The state herald., 1915-08-13


she came running with her old feet
grace down to the road.
Samson had vaulted the stile and
stood in the full moonlight. As he
saw her coming he stretched out his
arms and his voice b7oke from his
throat in half-hoarse. passionate cry:
"Sally!"
It was the only word he could have
spoken Just then. but 1t was all that
was necessary. 1t told her everything.
For time there was no speech. but
to each Of them 1t seemed that their
tumultuous heartbeating must sound
above the night music. and the teleg.
raphy of heartbeats tells enough.
But they had much to say to each
other. and. finally. Samson broke the
silence:
"Did ye think ! wasn't a-coming
back. Sally?" he questioned, softly. At
that moment he had no realization
that his tongue had ever fashioned
smoother phrases. And she, too. who
had been making war on crude idioms.
| loTsot, aS bne answered.
"Ye done said ye was comm" Then
she added happy lie: II knowed
plumb shore ye'd do hit"
After while she drew away and
said, slowly:
Samson, I've done ker: the old
rifle-gun ready fer ye. Ye said ye'd
need 1t bad when ye come back, an
I've took care Of it."
She stood there holding 1t, and her
voice dropped almost to a whisper as
she added:
ITS been a lot of comfort to me
sometimes. because it was your'n. I
knew II ye stopped keerin' fer me ye
wouldn't let me keep tan as long
as I had It l." She bro'-e of, and
the fingers OF one hand touched the
weapon caressingly.
After . long while they found time
for the less wonderful things.
Il got your letter" he said. seriously.
and I came at once" As he began
to speak Of concrete facts he dropped
again into ordinary English and did
not know that he had changed bis
manner OF speech.
For an instant Sally looked up into
his face. then with a sudden laugh,
she informed him:
81 can say isn't instead OF 'hain't.'
too How did you like my writing"
He held her of at arms length. and
looked at her pridefully. but under his
gaze her eyes fell and her face flushed
with a sudden difiidence and a new
shyness of realization. She wore
calico dress. but at her throat was
soft little bow OF ribbon. She was
no longer the totally unself-conscious
wood nymph, though as natural and in.
stinctive as In other days. Suddenly
she drew away from him n little, and
her hands went slowly to her breast
and rested there. She was fronting
n great crisis. but, In the first flush OF
Joy she had forgotten II. She had
.snt lonely nights struggling for rudi.
ments; she had sought and fought to
refashion herself. so that. II he came.
|
now he had come and. with terrible
clarity and distinctness, she realized
how pitifully little she had been able
to accomplish. Would she pass mus.
ter? She stood there before him,
frightened, self-conscious and palpi-
tating. then her voice came in a wh.s
per:
Samson. dear. I'm not holdin' you
to any promise. Those things we said
we're a long time back. Maybe we'd
better forget EN- now and begin all
over again"
But again he crushed her In his
arms and his voice rose triumphantly:
Sally. have no promises to take
back, and you have made none that
I'm ever going to let you take back
not while life lasts!"
Her laugh was the delicious music
OF happiness
II don't want to take them back"
she said Then. suddenly. she added.
Importantly: Il wear shoes and stock.
ings now. and I've boen to school III.
tiu. IN uWtuiiy hWiuhy ikhoihhhs
Samson. but I've started. and ! reckon
you can teach me-
His voice choked. Then. her hands
strayed up. and ciasped themselves
about his head.
"oh. Samson" she cried. m though
someone had struck her. you've cut
yore ha'r."
1T will grow again." ho laughed.
But he wished that hc had not had to
r.ake that excuse Then. being hon
est. hs told her all about Adr'"nne Les
cott-even about how. after .s be-
licved that he had been outcast by his
uncle and herself. he had had his mo-
ments Of doubt. Now that II was all so
elear. now that there could never bc
doubt. he wanted the woman who had
been 30 true friend TO know the girl
whom he loved. He loved them both.
but was In love with orly one. He
wanted to present to Sally tho friend
who had made him. and to the friend