The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-11-24

flung itself blindingly across the dark,
Illuminating like fare of summer
lightning the patch of highway and
the rider. Valiant, staring, had an in
Btant's vision of streaming cloak. Of
girls face, set in tawny swirl of
loosened hair. With cry that was
lost in the shrek Of escaping steam,
be 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 it's
enforced stop. "John!'- He heard
the sweet VIZ ~ pierce through the
tumble Of no11sss and something in it
yet his blood running molten through
his veins. It 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, chung and swayed together
with clasping hands and broken words,
while the train, breathing heavily for
q resentful second, shrieked itself
away into the night, and left only the
fragrance from the misty fields, the
crowding silence and the sprinkling
stars
The breeze had risen and 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
l misunderstood. Forgive
mel"
He kissed her hand. CAS- If there
we're anything to forgive! Do you
remember in the woods, sweetheart,
the day 1t rained? What brute
was-to fight so! And all the time
wanted to take you in my arms like a
little hurt child. ;"
She turned toward him. ooh, I
wanted you to fight! Even though
1t was no use. I had given up, but
your strength comforted me. To have
you surrender, toe"
1T was your face in the church
yard" he told her. How pale and
worn you looked! 1t came to me
then for the first time how horribly
selfish 1t would be to stay-how much
easier going would make it for you"
=. And to think that it was
Mad Anthony-Did the clock really
strike thirteen, do you think? Or did
l fancy it,"
why question it?'' he said. 81 be-
heve in mysteries. The greatest mys-
terry Of all is that you should love
me. I doubt no miracle hereafter,
Dearest, dearest!"
At the entrance of the cherry lane,
he fastened his horse to the hedge,
and noiselessly let down the pasture
bars for her golden chestnut When
ne came back to where she stood wait
Ing on the edge of the lawn, the late
moon, golden-vestured, was Just show.
Ing above the rim Of the hills, paint
Ing the deep soft blueness Of the Vir-
g1nian night with translucence as
pure as prayer. Above the fallen hood
of her cloak her hair shone like a nim-
bus, and the loneliness Of her face
made him catch his breath for the
wonderfulness of it.
AS they stood heavened In each
others arma. heart heating against