Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1916-07-27
- = 80
ENLBERS
They Reliehted a
Flame of Love
By cLAR1ssA MAcKIE

Paula F'eatnerStOn was creature
Of impulse. She had accepted her hus-
band on impulse and married him on
impulse. Before the honeymoon had
waned she decided that she had made
a mistake Dick Featherston was q
serious, matter of fact fellow with
strong Will. He never allowed his
heart to run away with his head. Ii
his wife was In error and he was sure
she was In error he refused to con-
dene the error.
Then, too, Dick was a different man
socially from those to whom Paula had
been accustomed. BE was not dane
ing man; he was not social leader;
he was just plain Dick Featherston,
with not ray Of glitter in his make
up. When Paula had introduced him
TO one Of her society friends the young
woman said to her, mot at all the
kind Of person supposed you would
marry"
Within few years after the mar
riage Of Dick and Paula there came a
definite result to Paula's dissatisfaction
with her husband. Denis Brown was
exactly the kind of man her friends
supposed she would marry. He was
q cotillion leader, club man, lady
killer. Denis saw that all was not
right between Paula and her husband.
He began by feeling pride in being
favored by married woman. But he
did not stop here. He persuaded Paula
to leave her husband and child and 60
away with him.
The clippers were to meet near Dick
Featherston's summer cottage by the
sea. Paula started with wildly
beating heart. The journey seemed
too short. When the train drew into
the little station she paused for an in
slant on the platform and then ran
down the steps to the highway which
curved sharply away toward the sea.
Down vista of golden hued naples
she saw the blue water and the curl
ing white crested waves. 1t was Octo-
Der, and all of the summer cottages
were closed There was an air of
the bare verandas The wind was
keen and there was pungent smell of
bayberries from the sandy bluffs that
ran down to the beach.
Mrs. Featherston passed beyond the
last small cottage and rounded jut-
ting point of land to turn into cob
blestone gateway that led to more
. lawns dappled with brilliant autumn
leaves, and back Of the house was 8
garage, but there was evidence that
the place had been long untenanted.
Paula Featherston inserted key In
the front door and rather hesitated
ut the gust Of musty air that rushed
out as the sea breeze swept in.
When she had closed the door and
stood within the silent house she hest
tated again.
The dear familiarity of the hal
struck some answering cord in hel
heart She WINGED as she turned ava!
and passed through the various rooms
where the furniture was swathed IL
ghostly linen. Before one closed doc
she paused and then passed on.
1t was her husbands library.
It was useless to enter there VIVA
she had come after was upstairs in he
own boudoir. If she was to meet Deni
Brown at the end Of the beach roa,
she must hasten.
In her boudoir she sat down befor
the little satinwood writing desk an,
unlocked it. 1t was growing late, an
the room was quite dark. She wen
to the window and unfastened shut
ter 1t banged in the wind, and he
fair hair was tossed into disorder be
fore she finally fixed the catch an
closed the sash.
She went back to the desk and oper
ed secret drawer which was stuffe
full Of letters. These she carried t
the hearth and heaped into little pyr
and touched match to 1t. The blu
smoke curled spirally upward; the
the papers burst into sudden flame.
Words stood out clearly here an
there, brief messages out of the pas
written in letters of fire.
1.-THE moments have been hours an
the hours days. My dearest swee
heart be careful of yourself. If any
thing should happen Tomorrow
shall call you wife-my darling wifev'
With furry the last letter shot u
the chimney a black, charred thins
dead, like their happiness. That wa
always the way when one expected to
much of life. and Dick had been disaI
pointing He had curbed her in every
thing. No wonder she had rebelled
She tried to laugh as she remembel
ed her absurd happiness that evenin
when they arrived at Seaways to spen
their honeymoon. They had mad
much ceremony about lighting til
hearth fire in the library, and Dick ha
recited the Hanging of the Crane" a
they sat on the settle and watched tn
flames. Every year after that they ha
spent few months at Seaways unit
last year, when the break came. Sine
.l,z u.