The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1914-12-26

| motto for each ieat 1Ouay IL lllS
Every man carries his fate on rib
and about his neck Last night
would have smiled at that, perhaps
/ today say to myself. It's true-it''
true!' Two little hours ago | coult
| have sworn that whatever happened
to me Sassoon would suffer no harm
Judith. ! could not avoid the meet
ing. You will know the circum
stances, and will see that 1t was forced
upon me. But though we met on the
field. kept my promise Sassoon die
not fall by my hand"
She had begun to tremble so that
the paper shook In her hands, and
from her breast, shattered by her
quick breathing, the brown jessamine
petals busted down In her lap. II was
some moments before she could cain
herself sufficiently to read on.
"He fired at the signal and the shot
went wide. threw my pistol on the
ground. Then-whethei maddened by
my refusal to fire, | cannot tell-he
turned his weapon all at once and shot
himself through the breast. II was
over In an instant. The seconds did
not guess-do not even now, for II
happened but an hour ago. As the
code DEGREES. their backs were turned
when the shots were fired. But there
were circumstances | cannot touch
upon to you which made them disap.
which made my facing him
just then seem unchivalrous. saw
1t In Brlstow's face, and liked him the
better for II, even while II touched
my pride. They could not know. Of
course. that ! did not intend to fire.
Well, you and they will know II now
And Brlstow has my pistol; he will
find 1t undscharged 80 thank God.
thank God!
But will that matter to you? If
you loved Sassoon. | shall always In
your mind stand as the indirect cause
Of his death! II is for this reason
am going away could not bear to
look in your accusing eyes and hear
you say II. Nor could bear to stay
here, reminder to you of such a
horror. If you love me. you will write
and call me back to you Oh, Ju-
dith. Judith. my own dear love-. |
pray God you Wilt"
She put the letter down and laid
her face upon 1t. Beauty Beauty"
she whispered. dry-eyed. Il never
knew! ! never knew! But II would
have made no difference. darling. I
would have forgiven you anythi 4g-
everything You know that, now.
dear! You have been certain OF IL all
these years that have been so empty.
empty to mel"
But when the faded rose-colored
gown and the poor time-yellowed slip
pers had been laid back In the hair.
cloth trunk: when her door once more
unbolted, she lay in her bed In the dim
glow OF the reading-lamp. with her
curling silyery hair drifting across the
pillow and the letter beneath Il, at
last the tears came coursing down her
cheeks.
And with the loosening OF her tears,
gradually and softly came joy-lnfi.
nitely deeper than the anguish and
sense OF betrayal. II poured upon her
like a trembling food. Long, long ago
he had gone out OF the world-it was
only his memory that counted to her.
Now that could no longer spell pain
or emptiness or denial. II was engold.
ened by new light. and in that light
she would walk gently and smilingly
to the end.
She found the slender golden chain
that hung about her neck and opened
the little black locket with its circlet
OF laureled pearls And as she gazed at
the face 1t held, which time had not
touched with change. the so-nd OF
Shirley's harp came softly In through
the window, She was playing an old
fashioned song OF the sort she knew
her mother loved best.
Darling. | am growing old.
SILVER threads among the gold
SHINE upon my brow today.
Life Is fading fast away.
But, my darling. you viii be
Always young and fair to me.
Outside the leaves rustled, the birds
called and the crickets sang their un
ending epithalamia OF summer nights
and on this tone-background the mel
ody rose tenderly and lingerlngly like
haunting perfume OF pressed flowers
She smiled and lifted the locket to her
lace. whispering the words OF the re
frain
Yes. my darling. you win be
Always young and fair to me!
ne smile was still on her lips wher
she iell asleep, and the little locke
still lay in her fingers.
CHAPTER XXxIV.