Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-01-29
CONTINUED from Saturday,

90 at once to her husband.
Continued from Saturday,
Hazel sat up. wide nwake. on tie IN
slant. There was not the slightest
sound. Slie had been deep fl sleep
Nevertheless she Gela, raider iliap
knew, that some one was in Die living
room. Perhaps the sound Of he door
opening had filtered through ler SLIM.
Der. She hesitated an lnstanf, not
through fear, because in the months ol
living alone fear had utterly forsakcn
her; but hope had leaped so often,
only to fall sickeningly, that she was
half persuaded ii must be q dream.
Still the impression strengthened. She
slipped out OF bed. The door Of the
bedroom stood slightly ajar.
Bill stood before the fireplace, his
shaggy fur cap pushed far back on his
head, his ganntlets swinging from the
cord about his neck. She had left d
great bed of Goals on the hearth, and
the glow shone redly on his frost-scab.
bed face. But the marks Of bitter trail
bucking. the marks OF frostblte, ihs
stubby beard, the tiny icicles that still
clustered on his eyebrows; while thcs
traces of hardship tugged at her hear
they were forgotten when she saw til,
expression that overshadOwed his face
Wonder and unbelief and longing wer,
oil mirrored there. She took sh.
step forward to see what riveted hi
gaze. And despite the choking sen
sation In her throat she slniied--lol
, she had taken off her little, beaded
aoccasins and left them lying on tn,
,earskin before the fire, and he was
'taring down at them like man fresh
xakened from dream, unbelieving
md bewildered.
With that she opened the door and
IAN to him. He started, as il she had
,een ghost. Then he opened his arms
ind drew her close to him.
"Bill, Bill, what made you so ionsi
she whispered. II guess it served M
eight, but it seemed never-endine
1me."
"What made me SO long?" h,
against the warm smoothness of hers
Lord, didn't know you wanted me
/ amt no telepathist. hon. You neYes
peeped one little word since 1 left
flow long you been hereY
"Since last September" She smiled
Ir at him. Didn't Courvoiseur's man
ieliver a message fro.l me to the
cine? Didn't you come in answer to
ny note2"
*Great Caesars ghost-s:iuce Sep
ember-alone! You poor little girl I"
10 murmured mo. If you sent word
o me through Courvoiscur never got
{. Maybe something happened his
ana. Ileft tile Klappan with the frat
ow Wen .;3lSing aimlessly ovs
X. ops / IL, nanlay river with a coupl
of lappers. Couldn't settle down
Never heard word from you. *
given you up. just blew in this wa
by sheer accident. Girl, girl, you don
know how good it is to see you again
to have this warm body of yours cud
died up to me again. And you came
right here and planted yourself to wal
till turned up?"
"Surew She laughed happily. But
sent you word, even il you never got
It. Oh, well, it doesn't matter. Moth
ing matters now. You're here. anG
I'm here, and Oh, Billy-boy, was
an awful pig-headed idiot. Do you
think you can take another chance
with me?"
"Say"--he held her off at arms
length adIniringly-"do you want to
know how strong l am for taking q
chance with you? Well, l was on NJ
way out to flag the next train Eag
Just to see-just to see If youstill care
two. pins to see If you still thoug
your game was better than mine"
"WeIl. you don't have to take ar
eastbound train TO find that out" 81
cried gaily. '.I'm here to tell you
care a lot more than any number &
pins. Oh, I've learned a lot in the Il
e'v months. Bill. I had to hrr'