Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-06-28
held him trembling before he,
was irresistihla

held him trembling before her
was irresistible.
"You were dotty about flowers.
You used to tell us about a field
you loved. You said you loved it
in the spring. You said in the
spring it was nothing but green
velvet crusted with dandelion
gold. You said that the morning
you left us in Charles place. You
said you wanted to go back and
walk barefooted through the pow
dered gold. You said you had
done that when you were a bare
footed boy"
"Ah!" The agitator made the
exclamation a note Of anguish
that was terrible to hear.
They-the Leslie woman and
the others-watched him. He
crouched farther forward, his
eyes closed. His right arm shot
out from his side at right angles
to his body, the palm Of his hand
out and the fingers open as if he
tried to lean on something. His
left arm went up slowly, crooked,
and hid his face. For a long mo-
ment he kept that position. Then,
very slowly, he lifted his head, a
fraction of an inch at a time, until
only his forehead and his eyes,
open now, were visible above the
forearm that screened his face.
There was in his eyes a look of
wonder-wonder which just es-
capped being fear.
II think" he said h~oarsely, "I
think | shall see."
He swept the circle of their faces
with his glace. Edith s eyes caught
his gaze and held it.
'SThe barefoot boy!'' he whis-
pered, the wonder still in his eyes.
!" How clean he isrhow marvel
lousI!"
He stood erect, his arms drop
ping to his sides, his ardent gaze
still upon Edith. He smiled ten
derby. And, suddenly, he stood
before them again as they had
known him, with all his power, all
his strength, all the charm of his
brilliant personality full upon him,
Outside there was the sound of
a hymn from 1000 threats.
Edith put out both her hands, as
if she prayed.
"Ah!" she cried. "You remem-
Der! You rememberl"
He went to her in one swift
step and took her hands. She
could feel his tremendous citation
vibrant in his fingers. His thought,
his concern, was for her alone. She
was very pale. !,
II do" he said, his voice clear
and strong. For him, the others
did not exist "And I ana glad
remember. Do - you = under
standi''
Her gaze chung to his, and a lit.
tie color, like the beginnings Of a
pink rose, came back to her face.
He let her hands go, and turned
to the Leslie woman, who SAT
staring up to him
cts all right, Mary" he said
gently. You have been very kind
very kind"
He turned again to Edith.
"There is, he said, c~aressing
her with the words. so much ]
have to tell YOU
They walked to the window anc
looked out at the fountain. The
roar from the crowd was louder
There was in it a new note, like ex.
ultation.
The others left the room.
"My soul has come back to me-
he said. taking both her hands il
his.
And it is a beautiful soul
ism t its" she whispered.
She leaned closer to him, SO tina,
The caught the fragrance Of hel
hair.
There is nstAna," he an
swered, drawing her closer still
ito keep me from yeu."
j The voice Of the crowd oeald b
mistaken no longer. The thoas
ands were exulting!
And everything" she be
gan, but did not finish. the. sen
tence.
Cholliewollie, jubilant, wild
with JOY, had flung open the dool
and catapulted himself into thu
room.
We've won! We've won!" h,
shouted. They We run the whit.
ribbon up the fagpole! Two-thira
majority-and a lot to spare