The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1919-05-16
THROUGH FIRE.
-
BY AGNES G. sRoeAN.

llNCU DdNlu NIuS plSSchNN AZ Ah~
work shop. This window was the only
way of telling his presence or absence.
When David was away upon one Of
his long wandering trips the work
shop window was sure to be securely
closed. And 1t had been closed now,
for so long q time. Fall had changed
10 winter and winter almost to spring.
before the window again opened to
the hillside breeze. Margot was glad
that she was free to observe from so
high a place. For what would have
been to her the little home on the
hill without the comfort, and interest
of David's nearness.
And Margot had not spoken to David
for more than ten years. That was
tie tragedy Of it.
The pathos was that David in his
absorbed business never knew or
dreamed that the sweetheart of his
youth thought of him at all. They
had been betrothed in those young
happy days, and it was Margot's stern
old father who had sown. the first
spirit of dissensiOn. David was too
much of dreamer, he said, to make
his way in the world, man of visions,
would be poor husband for any
woman. Margot, loving David, still
could not dispute the justice Of her
fathers reasoning. Had not David
broken engagements with her-forgot-
ten all about them in fact. in the en-
thusiastic working out Of some me-
chanical problem? And with his first
hard earned money, for which Margot
had secretly anticipated the buying OF
her engagement ring-David had
bought instead a high-priced motor
which he triumphantly displayed 10
her, in his work shop.
Away from his experiments and
motors, David was faithfully devoted
to the girl who had won his entire ar
lection; but back again in the ram
bling cluttered building, Margot was
|, banished persistently. from his busy
thought. And Margot at last rebelled'
1t was after a stormy evening OF
, disappointment that she gave back 10
, David The little turquoise ring which
had been his mothers, and determined
+, " began a life of single blessedness.
. And though the stern father had since
passed away, leaving Margot alone in
the empty house on the hill, David
; had been too deeply grieved by ne
i, desertion, to make any advance toward
reconciliation.
He had travelled far and famously
, from Marquis life since those youth
r full passionate days, for the dreamer
had become a successful mechanical
inventor and the visionary man one OF
power; 50 Margot lived her single life,
while years lightly touched her, and
David's comings and goings were made
known only through the signal OF the
workshop window.
, Today, as she paused on the door
STEP Margot's heart suddenly con-
;. tracted with fear in the window be-
low gowed a red, threatening light.
d, AS she watched tongue of fame shot
out. What if David were so absorbed
that he should not notice the fire I'M
, til But David's tall figure passed
, the window. Margot saw the loved
thickness of his hair as he bent to
i extinguish what was after all, but the
light of some working engine.
. Flushed and breathless, she slipped
4 into the house. In her heart she real
lied that had her fears been true, she
! would have rushed to save David at
=, any peril, and with a sense of great
= dcSolation she realized also, the depth
. of her own enduring love.
4 David, closing his work shop win
y dow for the night, looked UP, as he
: lad looked so many times during the
Y years that were past, for glimpse of
y woman's figure in the lamp light;
but instead of the vision for which his
g heart hungered, showed a dull red
: glare. Keenly David looked again.
:. Through rear window he saw flames,
It apparently shooting up the opposite
t wall of GIargot's kitchen. Again the
a scarlet glare famed higher. If she
r should lie there alone, asleep, maybe,
and never know. Great drops stood
9 out on Davd's brow, his mouth set
|. tirmly-yhen, he was running-leaping,
n MS he haG not run since boy, straight
n ur the hillside.
n When he reached the rear of Mar
s COTS house, dense smoke was coming
It through the kitchen window. David
e did not wait to open the door, he
h stepped over the sill of the window.
n And through the smoke he saw Mar
s got-Margot with all her old smiling
MISUNDERSTANDING near the stove, en-
s veloped in white apron.
why David!" she said-just that
IS but he, voice seemed to sing.
e David all at once breathless, con-
/ fused, tried to explain.
r, 81 saw the fire. he said, ''the smoke,
+? and l feared"
d Margot came nearer, with well re,
L. membered surrender she put her hands
{ in his.
81 was frying doughnuts," she said,
g, land the grease kept flaming up on
81 the stove. It kept on flaming, David,
lie because-I hoped you would see it
down there-and I hoped that you
" v,culd 1O-v,hot 7 SbouId have done