Putnam patriot., 1916-12-08

Y
| and yersed in the ways Nt' 4'4e
| this was to be Philip $.
che told herself that On her twenty
| eighth birthday. when she STOOD oe
| fore her mirror and saw that youth
u,as gune And tLen for the hrss
time she yielded to fear ana Una
| growing sense of desolation thal was
| always with her now.
If he does not arrive when am
| thirty / shall go to him, she saiu "
! her reflection. Then, very softly
| shall go to SEQ what sort of woman ne
| mas married"
Two years later a woman, wen
| dressed, yet with an air OF strange
ness. stood in the Office OF the IL
sijrspce company and asked for MI.
Halsey.
The manager looked at her strange
1 ~. He has gone; he lett US last
year, he told aer.
Where can ind him. asked the
woman.
The manager parted her question
Are you a friend Of his2' ne asked
"An CID friend. said Lily OF tA9
Valley.
Use manager looked at her IN sur
prise. Halsey's friends had not been
OF this kind. for the most part
Lily looked at hin with an in
tensity that disconnected him. II ne
is dead she whispered. tell me SO.
Don't Keep me in uncertainty out OF
kindness. If he is dead it is better
that | should know"
He is not dead, said the mana
ger.
You know where be is?" asked
Lily.
He could not lie to eyes like those.
Yes, | know where he u.s. he an
swered.
Tell me, then. Never mind what
the truth is-tell me. Is he ill?"
He is in the penitentiary for forg-
ing a check said the manager. He
was sentenced to serve five years. 1t
will be at least three before he is
set free. But perhaps you will be
able to get a perlit to see him. he
added kindly.
Lily of the Valley went back to her
farm There she worked three years
longer At thirty-three she had streaks
of gray in her hair; her beauty lin
gered, but it was no longer the wild
ana elusive beauty of her youth. Lite
had come home to her at last.
On the day Of the expiration of Hal
seys sentence the warden informed
him that a woman was waiting to see
him.
Halsey, man of thirty-eight, shifty-
eyed, gray-haired, bearing not only the
prison stamp. but also the indelible
stamp OF the life that he had previ-
ously led, locked at the warden in
horror.
NO! Tell her l won't see her!" he
cried. None OF them stood by me
when l was in the tolls. None of
those on whom | had lavished money
came forward with a cent to aid
me-
This woman looks different" said
the warden compassionately.
q won't see her" said Halsey.
He strobe out iato the free air
in his cheap suit of blue, prison-mads.
like himself. Ia his pocket was $50.
He had long ago made up his mind
what he was going to do when be
cane cUt. He was going to pull off
job with Slim Joe, a prison pal, who
had been released a week before. It
was daring forgers game. Joe was
TO meet him at little stopping place
20 miles ont along the line.
Haisey was utterly unconscious Of
the woman who. having followed him,
not daring co speak, but watching over
him like his good angel. She stepped
aboard the car that carried him to
tho place
she get out when he did. The lit
tie settlement had become a village.
There were plenty of passengers
There was so much change that it
was a shock as Halsey looked up and
saw the mountain down which he had
fallen. now dotted with vineyards and
fertile fields.
Then his friend came forward and
took his arm. Phil, old boy!' he said
softly.
Halsey stretched out his hand to
clasp his friend 5. At that moment
the woman was quite near him. She
locked into Slim Joe eyes and saw
rejected IN those shifty mirrors all
that life had taught her to fear.
It was her hand that fell between
theirs. Halsey spun round and stared
at her. He staggered back Ecredu-
lously. YOU" he gasped. You!
Lily"
81 have come to take you homa.
dear" said Lily Of the Valley.