The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-04-20

WI ~ hhAF AAlE AlAAAE ulAaNAUu
AIRY girl held his thoughts. He wa,
filed with wonder. not at her. but al
himself For once I'm his life he had
not been dlppant before grave things
From the girl his thoughts turned tC
Alix. He could have cabled to bel
about Gerry from Pernambuco, but be
had not done so. The note that he was
carrying for Gerry was light-only q
half-sheet. probably. The lightness OF
1t told Alan that the things Gerry had
to say to his wife could not be put on
paper Alan had almost cabled. Now
he was glad he had not done so
"AliX." he said to himself. isn't wait.
Ing. she's trusting. A cable would
have heightened waiting by a month.
Then, without volition. his mind
wandered from Alix and raced ahead
to the goal of his journey. What was
the goal of his Journey? Whittier was
he bound? He reached for Clem's let.
ter and held 1t in folded hands. He
had no need to read it again. The
words were nothing; the picture was
all. 1t stretched before his mind. a
living canvas.
Once when Alan was wandering
with an Engllshman in the hills above
Granada. a faint odOr had brought
them to a sudden halt. 1t was the
Englishman who made the surprising
discovery first. "Blackberries, by
Jove! he had exclaimed. Good old
blackberries." And then they two had
stood together, yet half a world apart,
and stared at 'he berry-laden bush.
What vision Of tangled, high-waIled
garden burst upon the Engllshman
Alan never knew. but to himself had
come a memory of East mountain In
autumn. so clear. so poignant, that 1t
had brought his throbbing heart into
his throat.
1t was so now with Clem's letter.
The words were but a hurried daub.
but they touched his eyes with a magic
wand. The daub became a scene, a
picture. wOrld-his world.
Red Hill was spread out before him,
texture where the threads and colors
Of life were blended into a carpet soft
but enduring Men walked and little
children played on 1t. Alan closed his
eyes and sighed. What had he been
doing with life? Making sacklng?
Sacking was commercial. 1t paid in
cash. 1t was the national industry.
But what could one do with sacking on
Red Hill?
Then, almost suddenly, the full spirit
Of Clem's letter seized him. One did
not take gifts to Red Hill. To every
one Of It's children Red Hill was the
source of all gifts-the source Of life.
On that thought he slept.
When he was back once more In his
rooms. before Swithson had had time
to open a bag. Alan re-directed Gerry's
note to Alix to Red Hill and sent
SwithsOn out to post it. he did not
try to temper the shock of the note
with covering letter. He was too
weak and tired Besides, he felt that
the note carried its own antidOte to
joy.
The next morning a message came
by hand to Alan's rooms. Alix had
come to town and wished to see him at
once. Would he please come around!
He replied that he was too Ill. Half
an hour later Swithson answered
ring at the door and AliX slipped
quickly past him into Alan's sitting
HnSh Of IN
her cheeks. but Alan was pleased TO
see no trace Of tears in her eyes. A
womans crying always touched him
Oh the raw and seldom awakened his
pity.
At sight of him AliX forgot her con-
Germ for herself "Why. Alan" she
cried. what is the matterT
Alan laughed. There was a pleasant
note in his laugh she had never heard
before. I'm all right, Alix. Don't
make any mistake. Pm a resurrection
in the bud. Doing fine. | don't have
to ask how you are. You're well.
You're looking just as well as a little
slip like you can ever look. Sit down,
do"
Alix' thoughts went back to herself
and Immediately the fame burned
again in her cheeks. She pulled Ger
rvs crumpled note from her glove and
tossed it open on the table before Alan.
He read the two or three lines IL
which Gerry told her he would arrive
shortly. The brief note was intention
ally colorless. "Well?' he asked.
Alix turned flashing eyes Oh him
well? Is that all you have to sayI
Alan, 1t is not well. I've come here
because you must tell me-sOmebody
must tell me-now-all the things that
that note hides behind it's wonderfully
blank. weazened, little, hypocriticai
face"