Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-15
THE MYSTERY OF THE HA

which nothing on earth should have
power to break.
He never sounded his soul for an an
swer to this question; but when he
letter had not been written.
II do not like secrecy"
"Only for little while, Ermentrude.
my mother 10 dimcult I would pre-
pare her."
'And uncle!"
''What OF uncleT
He made me take an oath today"
he lived"
".And you could DO that~
sick man. Carleton. The doctors shake
their heads when they leave him. He
"A year2 But that's an eternityl
Can you wait. can wait q yearT
He loves me and I owe everything
These are days Of parting Tor you and
PartingI What word more cruel.
She saw that It shook him. and held
her breath for his promise that she
should nan not be long alone; But It did
think. She hardly understood his do.
ing this. Surely. his mother must be
very difficult and he a most consid-
crate son. She knew he loved her;
perhaps never with q more controll-
Ing passion than at this moment OF
FACILITATING silence.
breast -,
1--WE have yet week." he cried. and
LETT her hurriedly. precipitately.
was saels last an Hrm 1asz nds
thought. for q day SO chilly and sky
gorges; they had skirted mountain
streams, had passed village. left a
ruined tower behind. and were still
no further claims upon them and the
world was all their own.
AS the shows OF the higher peaks
burst upon their view. she made an
attempt to stop this seeming flight.
counting the hours. Let us 60 back"
Then Carleton Roberts spoke.
Another mile" he whispered. not
because he feared being overheard, by
their driver. but because Loves note
10 instinctively low. you are cold:
and Listen. Ermentrude-a min
lister ready to unite us. We are GO
ing back. man and WIFE,"
Carletonl"
Eyes. dear. It IS quite understood.
letters are urging my return to New
here. I cannot face an uncertain
separation. I must feel that you are
mine beyond all peradventure-mus
pc able to think Of you al my wife,
ana that will hold us both and make
cannot come to you the moment you
are free to go where you will" "
But why this long ride, this far
away spot? Why couldn't q minister
20 FOUND In Lucerne? /, Is our mar
rasse 70 DC as secret as our engage
tnnn, IL that what you wish. Carle-
Eyes. dear: for a little while. Just
Tor q little while. till I have seen INV
mother, and rid our way Of every OBJ
s Sa Ss. to complete happiness. It viii
love forever. what are a few weeks
or months: Make me happy, dear.
You have X in your power to do 40.
Happy! When once I can whisper
n W,re mn sne . Torld win not hold hap
DID she yield because Of her own
great longing?
NO. 1t was by. that phrase he caught
her: The world will not hold a hap
Mountains! Icy peaks, with sides
heavy with snow! And SO near! Al
MOST tney seemed to meet across the
Aoy' oAo gave tnem one
quick glance, then her eyes and her
neart became absorbed in what she
could see of this Alpine village. hold
ing up Its head in the eternal SHOWS
llke an edelweiss on the edge Of a
1t was to be the scene Of her one
great act in life; the spot she was
entering as maiden and would
leave as q wife. What other spot
would ever be SO interesting! To
note Its every detail Of house and
church would not take long-it was
such q little village, and the streets
were SO few; and the people-why, she
could count them.
Afterward. she found that the ex-
act number and the difference in
color OF the short line Of timbered
houses stretching between them and
the church were imprinted on her
brain; but she did not know 1t at the
time, Tor her attention was mainly
nxed upon the people when once she
had seen them, for there was a
strangeness in their looks and actions
she did not understand, all the more
that 1t seemed to have nothing ITO do
either with Carleton or herself,
1t was not fear they showed, not
exactly, though CONSERVATION was not
lacking in their aspect, SO strangely
similar In all, whether they were men
or women, or whether, they stood in
groups In the street Or came out sim
ely on the doorstep to glance about
and listen, though there seemed to
be nothing to listen to, for the air
was preternaturally still.
Carleton, Carleton" she asked as