The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-02-19
AFTERWARDS
BY cLARlssA MAcklE.

(CopyriEht. isiS. Western Newspaper tnionJ
Miss Electa Dayton came down the
wide stairway and paused for an in
stant in the front door She made a.
very beautiful picture. The fact that
her abundant hair was snowy white
did not detract from her beauty, for
her cOloring was delicately pink and
her soft eyes as black and expressive
as they had been in her girIish days
of perhaps, twenty years past.
Electa looked through the wire
screened door into The garden with its
prim rows OF lockwood, smelling warm
and pungent after the light shower Of
rain. She smiled Il little sadly and
turned away into the cool parlor.
1T was on an afternoon like this
that he went away she murnured
wistfully.
ii was very restful room, with a
faded Turkey carpet on the floor and
old mahogany furniture scattered in
comfortable confusion.
81 get tired Of waiting sometimes, "
she murmnred TO herself, "but he said
he would come back some day, and |
know he is not dead.
For twenty years She had been wait
ing for the return Of this adventurous
lover Of hers He had Jared forth to
seek his fortune and five years after
ward his letters had suddenly ceased.
Since hen EIecta had heard no word
from him nor Of him. Her parents had
died firm in the belief that Robin
Gaines had deliberately dropped out of
their daughters life and they begged
EIcctn to forget him aud marry an
other
"IIe win come back some day she
said with the faith That only Il woman
can hold.
Perhaps it was this belief in his re-
turn that Kept her from growing old.
Now, She was more beautiful than she
had ever been as Il girl.
A handsome touring car rolled away
from the village hotel and turned down
pleasant elIn-shaded street Beside
the chauffeur sat lniddle-aged man
Of distinguished bearing with Il pair
Of bright blue eyes set in bronzed
countemnce
He glanced at the pleasant village
homes set in the midst Of The green
lawns ana Hover beds, and all at once
| H. gaze contracted as though he had
been suddenly reminded Of something.
At word from him the machine
stopped.
"What place is this?' he asked Of
the chauffeur.
"Stonedge sir"
''By Jove- Stonedge!" The man
| looked up and down The street, survey
/ ing the houses with new interest in
his fine eyes Old memories appeared
to be struggling for recognition for his
/ face changed rapidly.
81 used to live here, Peter" he said
to the man.
"Nes, sir"
"My father was rector Of the church
/ and lived in that little brick house
adjoining the church--See it there
half hidden by ivy?-for five years.
Jove / had forgotten all about Ston-
edge-haven thought about il for
years"
ITS a pretty place, Mr. Gaines
"Mighty pretty Peter. Drive slowly
till you come to the corner and then
turn to your right along the river
road
As the car moved noiselessly along,
Robert Gaines scanned tile houses with
questioning eyes He looked a little
/ sadly at the village that had harbored
Il few Years of his happy youth Now,
he was no longer happy he had drunk
his fiji Of adyenturing and travel and
now, in middle age he had come back
to his own land to feel himself IL siran-
ger there.
The river road brought back another
memory With the sight Of the long,
| low, red roof that had sheltered Electa
/ Dayton came Il queer pang of relnorse.
He had forgotten Electa until today.
Fifteen years ago he had written her
letter in which he had told her not
to wait for him, as he had failed in his
quest for fOrtune--it was the day he
had lost everything.
She had never replied and he had
| put her out OF his mind and, full of
the spirit Of adventure, lie had forgot
ten her He had never cared for any
other woman.
Peter had stopped the car in front
/ of Electa'S gate.
Robin looked wistfully through the
mist of green leaves. He wondered if
1 Electa was alive-if she was married?
Perhaps that little lad playing in the
street was Electa's boy He leaned
from the car and spoke to the child.
who lives in that house1" he
asked.
Miss Dayton" was the child's start
ling reply
Miss who7" asked Robin, almost
harshly
Miss Lecta Dayton" answered the
/ boy, and he sped joyously away with
/ the silver coin Robin tossed to him.
"Wait for me, Peter. I'm going in
side to see an old friend" directed
Robin, and he left the car and entered
the garden.