The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1914-08-07

-
rs In dream. He had gone from
place to place. working, Il little hero,
little there. ut whatever offered
then on again. Never but q few uays
at most In the same plaCc-not 40
much from fear OF capture, he felt
strangely free and safe from that. but
because Of the restiessness OF spirit
that no could not qucll. that grew ever
stronger more insistent. more con-
stantly with him as the days went by.
Just To hear her voice, to zee her
face, her smile once more. to feel her
presence near him-because he loved
her
Well. he had come! He had lief,
the train at a station ten miles from
Hebron. and since afternoon he had
walked the rest OF the distance. And
now II. after all. the pitifui chance
and hope he chung to should be vain!
II was so little that he asked--to
steal a glimpse OF her through tho
window OF the sitting room perhaps.
TO hear her laugh, her song float out
to him through the night--that was
ADJUST that--and then to 40 away
again. II was so little TO ask for. to
hope for, the striving for 30 despcr-
ately hard that surely. surely that
much would be his.
The night was calm and quiet.
Across the fields In front OF him tho
great walls Of the penitentiary stood
out In the black irregular lines In the
white moonlight: twinkling lights
from the houses dotted the village
road: Just before him he could dis
tinguish In a dark blur the warden's
lawn. the avenue Of naples that
fringed the driveway. He wondered.
a little curiously. a little wistfuily.
what the house looked like now-the
front. OF course. would be the same
for there the fire had hardly touched
1t. but the rear--had II been rebuilt
Just exactly as IL was before. or was
1t changed?-not that II could matter.
only II all seemed so intimately a part
Of her-and this was her home.
He reached the roadside, looked up
md down II. listened--then suddenly
lay down full length upon the grass.
A step crunched on the gravel across
the way and n man turned into tho
road 1T was Warden Rand - and
started briskly of In the direction Of
the village away from the peniten-
larry. Varge waited until the warden
was out Of sight and hearing. then he
crossed the road quickly. gained the
shadows OF the naples and. keeping
on tno eueo VI tho iAWH " ucauoh tno
sound OF his steps. passed cautiously
from tree to tree. making his way
toward the house.
"VhrgeP
1t came In a cry-not a startled cry.
but soft. broken, like sudden sob.
full of wonder. full Of pathos. a
naked cry robed In no studied dress,
tho cry Of a soul. that halted him.
chained him TO the spot and robbed
him of his strength.
"varye!"
Something white showed behind the
dark network Of the Virginia creeper
that trailed over the end of the We
randa, . chair scraped and 'oppled
overland she was coming toward
him down tho veranda steps.
His hand rose slowly to his hat and
he stood bareheaded as she came.
Softly, wondrously tho moonlight
played upon her. seeming to hold her
In Its embrace. lingering on the little
white-shod feet. creeping so rover
Ing the full throat, the sweet face, tho
golden hair with mellow radiance
glorylng in It's right to caross.
She stood before him now. so small.
20 delicate in her beauty. like some
pure, Godgiven angel. and frag-
rance as OF Some rare perfume was
about her. The long iashos fell sud
denly. hiding the great blue eyes. and
her head was lowered. bowed n little.
You have come. Varge"-the words
came very slowly in an unsteady
voice--"here where-where your dan
ger Is very terrible. and you have
taken this friGhtful risk because. be-
cause-will you tell mo Why"
A long. long time tho silence held.
and then she spoke again. her head .
little lower.
"You-you are making It very hard
for NO." she whispered. you will
not answer and--and I know. II
know on the beach that day-did you
think did not known II In 80 long
ago, and-and I have prayed your
prayer. the prayer you asked for me.
since then-that God would guard and
keep you-and prayed that He
would bring you back. but not like
this-in peril for-for mo"
"Janet!"-all OF life and death
seemed In the word; rapt wonder. n
wild questioning that would not let
him yet believe, was In his eyes. his
face.
Slowly, hesitatingly. ne put out his
hands and touched her--her arms. her
shoulders-and gently lifted her face
and looked into the swimming eyes
that for breathless moment were
raised TO Inland then he swept her
TO him, kissing tho blue-veined eye
lids. the trembling lips, tho golden
head Of hair. the pure white brow.
II love YOU. love you--Janet--
Janet"-the' words came over and
over again from his lips-words no
had never thought 10 say-came vote
ing q song Of wondrous melody In his
soul-all else was blotted from him
and only that glad paeon OF supernal
Joy rang out enhancing him.
"Varge-dear VarRe." she answered
him tremulously-and like tired
child lay passively In his arms.
He held her close to him In a
silence that had no need OF words.
her head upon his breast, his face
buried In the golden hair again-and
then her hand stole into his and abe
led him towards the willow.
II do not think we could be seen
from the road" she said. little
laughter. n little sob mingling their
notes in her voice. but II will bo
safer here"
He faced her. pale. haggard. his
eyes full OF the misery that was upon
him.
Janet! Janet"'-grief. self-con-
domination. hopelessness, all were In
his voice: and wrung from him In n
hoarse cry came the words that had