The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-04-28
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finger Of PR0IiSE
~ SUSAN {. CLAGETT.

Tired in body and soul. Louise Tom
/ IlSon dropped into chair and stared
! h!ankly uur If the WASHINGTON h"'rt
window. She WAS conscious uf moth
/ i'm Inside ut rny immediate Problems
I threatening the llsr She hal carefully
/ regulated for twelve years or more.
/ Judge Tomil~ou had hyru dead iiy"
. years The autumn Louise had com" e"
/ Washington. ana ;> she sat. with hog
uusrciu- eyes conferred upon taut nu-
ger of light far o0 in The heavens, her
| mind Was slowly going over the few
words thar had passed between her
self ANA the man who S,iIl had the
| power To arouse emotions >h" had
thought We're past, hut that NOW held
her in grip the intensity of which
| she resented.
They had met that evening at din
ner. She was late. Moving swiftly
across the reception hall Ca greet her
hostess. the lace Of her gown caught
I'm the SiGurt ring of man Who moved
| aside for her to pass. impatient at the
detention. she spoke quickly IL hc en-
dcayored 10 untWi>t the dclicute
threads.
ut does not matter. Break them,
please"
Il would rather You would unfaStcn
II at your leisure" he said and. slip
ping the ring from his finger, he offered
il Ia her.
Annoyed by the incident, but unable
to wait longer, she iu~hed the ring
within her glove and moved away.
He was seated next To her at the
table, by one of those fatcful happen
ingS that come about in the most nat
ural way. 1t was then that She looked
at him, and from him To the ring she
held in her hand, sapphire set in
diamonds with Il crest and motto IA
miliar To her.
"Am | So changed that you do not
recognize me, Louise" he asked. but
before she answered his dinner part
ner claimed his attention. Ii was some
time before he again turned To her.
then only for Il moment.
"Will you drive with me tomorrow?
Keep the ring until then. You cannot
give il TO me now without attracting
attention"
AT three" she said. She did not
again have opportunity Ia speak To
him.
The following afternoon there was
little talk between them until they
reached the open country. Then he
turned To her
1T is twelve years since | received
that letter, Louise" ne said going back
Ia their talk of the evening before. Il
had not heard from you for weeks
and | was homCSick for Il line We
moved at daybrcak and the chances
were against any of US returning for
every kopje held SharpShooter.
could not read ii AT once. but the very
feel of it in my pocket gave me com
fort. Then when | was at last alone
| could not sense the contents. | had
been so sure of you, and there in black
and white We're words that at last
burned into my consciousness. Your
reason was Inadequate. Your father
needed you. Somtcime you would
give me Il full explanation. | do not
like to think of that time: but after
ward, as | lay in that Johannesburg
hospital, | tried To reason il out. but
could not. All through those endless
days your eyes looked at me stead
tasty, giving the lie to that letter.
They seemed To say. Wait. only wait
| wrote 10 you. but my letters were re-
turned from your deud-letter office
yet as the years passed | still waited.
zone day | met an old friend who
had known you, Colonel Arthur. From
him | learned of your fathers trouble,
and for the first time | understood the
reason of your break with me.
Through Arthur | also heard of his
death. | sailed on the next steamer
for New York. Arthur was with me.
He went on to Seattle and | came to
Washington, hoping To find some trace
of you here. | could not believe my
luck when you brushed against me
last evening" He leaned forward and
touched his ring shining upon her un.
gloved hand. ut seems natural to
see it again in place"
Then 1t was that she became con-
SciOuS of something that had been
haunting her memory since the night
before. Rising from out of the clouds
into the clear atmosphere was the tip
Of Washinston'S monument, an ethe-
real thing pointing like a finger of
light into the beyond; finger of
promise.
81 heard your name when ! changed
cars in st. Paul" she said ut last. 1.-TWO
gentlemen were speaking Of you. They
stood with faces from me and | did
not recognize either, but their chance
remark changed my plans. Some time
| will explain to you fully why | sent
that letter, but just now l only want
happiness"
And you find il with me?'
For the first time in twelve years
am content. Lawrence"
Copyright 1917, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate