The Cordova daily times., 1919-11-10
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ROBINS LANE
By lZOLA FORESTER.
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 ville. Not but what everybody well comed him, but they did it in an easy going sort of way that left his own enthusiasm cold after ten years of an- ticipation.
 He had been twenty-four when he had started West. There had been two incentives, his fathers demand that he throw up engineering and go into the store, and Winifred's refusal to marry him.
 Ills yearning to make good and show them the sort of man he really was had been the spur all the years he had worked and climbed. Winifred had told him she liked boys who were steady" That meant the hardware store, and Irving & Son" on the long black and gold sign over the door. He had laughed bitterly, out in the lonely Arizona nights before he had struck his right pace, and yet there had been the sting of homesickness in 1t too. With all the joy of adventure and ex- perience, the little mill town on the Yantic river back in Connecticut was home to him, and Winifred was the only girl who could bring a thrill to his heart, just little Winifred Blake with her big blue eyes that seemed to challenge fellow to do the very best that was in him.
 He had seen her only at a distance since his return-once in church, twice down along Main street when she was waiting for the car. Then he met her on the old hill road coming from the reservoir Saturday afternoon, her hands filled with violets.
 You know they always did grow longer and larger up there, 1t seemed" she said, as he waited beside her in the road.
 ''I was going up after some," Hardy told her awkwardly.
 'Take the short cut through Robins lane why don't you2 Do you remem- Der the way?"
 And Hardy deliberately prevaricated. No, he was sorry. He had absolutely forgotten the short cut. Wouldn't she just turn back and show it to hhn? Winifred hesitated, laughed a little and looked as if she didn't believe him.
 We always went that way after violets, Hardy" she reminded him. ''It's just the little lane below the big woodlot. You know it so we'll"
 But Hardy shook his head, looking down into her eyes until she ignored him, and watched the fringe of pines and red oaks ahead of them, with slen- der white birches lifting tremulous new leaves in the sunlight.
 He had made up his mind all the way home that he would ask her again. She had only been seventeen then. Now she was twenty-seven, and it seemed as if the years had only made her sweeter and more desirable. There was something indefinable about her now, something that evaded him. She seemed sure of herself poised and tran Quil eyed, more tender too, in her way. It must have been lonely for her there in the little mill town.
 ''See the island over yOnder," Wini- fred said suddenly. They had come to the crest of the hill overlooking the reservoir. It had always looked like miniature western mountain scene the broad lake with it's rocky pine-edged shores, and rocky islands here and there. What splendid times we used to have up here, Hardy"
 i've never forgotten one of them" he said slowly. "When you're thou sand miles and more away from home, only memories seem real"
 "I know" she rejoned quickly "All the time was in Japan felt that way, and when we were sent down to the Philippines it was even worse, for there I would meet somebody from home once In awhile, and everything they said made me want to take the next boat back"
 "YOu've been away?' he exclaimed.
 "With Aunt Dora and Uncle Phil," she nodded her head. "There were so , many of us at home, and when he was sent to the East by his company, he wanted a secretary, so I coaxed him to take me. Then he died in Tokio, and because I understood the trade situation pretty well, they made me sales manager instead of trying to break in new man. I've only been home about two months. They want me to try South America this time, but I'm tired of it. I suppose wmen are just tabby cats after all. You work and make believe you like it, and all the time you're thinking of some cozy corner to curl up in and rest. Pm going to buy the Prendergast place and fix up the garden beautifully, and have five cats"
 Hardy laughed, laughed until she turned to look at him almost resent fully. He was so tall and broad shoul- dered, so resolute and sure of himself, just as she remembered him. One req son why she had gone away was to l IlI l