Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1919-02-07

With her decision made, she sat In
the dusk near the window of her
room, Notwithstanding of "a lost
girlhood, an empty womanhood, and
brooding on the gray and quiet years
that lay before her-lonely paths for
the walking of lonely feet.
The maid at the door softened her
voice. MIR. Jeffrey says that You
must give your name and state your
errand, please
Miss Copeland smiled. "Tell him
have come over two hundred miles for
five minutes of his time"
The maid hesitatcd. but went in.
A moment later she returned smiling.
"Ile 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 If hypnotized.
his gray eyes staring; then the harsh
lines seemed swept from his face.
sudden overwhelming wonder and JOY
took their place. He stepped forward
with outstretched hands.
Dell! Della! 1t is you-it is you
-oh-'
'Yes, Stephen, it is but you must
not hold my hand" she said, smiling
family.
Il shall hold it until am sure
have you here Della, where have
you been? Why have you come? Do
you remember"
"Stephen, are you so glad to see
me?"
"Glad to see you! have been hum
CRY for the sight of your face for fif
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? l was willing to marry you,
you remember, but you didn't have
the courage to go against your ia
TIERS will. You remember, he would
have nothing to do with me, you"
His voice was hoarse. MY God !
If | only had had the courage! These
years, Della, these years-years-o
memories" His head dropped. II
was coward-but it's not too late.
Della. You-why, the years have been
kind to you-are you"
Married? mol" She shook her |
head sadly. Il couldn't-with my
Della"
"Wait, Stephen. l 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-hous room, Of the
slight, brave young girl, of the young
husband covering Il dread of the fu-
ture with a present smile. Then she
told him their names.
He started to his feet. "My little
girl-there l wanted to teach them
a lesson-I forgot my-lesson. l was
u coward and-my God! l have paid
for it." He turned to her. 81 am GO
ing to put a call straight to your
house-where is it?'
Her heart throbbed at his words.
stephen, they will be wild with joy!"
She gave him the call as she imagined
the scene to be enacted in that far
away room of despair
He shouted the call into the tele-
phone, brushing aside some remon.
STRANGE with an abrupt word. He
"a picture of eagerness.
Then-"Helloi Observation-Disclosures
Eyes, father'-"I want you to come
home! You and-and Norman ~
ere-there-little girl p
YES, pack up, and conceive been
a pig headed ass"-"Yes, you bet we
wilr'-"Come 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 if into her heart
had entered again the silence and the
emptiness, while soon for him the last
shadows would pass. Nov, | must
go"
He sprang up and laid his hands
gently yet firmly upon her shoulders.
His voice was vibrant, yet tender.
you are never going-never, Della,
if | can keep you. Now that chance
has brought you, no one lives who can
take you from me. | was too much of
a 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 must
not all be lost years. Don't you love
me even little?'
Her head sank. stephen, | have
always loved you and always shall !;
but'-very softly and very quietly
youth is past-and the dreams OF
youth"
Putting his arm about her, he drew
her to him. II know, oh, ] know, my
dear, but youth is not ALL" His voice
was shaking. The springtime and