Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-03-26
cared for him. At the risk of his life

SoiCu lOf uIm. AT the ElSk OF us lke
he had brought him out to the coast.
Egbert Warden came home two
days later to receive a glad loving
welcome He had one constant theme
the sterling courage and devotion
of Clyde Merrief. He told of the
strangely silent yet resolute bravery
of the stranger who had confronted
innumerable peri1s because-because
of Anita! What else?
Anita wrote to the invalid in the
hospital. She could not wait to thank
him in person. She could not but
show her interest in the man as in
MS heroic deeds. He responded by
letter modestly. unassumingly. Her
father wrote, too, asking Clyde to
come to them, offering him half his
fortune for what he had done.
1t was real love with Anita. The
picture of the strong resolute-faced
hero was constantly before her minds
vision. His deeds had gloriied him in
her estimation. Then a few days later
there came a shock that FRUSTRATED
her.
A woman, bold, vicious, determined,
came to the house one day. She asked
for Clyde Merriel. Her manner dis.
turbed Anita and she demanded to
know her business with him.
He is my husband" was the grim
reply, and the woman produced a
marriage certificate evidencing a mar
riage between Clyde Merrfei and Eva
Lind, two years previous.
Weary days followed, then illness,
Anita was heartbroken. She shut her
self in her room and would see no.
body but Mary Deane. When Clyde
Merriel left the hospital and returned
to his friends, there was a meeting
with Mr.. Warden, an offer of an I'M
limited reward, which was proudly re
fused, and Clyde did not see Anita
She dared not trHst herself in the
presence of the man she loved.
And Clyde-all that had inspired
his ~intrepidity and sacrifice had been
a thought of the unspoken promise in
the eyes of Anita Warden when he
had started out on his perilous jour
ney. :
On his return trip from Alaska
Clyde had come across a rich mining
claim. He had sold it for a liberia
sum. He was able to care for his
friends now. They told him of the
visit of a woman, Eva Lind, durins
his absence. 1t set him to thinking
She had indicated her address in an
other city. sThither he went ant
found her.
you are Eva Lind" he said. AN
1 am Clyde Merriel."
your" cried the woman. mo
Clyde Merriel is my husband"
"You mistake" declared Clyde. !"
will tell you a story"
It was brief. He who had ever sac
rifed himself for others, had learne'
that a reckless friend had Marie
under his name. The friend had sool
repented of his act and had left hi
wife. Later he had died. Clyde cor
WINGED the woman of the truth of hi
statement. He learned from her tina
she had visited Miss Warden.
Wrong enough has been done a
ready, said the woman. I shal
write to this Miss Warden the truth.
Clyde Merriel, poet, writer and wal
derer, sat completing a trave- articl
one week later, when some one Ell
tered the room.
It was Anita. She was pale, br
lovely as v Her yes bore
wearied expression, but in thei
depths was the returning light
courage.
IT have been i'll" she faltered. :
am better now, and | have come q
last to thank you
He could read what had transpire
4 in her expressive face. He could hoI
in the light of the tender gratitud
she tried to tell him of.
"The day I left you," he said stea
lily, 81 had but one wish-that yo
would think of me when l was away
Every moment" she futtered. an
.whisperingly, "Oh!"-and there ST
dropped her head, but not Until tt
unspoken promise of the past We
clearly emphasized as a living Toxic
of the present.
Copyright, 1915, by W. G. Chapman-)