The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1914-06-16

face was r3cklng 70 ana ITO silently,
and old Je.r. boamis head was bowed
on his breast. Valiant went quickly
to the rearIof the hall. A painful en-
had come to him-a curl
GUS confusion mingling with fastidI-
ous sense Of shrinking. How should
he meet this woman who recoiled from
the very sight of hie face? In the
swiftness of the tragic event he had
forgotten this. From the background
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-
beam lifted his head and looked at her
pireously.
+ aReck'n Mars Monty cyan see ole
Jerry now" he quayered, but yo'-ail
glib him nah love, Mis- Judith, and tell
him" His voice broke.
Eyes, yes, Jerry, 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 no 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
youi"
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 30 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.
i NO COlAO ~ InO P1cCCs
She looked at him whitley. Monty,
Monty!" she cried. Don't leave me
this way! I always thought"
He guessed what she would have
said. Heaven kno~s you're needed
more than me, Judith. After all, l
reckon when my time had to come I'd
have chosen the quick way" His
voice trailed out and he struggled for
breath.
"Jerry's in the hail, Monty. He asked
me to give you his love-"
Poor old niger! He-used to tote
me on his back when J. was little
shaver" There was a silence. Don't
kneel, Judith" he said at length you
will be so tired"
She rose obediently and drew up q
chair. Monty" she faltered tremu-
lousy, shall say prayer? I've new
er prayed much-my prayers never
seemed to get above the ceiling, some
how. But T'll-try."
He smiled wanly. 81 wouldn't want
any better than yours, Judith. But
seems as If I'd been prayed over
enough. / reckon God Almighty's like
anybody else, and doesn't want to be
ding-donged all the time"
He seemed to have been gathering
his resolution, and presently his hand
fumbled over his breast. my wallet;
give it to me-" She drew it from the
pocket and the uncertain fingers tool
out key. sit opens a tin box in my
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 one Valiant gave me for you-tha
morning, after the duel. l never gave
it to you"
If she had been white before, sht
grew like marble now. Her slim fin
gers clutched the little cane till it rat
tied against the chair, and the lace a
her throat shook with her breathing
yes Monty"
He lifted his hand with difficulty ant
put the key into hers. 1.-THE seals still
unbroken, Judith" he said, 'but Pv'
kept it these thirty years."
She was holding the key in he
hands, looking down upon it. Their
was a strained half-fearful wonder il
her face. For an instant she SCENE,
quite to have forgotten him in tn
grip of some swift and painful emo
/ ton.
4 81 loved you, Judith" he STAN
mered in anguished appeal. 'Fror
the time we we're boy and girl togett
er, loved you. You never cared 70
me-Sassoon and Valiant had the IL
side track. You might have loved me
but had no chance with either @
them. Then came the duel. There wa
only Valiant then. l overheard hi
promise to you that night, Judith. H
had broken that! If you cared NOR
for him than for Sassoon, you Nigh
have forgiven him, and should hav
lost you! I didn't want you to ca
him back, Judith! 1 wanted m
chance! And SOL took it. That's
the reason. dear. lists a bad on,
int It'll"
A SILVER went over her set face
like breath of wind over tall gras
and she seemed to come back from a
infinite distance to place and momen
Between the curtains white butte
t1y lowered an instant, and in the var
she heard the sound Of some winge
thing fiuttering. The thought darte
to her that it was the sound Of he
own dead heart awaking. She locke
at the key and all at once put a han
} to her mouth as though to still wore
clamoring there.
Judith" he said TREMENDOUSLY. b
, tween short struggles for breath, "a