Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1914-06-25
c1T or 6O66S1E1RNL CO/z14yY

he saw Judge Chalmers lift down the
frail form, and suddenly his heart
leaped. There were two feminine fig
ures; Shirley was with her mother.
The doctor stood Just inside the IL
brary door and Mrs. cambridge went
hastily toward him. her light cane tap
ping through the stricken silence. Jere-
boam lifted his head and looked at her
piteously.
"Reck'n Mars Monty cyan e ole
Jerry now" he quavered, "but yo'-all
glib him nah love, Mis- Judith, and tell
him" His voice broke.
Eyes, yes, Jerry, l will"
The doctor closed the door upon her
and came to where Shirley waited.
"Come, my DEAR" he said, and dropped
his arm about her. Let us go out to
the garden"
As they passed Valiant, she held out
her hand to him. There was nc word
between them, but as his hand swal-
lowed hers, his heart said to her, 81
love you, / love you! No matter what
is between us, / shall always love
you'll"
1t was wordless, a heart-whisper that
only love itself could hear, and he
could read no answer in the deep
pools Of her eyes, heavy now with I'M
shed tears. But in some subtle way
his voiceless greeting comforted and
lightened by a little the weight OF
dumb impotence that he had borne
In the library, lighted SO brightly by
the sunlight, yet grave with the hush
of that solemn presence, the major
looked into the face Of the woman for
whose coming he had waited so anx.
iously.
TITS all-up, Judith" he said family.
Give come to the jumping-off place"
She looked at him Whitley. Monty
Monty!" she cried. Don't leave me
this way! | always thought"
He guessed what she would have
said. Heaven knows you're needed
more than me, Judith. After all,
reckon when my time had to come I'd
have chosen the quick way" His
voice trailed out and he struggled fol
breath.
"Jerry's in the hall, Monty. He asked
me to give you his love-"
poor old niger! He-used to tote
me on his back when l was a little
shaver" There was a silence. DOM
kneel, Judith" he said at length. "Yor
will be SO tired"
She rose ~obediently and drew up 6
chair. Monty" she faltered tremu
lousy, shall l say a prayer? I've new
er prayed much-my prayers never
seemed to get above the ceiling, some
how. But Ill-try."
He smiled wanly. II wouldn't wan
any better than yours, Judith. Blu
seems as if I'd been prayed owe,
enough. l reckon God Almighty's lik'
anybody else, and doesn't want to b.
~ding-donged all the time"
He seemed to have been gatherin,
his resolution, and presently his hant
fumbled over his breast. my wallet.
give it to me-" She drew it from tn,
pocket and the uncertain fingers tool
out a key. ut opens a tin box in m!
trunk. Theresa letter in it for you.
He paused a moment, painting: "Ju
dith," he said, I've got to tell you, bu
it's mighty hard. The letter
it's m Valiant gave me for you-tha
morning, after the duel. l never CAV,
it to you"
If she had been white before, sh
grew like marble now. Her slim fir
gers clutched the little cane till it raj
tied against the chair, and the lace a
her throat shook with her breathing
"Yes-Monty."
He lifted his hand with difficulty an,
put the key into hers. THE seals still
, u%nbroken, Judith" he said, "but "
kept 1t these thirty years"
, She was holding the key in he
hands, looking down upon it. Their
| was a strained %half-fearful wonder i
her face. For an instant she SCENE
quite to have forgotten him In tn
, grip Of some swift and painful emo
ton.
: 81 loved you, Judith" he stan
mered in anguished appeal. Error
: the time we were boy and girl togetl
? er, l loved you. You never cared fo
= me-Sassoon and Valiant had the il
side track. You might have loved me
but l had no chance with either c
4 them. Then came the duel. There wa
: only Valiant then. l overheard hi
: promise to you that night, Judith. Fl
t had broken that! If you cared MOI
r for him than for Sassoon, you Nigh
have forgiven him, and l should hav
lost you! l didn't want you to ca
y him back, Judith! l wanted m
chance! And SOL took 1t. That's
the reason, dear. LISTS a bad on,
int I'll"
A shiver went over her set face
n like a breath Of wind over tall gras
and she seemed to come back from q
d infinite distance to place and momen
d Between the curtains a white butte
=