Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-03-16
The
Miracle
Man
FRANK L.
PACKARD
cspyrlsht, 1915,
Dy Frank L. Packard.

cepyrlsht, 1915,
Dy Frank L. Packard.
Thornton halted suddenly and de-
tanned her with his hand upon her arm,
with that touch, 20 full Of reverence.
OF fine Difference, that had thrilled her
before-that thrilled her now, awak-
ening into fuller life these new emo
lions whose birth was In gladden.,
sweeter. purer aspirations
'Miss VAIL" he said in q low voice.
there was lsttsr-a letter that
MAZDA left-did you know Of itT'
They were close together, and It was
very dark, but was 1t dark enough to
hide tho crimson that she felt sweep
ing in Q food TO her FACET What was
in that letter. Had Mrs. Thornton
written as she had talked or only
about the Patriarch and the work in
Needley7
She had forgotten for tho moment
about the lsttsr; II there were moro
in 1t thap that---h 1t were about
Thornton and herself and what Mrs.
Thorton had hoped for between them,
and she admitted knowledge Of IT.
what would be think, what could he
think Of her7 But to deny it-no, not
now. Once, and this came to her In
little thrill Of gladness, she would not
have hesitatsd, but now tit was-it
was not that world Of yesterday.
YES" she said family, 'shs told me
that she had left letter for you"
1T WAS about the work here" went
on Thornton gently. "Her whole soul
seemed wrapped up In. that, and she
asked me a. her last wish to do what
she would have done II she had lived
and she spoke Of you very beautifully"
Thornton paused for q moment, then
he laid his hands on Helena's shoul-
ders, and she felt them tremble lit
tie.
Miss vail-Helena,- he continued,
and his voice was full Of passionate
earnestness now, II cannot say these
things well-only simply. came back
here to take an interest In the work,
for I, too, have at heart; but I have
more than that now; there IL you-youf
dear self. 1 love you, Helena: you
have come into my life until you are
everything and al to me. Helena, look
UP at me-will you marry me, dearf
Then he bent his head until it was
close to hers, and his breath was upon
her cheek . It had been that other
night, and ~ longing to know that y
was hers-a caress. pure In its motive
fascinated her, held her spellbound.
Closer his lips came to hers-closer,
until they touched hers-and then with
cry she sprang back, and her hands
were AeRcsly pressed against her
thFobbing temples.
tive -are mad!" she Whispered.
4Heyenar' he sid IN numbed way,
and asain, "Hefenar' Then. with M
effort to control his voice, 'You-you
do not cars-you do not love mef'
mo-" she said, and thereafter for
long time silence held between them.
Then Thornton spoke.
"Some day, perhaps, Helena" he said.
"you could learn to love me, for
would teach you. Perhaps now you
feel that your whole duty lies here IN
this work to which you have 10 un-
selnshly given your life, but would
not hinder thatonly try to help AZ
best I could. Perhaps have spoken
too soon"
But now she interrupted him, shak-
ing her head In q sad little fashion.
'You do not know me-" she said.
sometimes think do not know my
self. Think! You do not know where
/ came from to Join the Patriarch
here: you have no single shred Of
knowledge about me; you do not know
single particular Of my life before
you met me-"
II do not need to- know" he an
swered gravely. ''You are 40 genuine
az pure gold u senuine-it IL in your
voice, your smile, your eyes. It 10
crude simile, perhaps, but one never
asks where the pure gold was dug: 1t
stands for itself, for what it Is, be-
cause 1t IL what it is-pure gold-at its
face value"
The words seemed to stab at Helena,
condemning. accusing; and yet, too, In
strange, vague way they seemed to
bring her hope-a promise of the
days to come. At face value! II she
could live hereafter-at face value?
Listen" she said, and her voice was
very low. " do not know how to say
what must say to you. Last night I
knew that you loved me. have
let you speak tonight because it was
better, It was even necessary that I
should do 20 at because this
could not 20 on-because you must 90
away and"-
a4Necessaryr' hs repeated. I'll do
not understand"
mo" she said hslplessly. "you do
mot understand and III cannot ex.
plain. oh. ! do not know what to say
to you. only that you must take what
/ nay % you have taken meat face
value"
..But I cannot 80 away like this" he
cried out. II cannot 60 and leave you,
Helena. You have come into my life
and filled It. and cannot let you pass
out Of it-like this-without an effort
to hold what has come to mean every.
thing to me. You may not love me
now, but some day
She shook her head, interrupting him
pnce more.
4 There can never he a some day.
! she said. "Oh, do not want to hurt
you-you, to whom owe more than
>x,ap Rut--I,,,f thnro