The daily Alaskan., 1918-09-12

her, telling her that she would liye her life without him, and that she real ized now that 1t was a mistake to eI- pect an outsider-e plebeian-to un- derstand the ways of her kind of people," Even now, after three years, Elaine still winced as she thought of those nasty words of hers. How she must have hurt him--and all the time she was hurting herself as well; and he had let her go on without word of protest, in the end gravely agreeing with her, and saying that he would never ask her to come back again. And he hadn't. And they never met nor wrote.
 Elaine's eyes were opened now, but of course it was far toe late to give in and acknowledge herself in the wrong. Three years of time had rolled be tween them, the bar of passionate words on either side keeping them apart. 5. lg
 She started once more on her pill grimage through the rooms. First the dining room, with the familiar pa- per, which she herself had selected. He had not been so well-Off then, and had insisted upon living in the style that hIs own earnings would entitle them to-but he had worked hard to give her as many as possible of the luxuries that she had been accus- toned to. ,-..---
 'E"So small thing to mean so large loss," murmured the girl to herself. She had read those words somewhere, and now they came into her mind. She. stood for a time looking out through the clouied windows. Great tears welled up in her eyes and poured down over her face-as if the barriers were suddenly let down to allow tides of memory to How in and engulf her.
 She had never allowed herself to think in this way before, but the spirit of love seemed to have come back to the dusty little room from which he had flown three years before. For her, time passed unheeded. t...
 Darkness fell. Outside, James felt very cross. The Idea of anyone spend- ing so much time looking at an empty house! He folded his arms and went half asleep. Down in the basement, the care-taker, having finished her supper. came up, and, forgetting all about her visitor, or. thinking that she had surely gone away long ago, closed the door and went home.
 And Elaine dreamed on-for how long, she knew not. But suddenly she awoke to reality with start, to mo- tice that 1t had grown very dark out side, and that there were footsteps coming through the hall. Then came the. sound of a voice that seemed la miliar.
 Hold the light low there, please. l wish to see all the rooms. There, thank you; that's better"
 Elaine had crept to the door, and was listening with white face. She had a glimpse of the two men as they passed the door one, evidently the night watchman, holding the lamp. and the other, the man she had sent away three years before. '...
 "So he, too. has not forgotten" thought Elaine, bitterly.
 She wondered if she should speak make her presence known - but each time she tried to her courage failed her. She looked again. Yes. there he was! Standing in front of the open fireplace. Once more she peered through the open door. "HOw changed he was." she said to herself. How much older and grayer."
 Her face was still wet with the traces of her recent tears, but she did not even know 1t as she went up and tapped gently on the wall between the two rooms. He turned round suddenly with, a great start. Then he came to the door and opened 1t wider. Elaine walked into the room.
 All the light from the lamp seemed to shine on the slender figure, standing there so erect and proud. The girls face was white and strained, but her blue eyes shone like twin stars. The man started back with little cry ot unutterable astonishment.
 "Elainel Good Godp
 "Llsten," she said softly, her hands outstretched. "Let me humble myself while I can. need you. Richard-I want you-you and the little house."
 "Elaine-Elaine- The man could but whisper her name. for the sudden sight of her seemed to have dazed him. "Elaine-why did you comeT
 Quite suddenly all the fear and pride seemed to die out of the girls heart. Because I loved you," she whispered softly. Because in the old empty house I came to understand that could never be happy without you. When stood in the little room that we had planned together"-her voice broke-"Richard, forgive me"
 She was in his arms, sobblng out the words she could not speak, and hls arms were around her as he murmur- ed: "It's for you to forgive me, dear est. My little grill And I thought that