The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-07-03

at-frst-sight is as out-of-date as our
little grandmothers' hoops rusting In
the garnet. All, sweetheart, l, for one,
know better!
Suppose | had not come to Vir-
ginia-and known you! My heart
jumps when | think of it. 1t makes
one believe in fate. Here at the Court
| found an old leaf-calendar-it sits
at my elbow now, just as l came on 1t.
The date it shows is May 14th, and
its motto is: Every man carries his
fate upon a riband about his neck
I like that.
THAT first Sunday at st. Andrews
| thought of day-may 1t be soon!-
when you and might stand before
that altar, with your people (my
people, too, now around us, and
shall hear you say: I, Shirley, take
thee, John And to think 1t Is really
to come true! Do you remember the
text the minister preached from? 1t was
But all men perceive that they have
riches, and that their faces shine as
the faces of angels think I shall
go about henceforth with my face
shining, SO that all men will see that
I have riches-your love for me, dear
81 am 80 happy can hardly see the
words-or perhaps it Is that the sun
has set. I am sending this over by
Uncle Jefferson. Send me back just
a word by him, sweetheart, to say
may come to you tonight. And add
the three short words l am so thirsty
to hear over and Overcome verb be
tween two pronouns-so that l can
kiss them all at once"
He raised his head, little flushed
and with eyes brilliant, lighted q
candle, sealed the letter with the ring
he wore and dispatched it.
Thereafter he sat looking into the
growing dusk, watching the pale
lamps Of the consultations deepen tc
green gilt against the lapis-lazuli Of
the sky, and listening to the insect
noises dulling into the woven chorus
of evening. Uncle Jefferson was LONG
in returning, and he grew impatient
finally and began to prowl through the
dusty corridors like leopard, then
to the front porch and finally to the
driveway, listening at every turn fol
the familiar slouching step.
When at length the old negro W
peared, Valiant took the note he
brought, his heart beating rapidly
and carried it hastily In to the candle
light. He did not open 1t at once, but
sat for full minute pressing 1t be
tween his palms as though to extract
from the delicate paper the beloved
thrill of her touch. His hand shool
slightly as he drew the folded leaves
from the envelope. How would 1t be
gin? my knight Of the Crimson
Rose" or Dear Gardener" (She hat
called him Gardener the day they hat
set out the roses) or perhaps ever
Sweetheart" 1t would not be long
only a mere Eyes" or "Come to me,
perhaps; yet even the shortest missivt
had its beginning and its ending.
He opened and read
For an instant he stared unbeliev
ingly. Then the paper cracked to {
ball in his clutched hand, and he made
a hoarse sound which was half cry
then sat perfectly still, his whole fact
shuddering What he crushed in hi
hand was no note of tender love
phrases; it was an abrupt dismissal
The staggering contretemps strucl
the color from his face and left every
nerve raw and quivering. To be moth
ing to her, as she could be nothing tt
him." He felt CHASTITY inclination tt
laugh. Nothing to her!
Presently, his brows frowning heav
lily, he spread out the crumpled papel
and reread 1t with bitter slowness
weighing each phrase. Something
which she had learned since she las
saw him, which lay between them.
She had not known 1t, then, last night
when they had kissed beside the sun
dial! She had loved him then! VIVA
could there be that thrust them irrev
ocably apart?
Without stopping to think Of thu
darkness or that the friendly doors o
the edifice would be closed, he caugh
up his hat and went swiftly down thu
drive to the road, along which h
plunged breathlessly. The blue star
spangled sky was now streaked will
clouds like faded orchids, and thu
shadows on the uneven ground unde
his hurried feet made him giddy
Through the din and hurly-burly Of hi
thoughts he was conscious of dimly
moving shapes across fences, thu
sweet breath Of cows, and negro pc
destrian who greeted him in passing
He was stricken suddenly with .tht
thought tnat Shirley was suffering
too. 1t seemed incredible that HI
should now be raging along countr!
road at nightfall to find somethin,
that SO horribly hurt them both.
It was almost dark-save for thu
starlight-when he saw the shadow o
the square ivy-grown spire rearing
stark from its huddle of foliage
against the blurred background. HI
pushed open the gate and went slowl!
up the worn path toward the grea
iron-bound and hooded door. Undel
the larches on either hand the outlines
Of the graYestones doomed pallidly