, 1915-10-21

70"
onoe on the Red Road, She Let Him
Have His VIII.
flung itself b~lindingly across the dark,
Illuminating like a flare of summer
lightning the patch of highway and
the rider. Valiant, staring, had an In
stant's vision of a streaming cloak, of
a girls face, set in a tawny swirl of
Ioosened hair. With a cry that was
/ lost In the shrek of escaping steam,
he dragged his ~plunging horse around
and the white blaze swept him also, as
the rider pulled down at his side.
You'll" he cried. He leaned and
caught the slim hands grlpped on the
bride, shaking now. "You!"
The dazzling brightness had gone
by, and the air was full of the groan-
ing of the brakes as the long line Of
darkened sleepers ~shuddered to Its
enforced stop. "Johnl"- He heard
the sweet wliu cry pierce through the
tumble of noises, and something in 1t
set his blood running molten through
his veins. 1t held an agony of relief,
of shame and OF appeal. John .
John!"
And knowing suddenly, though not
how or why, that all barriers were
swept away, his arms went out and
around her, and in the shadow of the
lonely little station, they two, in their
saddles, chung INT swayed together
with clasping hands and broken words,
while the train, breathing heavily for
a %resentful second, shrieked itself
away into the night, and left only the
fragrance from the misty fields. the
crowding silence and the sprinkling
stars.
The breeze had risen and was
blowing the mist away as they went
back along the road. A faint light
was lifting. forerunner of the moon.
They rode side by side, and to the
slow gait of the horses, touching noses
in low whinnyings of equine comrade-
ship, by the faint glamour they gazed
into each others faces. The adorable
tweedy roughness of his shoulder
thrilled her cheek.
.. And you were going away.
Yes, yes, l know. 1t was m fault.
misunderstood. Forgive
mel"
He kissed her hand. AS II there
were anything to forgive! Do you
remember in the woods, sweetheart.
the day it rained? What a brute l
was-to fight sol And all the time |
wanted to take you in my arms like q
little hurt child. :"
She turned toward him. "Oh, |
wanted you to fight! Even though
1t was no use. l had given up, but
your strength comforted me. To have
you surrender, too"
1T was your face in the church
yard" he told her. How pale and
worn you looked! It came to me
then for the first time how horribly
selfish 1t would be to stay-how much
easier going would make It for you"
And to think that It was
Mad Anthony-Did the clock really
strike thirteen, do you think? Or did
l fancy it?"
why question it?" he said. 81 be.
lieve in mysteries. The greatest mys.
terry of all is that you should love
me. l doubt no miracle hereafter,
Dearest, dearest!"
At the entrance of the cherry lane.
he fastened his horse to the hedge,
and noiselessly let down the pasture.
bars for her golden chestnut. When
he came back to where she stood wait.
ing on the edge of the lawn. the late
moon, golden-vestured, was Just show,
ing above the rim of the hills, paint,
ing h deep soft blueness of the Vir
ginian night with a translucence as
pure as prayer. Above the fallen hood
of her cloak her hair shone like a MIN
bus, and the loveliness of her face
made him catch his breath for tn,
wonderfulness of 1t.
AS they stood heavened in eacl
others arms, heart beating agains
heart, and the whole world throbbin,
to joy, the nightingale beyond the ar
bors began to bubble and thrill il
unimaginable melody. 1t came t,
them like the voice of the magica
r~ose-scented night itself, set to tn,
wordless music of the silver leaves
1t rose and swelled exultant to breal
and die in a cascade of golden notes
But in their hearts was the son
that is fadeless, immortal.
THE END.