The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-27


before, and she wondered, in odd per.
piexity. how she could walk so long.
Cars, some of them quite empty.
passed her; once she had to stop to
let one go by. and before it faded
ahead, she realized that she had known
all the time that it would have taken
her to the very door.
At last she reached II; and she was
surprised when the door opened. for
she could not remember having pushed
the bell.
The maid, who had known her since
and through her childhood, stepped
back from her in surprise. But Miss
Dimmis did not attempt to resist her
mute inquiry-her soft brown hair
was snow-shrouded, her deep eyes,
bigger than ever and more pleading,
cried out for sympathy. her last
shred OF stamina was going in trying
to hold her slim young form erect.
Have they brought him back? In
he"
Unable to finish It, she smiled pa.
thetically. the faint smile of a tired,
heart-sick and bafned child.
Poor dear!''
Miss Dimmis did not hear II NOR
feel the arm which supported her. al.
most bore her, into the big living room.
before the fire.
Miss Travis said the maid will
see you very SOON.
In the deep silence. broken only by
the cracking glow, she looked about
her; his room, his chair, pushed back
where he had left it, only such a few
hours ago. to come to her!
On table at the end were his ma.
pers, an envelope addressed in his
strong, firm hand! She rose and
walked weakly to the desk. She had
his letters, but she wanted this too.
another thing which should freshly re-
call to her, through the dead future.
his bigness. his strength, the splendid,
manly vigor of the man. She raised
1t to her lips, DULY. then turned back.
In her absorption, she had not heard
the step which came down the hall; in.
deed, she had turned quite casually,
for If she had heard it, she would have
looked round with no expectation, in
her glance.
Yet, when she turned, her shaken
senses shook as from a blow, for he
was there before her, had sprung to
her and was holding her to him in his
arms: holding her, yes, he had even
raised her from the floor. MY child,
my Dimmis, my poor, tired, frightened,
shaken dear" And then, because 1t
was too much, she tainted quietly
away.
She awoke unwillingly, for what the
awakening must bring, and before she
could speak. her hands were busy with
his hands. his face. his hair.
What was It? What did 1t mean?
Then for she thought that she too was
dead, she smiled.
1t was then with no negative force
and passion that John Travis spoke,
not questioning, for he knew her in
his love; but soothing her. in the way
he had always longed to, until strength
should come back and let her tell her
story as she would.
She told 1t, told Of the paper, the
the story of the wreck, OF
his name there in the list of those
found dead. told of her daring then to
come to him to tell all that, in his
life, she had fought back for the sake
Of the career. told even of the letter
which had come just before he came.
AS he listened, Travis passed
through 1t with her, with face which
broke with love and glowed with fire.
Il thought you were dead" said
Dimmis. And l came to tell you"
and her face went back on his wide
shoulder, as she finished-"of my
love-"
1t was very short, his story An &C.
exchange Of overcoats with
another at the hotel, and his taking
! later train, after a vain effort to find
he other man.
$50 1t was not you," she said, for,
IN his strength. she had let hers go |
Utterly.
NO." said John Travis. mo, dear
,st, for have just begun to live!"