The Tupelo journal., 1915-10-08

nouncement chat he was about to re-
turn to America.
The return voyage seemed endless to
Edgerton, SO eager was he to meet his
fancee and the little girl to whom he
was to be q father. He pictured him
self aking his ease In his w house,
surrounded by his family. The loneli-
ness Of a bachelor life in a foreign
country was now to be a thing Of the
past.
Edgerton was the first passenger to
step ashore at San FranlWcO. and
within an hour after landing he was
speeding eastward on a railway train.
The day and hour Of his arrival was
known to Mrs. Pomeroy, and Edger-
ton expected that she would meet him
at the station. His Impotence to see
her caused him to hope that she would.
but his aversion to the public witness
ing their meeting caused him to hope
that she would not.
She did not appear. Calling a con-
veyance, he drove to her home. A
maid opened the door for him. and SO
sure was he that his fiancee would do
SO hat he came near throwing his
arms around the maid. lie was ush-
cred into a drawing room somewhat
dimly lighted, but there was no one
there. In a few minutes. hearing a
light step on the staircase. he APP
preached the door and stood waiting.
A woman entered the room. and he
caught her in his arms.
She submitted to the embrace. but
did not return it.
You are as you were when we part
ed he said in a disappointed tone
You were then without warmth, and
you are without it now. / wonder how
you could have been true to m all
these years"
Standing off from her, he was aston
ished to see one who looked not a day
older than when he had left her.
upon my word he exclaimed joy
fully. you have not changed in the
least! 1t is marvellous how you have
retained your youth. l feel almost too
old for you"
Now for the first time the lady ven
tured to speak, but she spoke not as
q widow of mature age; she was rath-
er a coy young girl. She haltingly told
him that he said what he did In order
to f1atter her. whereupon he vowed
that he spoke the truth. and be en-
braced her again.
SA-l rD-yp hn cofd rnloa o1nO hor
where is baby? l must see her at
once"
"You forget that baby is no longer
baby; she is a schoolgirl"
Where is she?"
"Why, she is at school,"
"At school! Not here to welcome
her papa? But she will return pres
ently?"
"She Is at a boarding school some
distance from here" This was said
falteringly as a falsehood would be
spoken.
Surely you are deceiving me. 1t
cannot be that
CLARA is well; nothing has happened
to her"
"ClaraT"
"Of course. Have you forgotten that
her name and mine are the same?"
'Oh! l have always been accustom-
ed to think Of her as baby For my
life l cannot understand how you can
have preserved your youth. Are you
sure that no rouge
mot a particle"
Surely by this time you should
have a few faint lines around your
eyes. l see no trace of age whatso-
ever. Your lips are as red as they
were when l last kissed them"
And he kissed them again.
but why he continued. do you
welcome me in this dim light?"
Perhaps when you see me in a
brighter one you may see what age
has done for me-"
AS she spoke lights were turned on
from another part Of the house. and a
woman entered the drawing
whom Edgerton did not remember to
have seen before.
my mother" said Clara Pomeroy.
Happy to meet you. madam" said
Edgerton, bowling. Then, turning to
Clara: "'Your mother! Why. / suppos-
ed your mother
<"Hughv said the lady who had en-
tered.
Edgerton started. He looked again
at Clara's mother, and there came to
him a feeling that he had made a
grave mistake. He turned from her to
the daughter. Under the brighter light
he saw that she could not be more
than twenty. Turning again to the
mother. he recognized his fancee Of
sixteen years ago turned into a woman
who. though not quite forty. looked at
least fifty. Her hair was white. her
skin was wrinkled, her neck under her
hin was shriveled.
II am Clara" she said. "and that Is
Baby When you went away l did
not believe that on your return l would
49,