Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-05-21
A Forgotten
Promise
How It Was Recalled.
By REINETTE LOVEWELL
Copyright by f. A. Munsey Co.

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Mrs. Fairbanks pushed aside screen
and revealed a small safe. The light
from the shaded library lamp fell upon
her bare shoulders as she bent toward
It, resting n hand on the black metal.
'In there" she said to Crawford, sis
$4,000"
She paused.
an shape l can convert into mon
ey," she added after moment.
The man stood a few feet away,
leaning against the mantel, and not by
the slightest movement did he betray
that he heard her.
"Oh, Bob, what Is the useT she
pleaded. This house Is just a prison
cell for me-" The last words were al
most Il sob.
THAT money Is as much mine as
his" she went ON deaantly. "He got
1t away from other people, and why
shouldn't take 1t from himT
"He is your husband" Crawford said
slowly.
"My husbandw the woman returned,
SO bitterly that an ugly shadow seemed
to mar her face. She made a cropping
gesture with her outstretched hands.
yes, he Is my husbandr'
She paused, and her lips moved scorn-
fully.
"He gives me all the things l want"
she went on. "Fm tho envy of the
neighbors I've everything money can
buy.
Bob" she whispered, "the only real
feeling I've ever had from anybody IL
what you've given me since that time
you picked me up in tho park and
brought me home for dead"
She paused and drew in her breath
with n quick sob
81 want another chance to live a
oh, real life-to get away from all
this. Somehow l can't help feeling
that we just had TO meet as we did"
Her head, with its weight Of shining
hair, dropped down upon the table, her
chest resting against the leather skin
WHICH cONeTeu IL.
1--WE felt just like a show window
dummy" she ended brokenly. II need
something to make me over into
woman"
a map and spread before him the out
line OF the north coast of Massachu-
sets.
81 know every inch of the way from
Boston," she said, with an alert deci-
sion that surprised the man she tempt
ed, "and up there"-she put her finger
on an irregular projection-"is where
Captain Zeb has his old whaleboat.
He's the biggest old miser over you
saw, and know for hundred dollars
he'll take us out and keep US out weeks
II we want Well take the car part
way and brlbe II man to bring II back
and leave 1t. Oh, It is easy enoughI"
Crawford tipped his head back upon
the leather cushions OF the chair in
which ho sat and closed his eyes,
drawing his hand across them YEARLY.
"Yes, it's easy enough" he repeated
slowly.
He was thinking Of the last ten
years Of his life, the years between If
teen and twenty-five. Hard years they
had been, spent In struggle and pow
erty, with always tho tOrturing desire
to brenk away into strange new lands
OF promise.
He remembered tho october day that
he had dropped on a bench In tho park,
determined to get into something, any
thing which would rid him Of the plod-
ding pace he had trod 10 long. The hoof
beats of n horse striking the road with
terrific speed had startled him, and a
moment later Mrs. Fairbanks had been
pitched into pile Of red, rustling
leaves ut his very feet.
From that hour TO the present mo
ment her fascination had seemed to be
beyond his power Of resistance, and In
her presence Crawford felt himself be-
coming the man he Ind long wanted
to be. The whole change In his life In
both business and social connections
he owed 10 the circumstance which
had thrown their lives together.
Lying there In the great chair, with
his eyes closed, he recalled his first
meeting with John Fairbanks. There
came TO his mind his invitation 10
make himself at home about the great
house.
"Pm almost never there" the older
nmuse Mrs. Fairbanks"
This Crawford had done. He had
learned 10 drive her automobile, and
almost every hour that no was free he
spent In her company.
The silent man Mt tho head OF tho
household. with his strange indifre-
ence. had remained n mystery 10 Craw-
ford Selfish and sordid no might be,
but some way
Mrs. Fairbanks reached over and
touched his sleeve.
awake up, Bob" she said with a
little shake. Lets plan some more
Twenty four hours later Crawford
guided the Fairbanks car out from the
city, far down the sound. The woman
Mt his side laughed Joyfully as ho In
creased his speed at times. and the car
shot noiselessly forward down the OIL
ed rondways.
The cOttaglon Of her happiness In
fectrd him A childlike abandon seem
ed TO possess his companion, and she
caught Mt the leaves Of close growing
b,,ak,. ana NnaonJ thor, a. tla <oa.