The Mount Holly news., 1919-12-02

ley. and for weeks there lay In the
Pendleton cabin woman with wide,
somber. dark eyes and silent lips, who
grOped her way back from the shadows
almost regretfully.
The chauffeur and two men had been
taken up to the hospital at Kingsley.
Audrey heard that one of them died.
Mrs. Stewart had not seemed interest
ed when she told her this, nor had she
even asked which one. Audrey hoped
privately 1t wasn't the young one with
the curly blond hair and little short
cropped mustache In the army uniform.
There had been only two boys to 20 out
from the valley to wear khaki, and she
felt an added interest In this young
ster who seemed to have escaped the
periis Of war to become acquainted
with death in Catamount ravine.
Then one day, when she was helping
Mrs. Stewart to slip into a negligee
and try to sit up awhile, she turned
over folded leather case In her small
Ter suitcase. It opened and she saw a
photograph Of the same face, only
younger, and this time It's owner wore
yachting clothes. Mrs. Stewart glanced
at her as she bent over 1t absorbedly.
"Was he the one7" she asked In a
hushed tone, and her fingers twisted
the knotted fringe of the white cover
lid.
why, / don't know" Audrey an
swered eagerly. II liked him best. The
old man swore> terribly when they were
carrying him. and this one never said
a thing and they had to get him up
with ropes"
Mrs. Stewart ahuddered. She tried
to put from her the reality of that last
drive that was to have ended In a FINAL
ity so different to the one that over
took them all. Ivan had been very
silent. She had told him when they
left Kingsley that she would give him
his answer before they reached their
destination. And Dick had sat with
her In the back, talking and laughing
all the way on the last stretch. never
, dreaming how, In his JOY Of youth he
was turning her from the thought OF
marrying simply for money and the
rest from eternal worry They had
I passed mountain shacks along the way,
and she had looked at them with curl
Gus eyes. Could women be happy in
such Rhaces with only lover
1t was the fourth week when he
came, the young one, as Audrey always
called him to herself. 1t had been the
chauffeur who had died. he told them.
Mr. Radinoff was doing well, In fact
Intended returning to New York on
Monday and sailing the following week.
Mrs. Stewart never even colored at his
news, and Audrey wondered which one
she cared for.
Then followed weeks Of eDchant-
ment. Mrs. Stewart had insisted on
making the journey back to the city
for special treatment she said, and
] while she was gone Dick Granger
stayed at the cabin. Her father liked
him. 1t reused him TO have some one
to talk to, and Dick liked to go over
his collections with him and help him.
II was such an old story to Audrey
she never realized what strange life
they led up on the side Of Shamokin
mountain, she and the old scholarly
naturalist.
"It's just always been this way" she
told Dick. II was born right here, and
my mother died here. love 1t all, and
I've been away TO school twice, but
/ always long to come back. It's so
free. don't you knowf Why, your car
was the first that has ever come over
our road. Everybody knew how dan
gerous 1t was. It's lucky you're alive"
isn't itT Dick smiled down at her
standing six feet two in his lieutenant
uniform. 'Do you know. wish could
always stay here now. haven't any
real home My people were New York
ers, but my mothers married again.
and I'm rather the odd gosling. used
to wish when we were coming back
that had some one who was waiting
for me over here"
"Wasn't-" Audrey checked hereelf.
Possibly Mrs. Stewart would not like
to have her use her name. But Dick
caught the inference and shook his
head.
Z "She's never thought Of me twice
seriously. Radino6 can give her every
thing she wants In life. They're going
to be married In Paris"
..aThey are?' Audrey leaned forward
In amazement. why. thought Of
course she was coming back here"
"Whyf"
For you" she said briefly, quite as
II he had been some part Of Mrs. Stew
arts luggage which she left behind.
swhat on earth did you stay here 20
long for If you didn't expect her backr'
II like It here" Dick told her firmly
Maybe when leave the army I'll take
n slice Of the mountain, too, and live
near your father. I'm sick Of noise
and turmoil and everything like that.
I want-well Just this"
He half closed his eyes and looked
down at the panorama outspread be-
low them. Hills breaking from the
morning haze, acreage Of green fields
in little titled squares down In the val
ley. with the river glittering like sill
yer here and there, and back of them
the mountains and green silences.
u am coming back to stay here" he
added. Aren't you glad. Audreyr
II don't know" she frowned. Father
likes it, but he's old. and like 1t. !
guess because It's home, and ] don't
know any better. but you're a man,
Dick. You don't have to stay away
from people and things that are hap
pening I'd hate to think you'd lost
your pace. always think Of you as a
fighter. Maybe 1t would have been bet
ter II you had married Mrs. Stewart.
I've seen her look at your picture, and
I'm sure she would have cared for you
II you'd only tried harder"
II didn't want to-" he answered. II
met them both In Paris while she was
in war work there. and was lonesome.
She was mighty kind to me, and l sup
pose was bit sentimental. but. Aud
rey, that isn't love"
Audrey stood up suddenly and point
ed down the valley. There was fire
in his eyes she could not meet.
ION clear days you can see way down
! to the little hill this side Of Kingsley"
Isn't that NICE" laughed Dick. He
J reached over her shoulders, and took