The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-05-26

( anu though they came from humble
/ lips they brought relief 20 ALL They
entered deeply into Helen Ilin-worth'S
heart and mingled with her own peti-
lions, frantic, fervent. imperative. al
though she offered them 10 Almighty
. God Is from 4 woman broken. Pres
entity they all filed out of the room.
leaving Helen nlIngworth alone with
what was left Of life in the crushed
body Of the man she had never loved
50 much before.
In The observation room Handkerchief
+ told them OF the fight for the dam and
. how they had reached their maximum
. power Of resistance and more. auI thar
/ m" relief came in the very nick ~
. time. Meanwhile the cn-ia. driver
/ had burned Up the track going and com
/ sH- and in less than an hour hc was
/ back with TWO surgeons and trained
/ nurse. Was il their skill and care and
/ WatchfulneSS that finally brought
/ Mead" back % consciousness, or was II
/ The passionate. consuming intensity Of
/ will and purpose of the woman who
.
/ en- from his side? Well whatever the
reason, after many days he passed
from death into life and came back
/ again.
/ He was conscious Of Helen'S pres
"nce and lay quietly enveIoped in her
love before he could talk coherently or
/ question. Indeed. with Rodney and
/ Winters. and old Shurtliff, who swore
/ u himself that he would never forgive
1 himself If Meade did not recover, ana
/ the colonel, and Vandeventer. and all
/ the men Of the force. who used To stroll
over after hours and just sit on the
side of the track and stare at the car
/ where the man who had saved them
was fighting for his life as desperately
as they had fought t. save the dam.
Meade was surrounded by such an at
. moSphere Of admiration and devotion
a. might have stayed the hand of death
itself. There came a day when the
physician said he could talk a little.
Il saw you" Helen whispered. ~
was standing on the high hill watch
ing, looking down upon you just be-
I fore"
But shall look up TO you all the
rest of my life" said the man. as the
woman knelt, as was her wont. by the
side Of the bed. She kissed his hand,
thin, wasted, but white and clean now.
NO, l to YOU" she murmured. as
she pressed her lips 10 his fingers.
Look up a little higher. then" whis-
pered Meade with some Of the old hui
NOR.
You meanT
The voiceleSS movement Of his lips
told her the story. She raised herself
and kissed them lightly.
Il haven't dared To ask that before"
said the man, closing his eyes. Il
wasn't strong enough 10 stand that"
But you're going TO get strong; you
must. I'd like TO kiss you forever"
said the woman with plying tender
ness and great joy.
ITS heavenly now, but l shall have to
go away again when l am able and"
I'VE are never going TO be parted
again."
II cannot let you marry a discredited
man, failure"
Don't you know" said the woman,
rising, that the whole United States
rings with your exploit, that the splen-
did saving Of the dam has caught the
fancy Of the people as it deserves and
you are hero everywhere and TO ev-
erybOdy?"
But the International bridge and its
failure?"
UnbeknOwn to the two the colonel
had stood in the doorway.
I'VE know the truth now, my boy"
said the old man, coming into the room.
1T was your fathers fault, not yours"
Ii was characteristic of Meade's tenn
per and temperament that his white
lips closed in 4 straight line at this.
where's Shurtlif?" he asked, after
a silent communing with himself.
The old man had come in and out Of
the room like a ghost during his slow
recovery. Colonel Illingworth turned
away and summoned the secretary.
Rodney and Winters came, too.
"Shurtliff," said Meade family but
firmly, tell them again who is re-
sponsible for the failure of the Inter
national"
Forgive me, Mr.. Meade" said Shurt-
lift. but it was Your brave old fathers
fault"
you see" said the colonel.
I'VE knew it all the time" said Rod
ney.
"But Mr.. ShurtIiff bravely gave US
the final proof said Winters.
Those papers:" said Meade.
ShurtIiff nodded.
"And your fathers own letter that
he wrote the papers before his heart
broke" said Rodney; I'll read it to
you presently"
why did you do ii, Shurtliff:'
ITO right n great wrong, sir. l saw
that we We're mistaken 70 try 70 spare
"
~