Bridgeton pioneer., 1916-11-30

lost it somewhere from his pocket He
recalled old boyish days and a GER.
tain low window at the rear Of the
house. Royce started around the wing.
Then he halted in sheer amazement
He had never known its upper room
to be occupied. 1t had been kept al
ways locked up. 1t was occupied now.
A shade at an open window was flut-
tering in the strong night breeze and
he could see plainly into the lighted
room beyond.
A remarkable picture met his per-
picked vision. His aunt sat in the
center of the room. She was arrayed
In the garb Of bride. Veil, wreath,
dress, filmy, almost eerie-like, she was
garbed as If for wedding ceremony.
Except that the delicate. filaments of
apparel were old, yellow, in places
frayed out and torn, she might be a
bride awaiting the call to the altar.
She sat rigid, though graceful, her
set sad eyes, her whole pose one of
expectancy, as though each moment
she anticipated the arrival of her
bridesmaids. Then the curtain tapped
close and the strange startling pic
ture was shut from view.. Royce
rubbed his eyes, he marveled. He
reached his room by the old surrepti-
tious route. Then he lay awake, CROP
ing yainly in his mind for key to
this uncanny mystery.
His aunt greeted him at the table
next morning, her old gracious, kind
ly self. She was still beautiful wom-
an, under forty, and not a trace of her
face that she had been keeping q
weary vigil that surely commemorated
some vivid event in the long gone past.
And for the first time that afternoon
Royce learned Of the romance in the
life Of his aunt. Ten years ago she
had been engaged to man named
Rolfe Gregory. The marriage day was
set, the evening arrived. She was all
ready for the ceremony when note
came from Gregory. He bade her
farewell forever-he could not marry
her. He would love her to the end Of
life, but a great barrier had been
raised against all future happiness.
And Aunt Marcia still loved her re-
creant lover, thus Royce reasoned, else
why this annual vigil, remindful Of
the expectedly most happy moment Of
her life? Royce began an investiga-
ton. He located Rolfe Gregory in a
city five hundred miles away. He de-
voted the money Aunt Marcia had
given him to ferreting out this man.
Royce found Rolfe Gregory leading
lonely bachelor life, sad, cheerless
man of forty. He formed his acquaint-
ance, he learned his secrets.
On the eve of his wedding his father
was confronted with prosecution for
fraud in his business. In no way could
it be averted save through money. In
no way could the money be secured
except through Gregory's marriage to
an heiress who loved him. He made
the sacrifice, his wife lived two years.
Since then he had lived hermit life
existence, ashamed to seek again the
only woman he had ever loved.
"There is someone to see you in
the parlor, Aunt Marcia" Royce said
one day, "a broken, penitent man with
sad, sad story to tell. You win
listen to it?" ~
"Is it Rolfe Gregory7' she spoke,
and sweetly, patiently.
"Yes, Aunt Marcia"
II knew he would come back to me
in time." she said simply.
He had come back-to remain.
Their tears mingled and then their
kisses. Time had not soured them.
1t had mellowed them, had made them
patient and forgiving, and future
lowered.
1t was a future hallowed by another
issue: the regeneration Of Royce Liv-
ingston. He had done grand act in
bringing those two starving souls to-
gether, and, somehow, a new ambition
and manlier impulses came into his
young life.