The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1918-06-28

Elaine still WINGED as she thought Of
those hasty words Of hers. How she
must have hurt him-and all the time
she was hurting herself as we'll: and
ne had let her go IN without a 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 1t was far too 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.
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 W earnings would entitle
them to-but he had worked hard to
give her as many al possible Of the
luXuries that she had been accus-
toned to.
$50 small a thing to mean so large
a loss" murmured the girl to herself.
She had read those words somewhere.
and 10Y they came into her mind. She
stood for a time looking out through
the clouded 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 flow 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.
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
"a ! spIIC uWuy lVlkk uSUs CXOSCA
the door and went home.
And Elaine dreamed cn-for how
long, she knew not. But suddenly she
awoke to reality with a start, to no.
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 IA
Hold the light low there. please. I
to see all the rooms. There,
thank you: that's better"
Elaine had crept to the door, and
was listening with a white face. She
had a glimpse Of the two men as they
passed the door - one. evidently the
night Waterman. holding the lamp, and
the other, the man she had sent away
years before.
$50 he, too. has not forgotten"
Elaine. bitterly.
She wondered II she should speak
make her presence known - but each
she tried to her courage failed
her. She looked again. Yes. there he
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
of her recent tears, but she did
1ot even know 1t as she went up and
gently on the wall between the
.wo rooms. He turned round suddenly
With n great start. Then he came to
he door and opened it wider. Elaine
into the room.
All the light from the lamp seemed
o shine on the slender figure. standing
here SO erect and proud. The girls
ace was white and strained. but her
,lue eyes shone like twin stars. The
nan started back with a little cry Of
lnutterable establishment.
"Elaine! Good God!
"Listen." she said softly, her hands
"Let me humble myself
While l can. l need you, Richard-I
want you-you and the little house."
"Flaine-Elaine-" The man could
mt whisper her name. for the sudden
light Of her seemed to have dazed him.
Elaine-why did you conner"
Quite suddenly all the fear and pride
eemed to die out OF the girls heart.
l loved you," she whispered
oftly. Because in the old empty
l came to understand that /
oCld never be happy without you.
When l stood in the little room that
e had planned together'-her voice
roke-"Richard, forgive me-"
She was In his arms, sobbing out
words she could not speak, and his
rms were around her as he murmur-
d: cts for you to forgive me, dear
st. Ny little girl! And I thought that
on did not care!"
She chung to him, ever as he held !,
er, as he kissed lip and brow and hair.
[e could not let her 60. He would
ever let her 60 again. my dearest" /.
e whispered. mot for long will It be !,
le Empty House."