Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1919-01-16

Wuse. courageous young ueaSt0 mu6t
not suffer-"
With her decision made. she sat in
the dusk near the window Of her
room. Notwithstanding Of lost
girlhood. an empty wOmanhoOd. and
brooding on the gray and quiet years
that lay before her-ionely paths for
the walking Of lonely feet.
The maid Mt the door softened her
voice. "Mr. jeffrey says that you
must give your name and state your
errand. please"
Miss Copeland s-nlled. ''TeII him
have come over TIVE. hundred miles for
five minutes Of his time"
The maid hesitated. but went In.
A moment later she returned smiling.
'He is in the library, where you may
see him."
Through the great hall she walked
to the door where the maid stood and
quietly entered the room.
A man Of powerful build rose heav-
lily from chair. laid down his paper
and lifted strong, stern face. With
lips parted he stood. as II hypnotized.
bis gray eyes staring; then the harsh
lines seemed swept from his face. a
sudden overwhelming wonder and Joy
took their place. He stepped forward
with outstretched hands. +
. "Dell! Della! 1t is you-it Is you
oh"
Eyes. Stephen, 1t is but you must
not hold my hand" she said. smiling
family.
II shall hold it until l am sure I
have you here! Della. where have
you been? Why have you comet Do
you remember"
stephen. are you so glad to see
mel"
"Glad to see you! have been hum
cry for the sight of your face for IF
teen years! Why didn't you answer
my letters? Why" He stopped.
making an effort to calm himself.
Lets sit down" she suggested
quietly. "Ah. Stephen, why bring
back the old years and the old re-
grets?' was willing to marry you,
you remember. but you didn't have
the courage to go against your ia
theirs will. You remember, he would
have nothing to do with me. you"
His voice was hoarse. "My God I
If only had had the cournge! These
| years, Della, these years-years-of
memories His head dropped. II
was q coward-but it's not too late.
Della. You-why, the years have been
kind to you-are you"
Married? Now She shook her
head sadly. Il couldn't-with my
memories"
"Della!"
swat, Stephen. I came to see you.
You say you wish you had opposed
your father. Let me tell you some.
| thing"
She leaned over, and tenderly she
told him Of the young couple In the
dingy boarding-house room, of the
slight, brave young girl. of the young
husband covering dread of the fu'
ture with a present smile. Then she
told him their names.
4 He started to his feet. my little
girl-there! / wanted to teach them
lesson forgot my-lesson. I was
q coward and-my God! l have paid
for it." He turned to her. II am 60
ing to put call straight to your
house-where is it,"
Her heart throbbed ut his words
stephen, they will be wild with Joy Il
She gave him the call as she imagined
the scene to be enacted In that fal
away room Of despair.
He shouted the call into the tele
phone, brushing aside some remon
STRANGE with an abrupt word. HI
chung to the receiver while he waited
"a picture Of eagerness.
Then-"Hellol Laurel"-"Father"-
Eyes. father'-"I want you to come
homel You and-ahd Norman ~
Observation-Disclosures girl 70
Eyes, pack up. and conceive been
a pig-headed ass"-"Yes. you bet VIZ
will"-vCome right away"
He turned from the telephone. His
eyes were quiet, his face calm. She
thought as she watched him that the
years had been kind, indeed. to him.
She rose, feeling as II into her hear,
had entered again the silence and the
emptiness, while soon for him the last
shadows would pass. "Now, must
go"
He sprang up and laid his hands
gently yet firmly upon her shoulders
His voice was vibrant, yet tender
"Y0u are never going-never. Della
II ! can keep you. Now that chance
has brought you, no one lives who car
take you from me. was too much Of
coward once to take you, and YOU
had too much pride to come to me
but, my dear, we simply must save
something out Of the years-they mus,
not all be lost years. Don't you love
me even q littleY"
Her head sank. 'Stephen. I have
always loved you and always shall
but"-very softly and very quietly
youth is past-and the dreams Of
youth"
| pnttinv his arnn ahonf hor no dreu