Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1916-07-28
EMBERS
They Relighted a
Flame of Love
By CLARISSA MAcKIE

+ by CLAklSSA MACklE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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 O
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;
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 q few years after the mar
rage Of Dick and Paula there came a
definite result to Paula's dissa tisfaction
with her husband. Denis Brown was
exactly the kind Of man her friends
supposed she would marry. He was
a cotillion leader, q club man, a 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 go
away with him.
The clippers were to meet near Dick
Featherston's summer cottage by the
sea. Paula started with a 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 a 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
desolation in the boarded windows and
the bare verandas. The wind was
keen and there was pungent smell Of
bayberries from the sandy bluffs that
ran down to the beach.
TVS <hnr tt,n
last small cottage and rounded jut-
ting point Of land to turn into a cob
blestone gateway that led to more
pretentious house. There were grassy
lawns dappled with brilliant autumn
leaves, and back Of the house was
garage, but there was evidence that
the place had been long untenanted.
Paula Featherston inserted a key in
the front door and rather hesitated
at 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 hall
struck some answering cord in her
heart. She WINGED as she turned away
and passed through the various rooms
where the furniture was swathed in
ghostly linen. Before one closed door
she paused and then passed on.
It was her husbands library.
It was useless to enter there. What
she had come after was upstairs in her
own boudoir. If she was to meet Denis
k1~ ne hA
she must hasten.
In her boudoir she sat down before
the little satinwood writing desk and
unlocked 1t. It was growing late, and
the room was quite dark. She went
to the window and unfastened a shut
ter. It banged In the wind, and her
fair hair was tossed into disorder be-
fore she finally fixed the catch and
closed the sash.
She went back to the desk and open.
ed a secret drawer which was stuffed
full Of letters. These she carried to
the hearth and heaped into a little pyre
and touched match to 1t. The blue
smoke curled spirally upward; then
the papers burst into sudden fame.
Words stood out clearly here and
there, brief messages out Of the past
written In letters Of fire.
1.-THE moments have been hours and
the hours days. My dearest sweet
heart be careful Of yourself. If any
thing should happen Tomorrow I
shall call you wife-my darling wife!"
With furry the last letter shot up
the chimney, black, charred thing
dead. like their happiness. That was
always the way when one expected too
much Of life, and Dick had been disap-
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 spend
their honeymoon. They had made
much ceremony about lighting the
hearth fire in the library, and Dick had
recited the Hanging Of the Crane" as
they sat on the settle and watched the
flames. Every year after that they had
spent few months at Seaways until
last year, when the break came. Since
then she had Travelled the world over
the gayest Of the gay in every fashion
able resort, while Dick pegged away in
the Street, and baby Polly was spoiled
by doting grandmother.
Suddenly her face grew tense, and