The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-06-25
mo" He Said, In Answer to Her Look,
HE Won't Rouse Again."

"he won't Rouse Again."
left her, shutting the door with care
full softness.
But the slight figure with its silve
hair. sitting there, was not alone
Ghosts we're walking up and down
Not the misty wraiths John Valian
had at times imagined went fitting
along the empty corridors, but facei
very clear In the sunlight. that came
and went with the memories so Ions
woven over by the shuttle of time
evoked now by the touch of key thai
her hand still clenched tightly In its
palm.
There welled over her in tide those
days of puzzle, the weeks of waiting
silence, the slow memorable months OF
heartache, the long years that had
deepened the mystery of Beauty Vail
ants exile. In the first shock of the
news that Sassoon had fallen by his
hand, she had thought she could not
forgive him that broken faith. She
and his promise to her had not weighed
In the balance against the idea OF
manly honor" But this bitterness
had at length slipped away. He will
WRITE" she had told herself, "and ex-
plain" But no word had come. Whis-
pers had fitted to her-the tale of
Sassoon's intoxication-sting barbs
that chung to Beauty Valiant's name.
That these should rest unanswered
hod H1Ind hn viii
anger Slowly. but with deadly surety,
had grown the belief that he no longer
cared. In the end there had been left
her only pride-the pride that covers
its wound and smiles. And she had
hidden her wound with flowers. But
in the deepest well of her heart her
love for him had rested unchanged,
clear and defined as moss in amber,
wrapped in that mystery of silence.
In the little haircloth trunk back in
her room lay an old scrap-book 1t
held a few leaves torn from letters and
many, newspaper clippings. From
these she had known of his work, his
marriage, the great commercial sue
cess for which his name had stood
the name that from the day of his go
ing, she had so seldom taken upon her
lips. Some of them had dealt with
his habits and idiosyncrasies, hints of
an altered personality, and aloofness
or loneliness that had set him apart
and made him, in a way, stranger to
those who should have known him
best. Thus her mind had come to
hold double image: The grave man
these Swallowed forth, and the man
she had loved, whose youthful face was
IN the locket she wore always on her
breast. 1t was this face that was
printed on her heart, and when John
Valiant had stood before her on the |
porch at Rosewood, 1t had seemed to
have risen, instinct, from that old |
grave.
He had not kept silence! He had
written! 1t pealed through her brain
ike a muffled bell. But Beauty Vail.
mt was gone with her youth; in the
Dom near by lay that old companion
Who would never speak to her again,
he lifelong friend-who had really
allied her thirty years ago!
nd in tin box a mile away lay let
er.
"He won't rouse again." the doctor
ad said, but little later, as he and
'aliant sat beside the couch, the major
pened his eyes suddenly.
Shirley" he whispered. where's
hirley?".
She was sitting on the porch Just
utside the open window. and when
he entered, tears we're on her face.
he doctor drew back silently; but
hen Valiant would have done so, the
iajor called him nearer.
mo- he painted; 81 like to see you
vo together" His voice was very
eak and tired.
AS she leaned and touched his hand.
e smiled whimsically. Its mighty !,
lrious." he said, but l can't get it /,
Ut OF my head that its Beauty Vail I.
NJ and Judith that I'm really talking
J. Foolish--isn't it?" But the idea :
,emed to master him. and presently
, began to call Shirley by her moth |,
IS name. An odd youthfulness crept {,
to his eyes; a subtle paradoxical /,
oyishness. His cheek tinged with
'lor. The deep lines about his mouth
poothed miraeulcusly out. !,
Judith" he whispered, YOU :
ire you told me the truth while ago, =
hen you said--you said" :,
Yes, yes" Shirley answered, put :
lg her young arm under him. think ,
& only TO soothe the anxiety that !.
emed vaguely to thread some vague :
:
He smiled again. TT makes 1t =
sier," he said He looked at Valiant,
$ mind seeming to slip farther and 9
rther away. Beauty" he gasped,