Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-11
cHAPTxR XIV.
The Annlvsrsarv.

Tho Anniversary.
Tho story was not . long one.
though 1t omitted nothing: the morn
ing foxhunt and the Identification Of
the new arrival ut Damory Court ~
the owner Of yesterdays stalled mo-
tor: the afternoon raid on the jesse.
mine. the coaversation with John Va
liant In the woods
Mrs. cambridge, gazing into tho flre,
listened without comment. but moro
than once Shirley saw her hands clasp
themselves together and thought, ton,
that che seemed strangely pale. Tho
swift and tragic sequel to that meet
Ing was the hardest to tell, and % she
ended she put up her hand to her
shoulder. holding It hard. TT was
horrible!" she said. Yet now she did
mot shudder. Strangely enough, tho
sense of loathing which had been
surging over her at recurrent inter.
walls over since that hour in the wood,
had vanished uttsrlyI
She read the Newspaper article
aloud and her mother listened with an
oppression that pushed her. When
she hnished, both were silent for .
moment, then she asked, You must
have known his father. dearest; didn't
you?"
yes" said Nrs. cambridge after .
pause. T-mew his father"
Shirley said no more, and facing
each other in the candle-glow. across
the spotless damask, they talked, a.
with common consent, of other things.
She thought she had never seen her
mother more brilliant. An odd excite
ment was flooding her cheek with red
and she chatted and laughed a. she
had not done for years.
! But after dinner the gaiety and Of.
fervesceuce faded quickly and. Mira
cambridge went early to her room.
She mounted the stair with her arm
thrown about shirley's plant waist.
At her door she kissed her, looking at
her with strange smile. "How Gu
rious." she said. al If to herself. that
1T should have happened today"
/ The reading-lamp had been lighted
ION her table. She drew . slim gold
chain from the bosom Of her dress
and held to the light . little locket-
brooch It carried. It was Of black en-
,ameL with . tiny hurel-wreath Of
pearls on ono lido sncircling . single
diamond. The other dde was OF crys-
tai and covered . baby's russet-col.
tored curl In her fingers It opened
and disclosed miniature at which
she looked closely for a moment
Her eyes turned estiessly about the
room. II had been hers - q girl. for
Rosewood had been the old Garland
homestead. It seemed now all at once
70 be full Of calling memories Of her
youth.
How strange that It should have
been today!" It had been ON shirley's
lips to question. but the door had
closed, and she went slowly down
stairs. She sat while thinking, but
ct length grew restless and began to
walk to and fro across the floor, her
hands clasped behind her head 90 that
the cool air filed her flowing sleeves.
In the hall she could hear the leisure.
" kon-kon-kon-kon Of the tall clock.
Tho evening outside was exQuisitely
still and the metallic monotone was
threaded with the airy hddle-hddle Of
.crickets in the grass and punctuated
with the rain-glad cloap Of fros.
Shirley stepped lightly down to the
wet grass. Looking back. she could
see her mothers lighted blind. All
around the ground was splotched with
1ose-petals, looking in the squares Of
light like bloody rain. She skinned
the lawn and ran . little way down
the lane. A shutting sound presently
fell on her ear.
rs that you. Unc' Je6erson!'' she
called softly.
.Yas'm!" The footsteps came near.
q. -Et's me. Miss Shirley" He tit
tered noiselessly. and she could see
his bent form vibrating in the gloom.
"Yo' reck'n All done fergit?"
mo, indeed. l knew you wouldn't
do that. How is her
He right much hetteh." he replied
IN the same guarded tone. "Doctah
he say he be all right in or few days,
on'y he gotter lay up er while Dat
was er ugly nip he got fom dat 'spis-
able reptyle.''
DO you think there can b any
others about the grounds"
Nom. Dey mostly keeps ter do
ma'sh-lan' en- only runs whah de I'M
dah.bresh ez thick. gwineter fix dat
Mars Valiant he tell me
ter grub ct all out en- make er bon
nah OBJ It,"
That's right, Unc' Jefferson. Good
night, and thank you for coming"
She started back to the house, when
his voice stopped her.
mis- Shirley. yo' dom keer ef do
ole man geddahs two er three oh dem
roses! Seems lax young mars
moughty fon' OBJ dem. He got one in
;er glass but cts mos daid now
! wait \ minute" she said, and dis
appeared in the darkness. returning
quickly with q handful which she put
tn his grasp.
''There!" she whispered, and slipped
back through the perfumed dark.
J An hour later she stood In the
cosy stiffness of her bedroom.
She threw of her gown, slipped into
b soft loose robe Of maize-colored silk
and stood before the small glass. She
pulled out the amber pins and drew
her wonderful hair on either side OF
her face, looking out at her reflection
aa / IL