The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-07-03

rang out and a child's cry; some PEG
pie talked in an open doorway in an
other place and called good night.
Then a door slammed and other lights
twinkled; just the commonplace noises
Of life Earring in to break a moment of
tremendous import in the lives Of
these two. The time.had com to go
down to their valley and they knew 1t.
With n lingering hand clasp they
started on down to the village.
Holt selected the Swallowed ways
and quieter approach to the Harring-
ton home, and the two rode silently
until they came TO the house.
You're wonderful" he exclaimed
intensely. you're not like any other
girl l ever saw. But, it wouldn't do.
Your father might stand for it, but
your hrntherinlaw never would. He
hates ms like poison, not so much be-
cause of my reputation as because I've
stood In the way of some of his plans.
He would kick me out like a dog if |
darkened his doors. You'll understand
when you hear them talk. 1t would be
Just as well if you didn't say anything
about me 1t won't be necessary for
them to know who brought you home;
just say a man who was on the
train
Jean Strengthened up in her saddle
and grasped his hal.
Indeed | shall ell them who brought
me out of death, and just what / think
of him. They shall know all that you
have done for me. DO you think I
would keep still about it? / couldn't.
1t would be ~disloyalty, 1t would be
cowardly!"
He watched her kindllng face and
flashing eyes IN the moonlight and
h~ungrily stored the picture away in
his memory.
Darling he breathed reverently,
as il the words were drawn from his
lips in spite of all resolution. Then.
raising his voice a lriae, aud lifting
his head to the night sky:
Il never knew d girl could be like
this! What a fool / have been!" The
words ended almost in a roam, ana
for answer the girl drew carer to him
and laid her other hand gently upon
his.
Holt checked the horses and. dis
mounting, stood beside Jean in the
shadow of a great tree by the roadside.
Within 10 feet of them the light from
a wide window streamed out upon the
grass in front Of a pleasant house built
In bungalow style, with broad porches
and vine clad approaches. Ham
mocks and easy rockers were dini.y
visible, with a brighter hint of glow
and warmth inside the swaying cur
tains of a window where a piano was
sounding pleasantly, and a man and
woman were sitting on either side of
a table under a prettily shaded reading
lamp. A boys voice called down the.
and the little girl at the piano
playing and answered him;
then tinkled on with her music.
All this the two under the tree saw
aud heard without sensing it. They
were looking into n another's eyes
in the semi-darkness, realizing that
that streak of light was separa-
ton for them, perhaps forever; and
that probably this instant here and
was all that was left to them to-
out Of the eternity Of the future.
years.
Jean put her hands timidly on Hollis
shoulders. 1--WE been thinking what
it was you wanted to ask of me-" she
said so softly that if one had been
it would have seemed but the
breathing of the evening air She
waited and Holt looked at her visit
fully.
81 have no right" he said. at
wouldn't be square,"
The girls eyes looked steadily, shyly
into his, though in the shadow they
could see more with the spirit than
with the material vision.
WAS it--?" she stopped, her heart
beating fast: WAS it--this p
She leaned forward and kissed him
softly on the forehead just where the
soft cnrls waved a@as and i1er lips
were like a benediction, that seemed
to bring forgiveness and a purging
away Of the past.
With bowed head as at a saeram ent
he stood, then softly said:
"You have understood, and / thank
you. had no right to ask, but | can
never forget or be false to that"
He stopped and laid his lips reyer-
on her hands; then lifted her
Town quickly. as if he nc. T,ssssasFf7tot
make the sorrow Of the parting longer,
and together they went forward across
he patch Of light, up the path and the
vide low steps to the porch.
Holt knocked once on the door, not
oudly. but there was in the sound a
menace that made Jean shud4er as she
,eard it. She reached out her hand
% his as il she would take shelter
here from something that was COM.
ng, that she could not quite nndar-
stand. Holt pressed her fingers
quickly, tightly In a clasp that almost
lurt her, and then dropping her hand.
'teppeS back into the shadow Of the
ines as the tinilling piano stopped.
There yaS o sound OF footsteps com
q gto the door, and Of voices in expec