The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-09-13
EMBERS
They Relighted a
Flame of Love
By CLARISSA MACKIE

Paula Featherston was a 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
mistake Dick Featherston was a
serious, matter of fact fellow with a
strong will. He never allowed his
heart to run away with his head. If
his wife was in error and he was sure
she was in error he refused to con-
done the error.
Then, too, Dick was different man
socially from those to whom Paula had
been accustomed. He was not a dane
ing man; he was not a social leader;
ne 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. Not 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
a cotillion leader, a club man, lady
| killer. Denis saw that all was not
right between Paula and her husband
He began by feeling a pride in beinl
favored by married woman. But hi
did not stop here. He persuaded Paula
! to leave her husband and child and q
away with him.
The clippers were to meet near Dicl
Featherstons summer cottage by tn,
sea. Paula started with wildl,
beating heart. The journey seemed
too short When the train drew int
the little station she paused for an in
slant on the platform and then raj
down the steps to the highway which
curved sharply away toward the sea.
Down vista of golden hued maple
she saw the blue water and the curl
ing white crested waves. 1t was Octo
Der, and all of the summer cottage.
were closed. There was an air o
desolation In the boarded windows an,
the bare verandas. The wind wa
keen and there was pungent smell o
bayberries from the sandy bluffs tina
ran down to the beach.
Mrs. Featherston passed beyond thu
last small cottage and rounded jut
ting point Of land to turn into a cob
blestone gateway that led to NOR
pretentious house. There were grass,
lawns dappled with brilliant autumn
leaves, and back Of the house was
garage. but there was evidence tina
the place had been long untenanted.
Paula Featherston inserted key II
the front door and rather hesitate'
at the gust Of musty air that rushe'
out as the sea breeze swept in.
When she had closed the door ant
stood within the silent house she hesl
tated again.
The dear familiarity of the hal
struck some answering cord in he
|
and passed through the various room
where the furniture was swathed Il
ghostly linen. Before one closed doc
she paused and then passed on.
It was her husbands library.
It was useless to enter there. Wha
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 1t. 1t was growing late, an
the room was quite dark. She wen
to the window and unfastened a shut
ter. It 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 open
ed a secret drawer which was stuffe,
full Of letters. These she carried {
the hearth and heaped into little pyr
and touched a match to 1t. The blu
smoke curled spirally upward; the
the papers burst into sudden flame.
Words stood out clearly here AM
there, brief messages out of the pas
written in letters of fire.
1.-THE moments have been hours an
the hours days. My dearest sweet
! heart. be careful of yourself. If any
thing should happen Tomorrow
shall call you wife-my darling wife,"
With a furry the last letter shot u
the chimney. a black, charred thing
dead. like their happiness. That wa
always the way when one expected to
much of life. and Dick had been disar
pointing. He had curbed her In every
thing. No wonder she had rebelled.
She tried to laugh as she remember
ed her absurd happiness that evening
when they arrived at Seaways to spen'
their honeymoon. They had mad
much ceremony about lighting tn
hearth fire in the library. and Dick hal
recited the Hanging of the Crane" a
they sat on the settle and watched tn
flames. Every year after that they ha'
spent a few months at Seaways unit
last wear, when the break came. Sine
+bon she had travelled the world over