he soliloquized, tenderly. 'I might have told her, but I wanted the surprise to come when the work is over so that there will be no interruption to our enjoyment"
 He bent again over the pages. He did not hear the rustic of his wife's gown as she returned to the house and ran hurriedly up the stairs. Nor did he see her as she came down with a small portmanteau and her cloak. She paused at the door and threw q hurried glance into the room where he was, still at his desk. Then she glided away in the moonlight.
 An hour later the book was com pleted and, with a sigh of satisfaction, the author pushed the pages from him and picked up a letter, of which the seal had already been broken. He drew out the contents from the en- velope and, opening the narrow blue SneeI, Q1ScIOSed check.
 Two thousand dollars and six months in Europe for preparation and study" he soliloquized At last we shall see something of the world under favorable circumstances, sweetheart. Too bad I couldn't tell you when you were in here just now. I couldn't have kept the secret a moment if had spoken. We will make up for this long imprisonment It must have been dreadfully dull for you. I'm used to loneliness"
 He went through the rooms, the check in his hands and a smile of contentment on his face. Passing the open door he paused to look out into the moonlight. Overhead the stars looked down upon nature, serene, fra grant, sweet. Suddenly out of the stiffness leaped the shrill cry of loco motive. It was the night express for the city. He smiled to think that be- fore another night had passed his wife, for whom he had worked so faithfully, would be with him aboard | such a train on their way to the land | of romance and history. There came the pufhng of the engine as it gath | cred head for another onward rush | with its load of human freight. The | author turned into the house and | mounted the stairs. a glad light in | his eyes
 She will be so happy" he whis- pered. "so happyi"