Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1920-11-12

| them, and not of sorrow but of great
| joy. In that moment his most stupefy-
ing discovery was made, and the mag
nitude of 1t, the portent of 1t, set his
brain at naught, and left him destitute
| of reason.
Carroll" he said, petrifed. "Caroi I"
Mute, she shook her head. Looking
him full In the eyes. she fiinched sud-
denly. and great sob burst in her
throat. The photograph of Dicky Nor
gan was In her hand; she held 1t
moment, trembling. and then. while
her breath came faster and her shoul-
ders qulvered, she tore 1t across and
across, finer and finer. until only frag-
mentary scraps remained-and these
she let fall In her lap. unheeded. The
likeness of Hilliard, the lying radiant
face Of the man nobody knew-this
she had seized, and this she had
clutched to her breast, spasmodically.
as though In fear to have 1t snatched
away from her.
Hllllard was very close to her; and
his whole being was concentrated in
his eyes.
"Caroll" !" he said to her again in that
strangers voice. Carol You
you knewl" To him the fact
was unbelievable
Tardily, unwillingly. she raised her
head.
From the very first day." she said
brokenly. Both dad and I
and no one else; not even mother
your eyes told us both. and
we've trusted you so and
waited so surely we knew it
would come out all right in the end.
somehow and and
l do like my giftl 1t does
make the day better" And then. in a
soft whisper. "HenryT
She had called him Henry and
even in the spell of his confusion. he
throbbed to the significance of it.
The lover was eager. but the prodlgaI
was startled back from the very thresh.
old of love
From the first dayl" he breathed,
| electrified. "And you trusted me like
that D.. when you knew what ]
was doing"
She was laughing and crying at the
same time; his hungry arms went out
to her and found her; words were
coming unanimously to him and he
said them as they came. Somehow
the ring was on her finger; and she
had kissed it there. Between them.
! partnered, n sacred understanding as
| imperishable as bronze had arisen;
they both knew, without the necessity
of prolonged speech. what his future
was to be. They both knew in what
capacity he was to face the world;
they knew the brimmlng fulness of her
pardon and the brimming fullness of
his regret. These truths were mutual
| ly confirmed; the shabby past was in
distinguishably merged with the fresh
and vivid present; their pledges to this
end were upon their lips. The world
was lying helpless at their feet :.
the wonderful, sensitive. receptive
world which had respected and hon
ored and admired him in the days of
his regeneration. and would continue,
paying the reward of his request.
In an irresistible passion of humility
and shame and courage, he tried to tell
her the sums of his deceits; her lips
prevented him.
you MUSTN'T" she murmured
"Never You let me choose-I want
1t this way"
Dazed, triumphant, he was re-living
by-gone incidents, seeing faint clues
develop into mighty revelations. COM
pretending at last the supreme love
and supreme faith of the two who had
waited for his victory, and kept his
secret shut within their hearts, that
he might stand the ordeal and prove
triumphant. And now, the reputation
that was already his the loft
Ter reputation which he should conse-
crate himself to build not
only for the pleasure of the building.
| but also because there were those to
whom he owed 1t
Behind them. firm football Hill
lard was on his feet, his arm instinct
lively protecting Carol. Doctor Durant
was smiling on them from the door
way grave, benevolent, pa
ternal. He, too became a common
partner to the understanding; an inter-
change of glances was sufficient. He
came in swiftly; his hands outstretch-
ed, his head lifted high In the pride of
a father who has looked upon his chill
dren, and found them true to each 9th
er, and to him.
"What !" he said. "Have you proved
1t already-my son?"
THE END.