Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-05-07
AFTERWARDS
By CLARISSA MACKIE.
lsls. western Newspaper Union.


Copyright. 1918. Western Newspaper Union.l
Miss Electa Dayton came down the
wide stairway and paused for an in
slant 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 girlish 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 little sadly and
turned away into the cool parlor.
ut was on an afternoon like this
that he went away" she murmured
wistfully.
1t was a very restful room, with q
faded Turkey carpet on the floor and
old mahogany furniture scattered in
comfortable confusion.
II get tired of waiting sometimes"
she murmured 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 then Electa 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
Electa to forget him and marry an
other.
HE will come back some day." she
said with the faith that only woman
can bold.
Perhaps 1t was this belief in his re-
turn that kept her from growing old.
Now, she was more beautiful than she
had ever been as a girl.
A handsome touring car rolled away
from the village hotel and turned down
a pleasant elm-shaded street. Beside
NAS Nh0uAhCuL sat -
of distinguished bearing with a pair
of bright blue eyes set in bronzed
cOuntenance.
He glanced at the pleasant village
homes set in the midst of the green
lawns and flower beds, and all at once
his 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 a new interest in
his fine eyes. Old memories appeared
to be struggling for recognition, for his
face changed rapidly.
II used to live here, Peter" he said
to the man.
"YeS, sir"
my father was rector Of the church
and lived in that little brick house
adjoining the church-see it there
half hidden by ivy2-for five years.
Jove! l had forgotten all about Ston-
edge-haven't thought about 1t for
years."
IT'S 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 the houses with
questioning eyes. He looked little
sadly at the village that had harbored
a few years of his happy youth. Now.
his fill of adventuring and travel and
now, in middle age, he had come back
to his own land to feel himself stran-
ger there.
The river road brought back another
memory. With the sight of the long,
low, red roof that had sheltered Electa
Dayton came queer pang of remorse.
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, he 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
Electa was alive-if she was married?
Perhaps that little lad playing In the
street was Electa's boyl He leaned
from the car and spoke to the child.
"Who lives in that house? he
asked.
miss Dayton" was the childs start
ling reply.
miss whoY" 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.
When his foot grated on the front
piazza Miss Electa came to the front
door.
For a brief instant they looked at
each other through the screen door.
"Electa !" he said hoarsely.
"Robin" she cried joyfully. II
knew you would come back some
dayw
Peter, In the automobile, saw his
master kissing a beautiful white
haired woman.