The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-11-13
Recalled to Life
~
By cEclLLE LANGDoN


Something terrible!" he painted
forth. AT the river young Darcy No
BILE! He was driving an automobile.
1t slid from the roadway across Flat
Rock and plunged into the river, man
and all. On, it was awful"
There was an instant uproar and ex-
citement. The town officer sprang to
the seat of his motorcycle and made
for the familiar spot described. 9th
ers hurried after him. Soon the slant
ing shore Of Elk river was crowded
with an awed, agitated throng.
| 1T was Willis Daly's new automo-
bile" spoke one Of the crowd. Il no
ticed Darcy came down the street
with it not fifteen minutes ago. he
wasn't much used to it, reckon, and
made wrong turn"
The bystander spoke name very
dear to the townspeople. Darcy No
BILE was a general favorite-young,
bright-natured, just beginning a prom
Using business life. Many thought OF
his widowed mother. Some, too,
thought o: Airline Drury, Tor it was
very generally supposed th:. he was
as good as engaged to her.
BY dusk strong, helpful hands, with
the aid of two stout teams, a diver
and strong chains had dragged the
automobile out Of the water, wreck.
Attached to it was fragment of cloth
torn from the coat of it's unfortunate
driver, apparently as he and the ma
chine went down to destruction. The
body Of the young man was not dis
covered, however. 1t was theoriZed
that, stunned, he had floated down
stream, over the dam. Search was
made for two days after that, but no
trace was found of the victim Of the
tragedy.
The widowed mother Of young Noble
was crushed by the unexpected be-
reavement. The friends Of Darcy, in
Guiding Airline Drury, showed the deep
est grief. Dale, closest friend Of
Darcy, seemed most deeply shocked
and stricken.
1T was my fault" he almost wept.
\ ooh, that had never allowed him to
take the machine! I warned him to
be CAREFUL knowing that he was a
mere novice at the wheel. shall new
er forgive myself"
In vain, his friends demonstrated
that he was guiltless and taking too
greatly to heart an accident over which
he had no control Willis DAILY became
q changed man. He went about hol.
low-eyed and depressed. His first
, action was to visit the mourning moth
err and arrange lifelong pension for
her. She, too. tried to persuade him
that not in the remotest way could
she consider any responsibility on his
part in the untimely death Of her son.
From the first he had evaded Ar
line Drury. Then, one evening, as he
sat In his Office drearily attempting to
interest himself in book, there was q
tap at the door, and Airline and her
cousin, Irma Merrill, entered.
Their mission was SOBER but solac-
ing Frank, outspoken, full of keen
human sympathy, Airline appealed to
Dale to come out of, his mental gloom.
Her sincerity won his confidence. She
invited him to her home. Within q
month she had well-nigh won him from
his morbid mood. Then Willis Dale
made discovery that aroused a new
md distressing Acknowledgement
~, heart and soul, he loved Airline
Drury!
Abruptly he realized the abyss into
which he had fallen. He WAS shocked,
crashed, at conception OF the unnat-
ur;jl position in which he found him
self, It was like sacrilege to even
iGraan Of supplanting the dead man
in the affections of the supposed chOs-
en- one Of his love. Airline must never
suspect The truth! Dale made all ar.
engagements to leave the village, al
once and forever. III
"a broken life. but better TO remove
it's possible shadow from her bright
spirit" he uttered. as he started for
the railroad station to begin long
aimless journey. And then he drew
back. aghast. Pale. wretchedly thin
the mere ghost of his former self
Darcy Noble confronted him.
! He was so weak that he could
scarcely stand. but at once and brief
~ Darcy recited a terrible experience
In the river. months Of wandering. his
mind a dull blur. But now
Help me to the Merrill place y he
pleaded to the mystified Dale. 1rms
frst-my alfianccd wife!'
"Irma?" spoke Dale in a great mar
!, yelling gasp. and then the light showr
lin upon his mind. and his soul was
radiant as he tenderly uttered the
beloved name-"Arline"-and Willis
, Dale knew thar all was well.