The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1916-01-28
IN WlNIFRED'S NAME

BY ELLIS GRAHAM.

10 ler. he mao written 10 leT from
| San Francisco the day before he
sailed, and Dot had listened to the
letter as she had to with every new
correspondent of her roommate. But
there was something about the letter
that held her-an underlying faith in
things, a sense of humor, something
that told the real man behind the
pen.
Il won't answer it," Winifred had
said, airily. He's too dignified and
slow, Dot"
oh, you must answer it. He u.
poets that. Wait, I'll do it for you"
You old dear thing" Winifred
laughed over at her. You eve write
to any boys at all. Go ahead. He's
perfectly safe, bound for Australia,
and l don't mind. Hold a star up for
him to see his way by and tell him
to cheer up"
But Dot had answered the letter
In her own way, and it had started a
correspondence that had slipped out
Of her reach and control before a
year had passed. Now he was back,
and in the letter she had received the
day before he told her it was her let.
ters that had drawn him over tho
seas to her, and she must fulfill all
they meant to him.
The evening a rather cool. Clad
In a white wooden dress, with white
sweater and no hat, she watched from
the veranda until she saw a figure
start across the green from the street;
then she went to meet him. Oh, yes:
it was he. She knew him in an in.
slant from his picture, and she went
straight toward him without compro-
mise.
You are Mr.. Gould, aren't you?"
She gave him a firm hand clasp. g"
am Winifred's best friend, and she has
gone to Old Point Comfort. Won't
you visit with me awhile? am Doro-
thy Page"
Up on the veranda they sat, while
she listened to him talk Of the voy-
age and trip over the continent.
Couldn't he guess at all of how her
pulses we're beating, how she was
trying to keep her nerve still and lis.
ten to him? And all at once some
thing seemed to snap the tension.
She lifted her head and looked at
him. at his wide, uncompromising
eyes, SO direct and true in their gaze,
and she told him the truth 20 she
had intended to do.
And that's all, you see." Her
hands put away from her an imag.
mary something, when she had fin.
ished. Il did it. and l am not sorry
either. Winifred never needed you
and l did. / never had anyone to
write to that l liked, and somehow ]
could tell you everything"
Except this"
Don't. am sorry in a way for
you, but you won't mind. Winifred
has always cared for Bob"
I'm not thinking of them. I'm sure
I only wish them the greatest happi.
ness"
She hasn't been here much the last
term. not since they were engaged.
She was taking a postgraduate course
anyway. oh, l know" She rose and
stood before, him. %rebellious, worried,
and still in a way penitent. "Iknow
you must think 1t was awful Of me"
mo, l don't" He rose, too, and Dot
wondered how he could leave her so
soon, with just q word of ordinary
courtesy. After all. the letters had
been theirs, and they had grown to
know each other so we'll in them. But
Give continued: ..
Those letters, whoever wrote them,
gave me courage and . new grip on
life Just when I was worried and los.
ing my grip. Remember that line
of Browning
Drop hearts blood where life's wheels
crate dry
THAT was what they did for me.
Did you feel all the time really imper.
sonal toward me, Dot?'
Dot laughed softly. q bit unstead.
lily.
mo, l felt as il you belonged to
me-"
Just that. AND 80 0l0 ]. Tney
pulled me back thousands of miles to
you"
Not to me. To Winifred."
"Winifred wrote to me six months
ago, as soon as she was engaged to
Bob, and told me the TRUTH" he said.
II have come back to you"
When you didn't even know what
looked like?"
."Winifred sent me your portrait AFT
er / had asked her for one"
Dot smiled, q funny, half shy smile,
biting her under lip.
wen miss the letters terribly"
'.I'm not going back" he said. mot
for all the letters In the world. I
like the original"
Dear old VIM" Dot breathed ten.
derby. Wasn't 1t clever OF herr"
Across the campus the chapel bell
began to chime. Give held her hand
close in his. drawing her nearer to
him.
Half . world away. dear. and I've
come to you for Q welcome"