Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-05-13
FINGER OF PROMISE
By SUSAN E. CLAGETT.

1lFeu III DOdy ana soul, LOulSe Iolu- ilson dropped into chair and stared blankly out of the Washington hotel window. She was conscious of noth- ing outside of the immediate problems threatening the life she had carefully regulated for twelve years or more. Judge TOmilson had been dead five years the autumn Louise had come to Washington, and as she sat, with her unseeing eyes centered upon that fin ger of light far off in the heavens, her mind was slowly going over the few words that had passed between her. self and the man who still had the power to arouse emotions she had thought were past, but 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 to greet her hostess, the lace of her gown caught in the signet ring of man who moved aside for her to pass. Impatient at the detention, she spoke quickly as he en- deavored to untwist the delicate threads.
 Ut does not matter. Break them, please"
 "I would rather you would unfasten 1t at your leisure," he said, and, slip ping the ring from his finger, he offered 1t to her.
 Annoyed by the incident, but unable to wait longer, she pushed the ring within her glove and moved away. He was seated next to her at the table, by one of those Hateful happen lngs that come about in the most nat ural way. It was then that she looked at him, and from him to the ring she held in her hand sapphire set in diamonds with crest and motto fa- miliar to her.
 "Am l so changed that you do not recognize me, Louise?' he asked, but before she answered his dinner part ner claimed his attention. It was some time before he again turned to her, then only for moment.
 "Will you drive with me tomorrow? Keep the ring until then. You cannot give it to me now without attracting attention
 At three," she said. She did not again have opportunity to speak to him.
 The following afternoon there was little talk between them until they reached the open country. Then he turned to her.
 "It is twelve years since I received that letter, Louise," he said, going back to their talk of the evening before. II Ehad not heard from you for weeks and I was homedck. for a line. We moved at daybfesk and the chances were against anyssDf us returning for Eevery kopje heldsa sharpshooter. I could not read it at once, but the very feel of it in my pocket gave me con- fort. Then when Il was at last alone l could not sense the contents. I had been so sure of yQn,and there in black and white were words that at last burned into my consciousness. Your reason was inadequate. Your father needed you. Somteime you would give me full explanation. do not like to think of that time; but after ward, as l lay in that Johannesburg hospital, l tried to reason 1t out, but could not. All through those endless days, your eyes looked at me stead fastly, giving the lie to that letter. They seemed to say, Wait, only wait l wrote to you, but my letters were re- turned from your dead-letter office; yet as the years passed still waited. l. "One day I 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 I also heard of his death. l sailed on the next: steamer for, New York. Arthur was with me. He went on to Seattle and I 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 it 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 Washington's monument, an ethe- real thing pointing like finger of light into the beyond; finger of promise. .s f Il heard your name when I changed cars in St. Paul." she said at last. "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 I sent that letter, but just now I only want happiness"
 "And you find it with mel"
 "For the first time in twelve years | I am content, Lawrence."
 Copyright, 1917. by the Mcclure Newspa- per Syndicate.)