Great Falls daily tribune., 1920-04-08
Tbe Uribut1e -.
@onren's s Corner

that she was thinner than she
had ever been, and her eyes were begin
ming to lose something Of the indomit
able spirit which had always looked out
from them. From numberless little
stray instances was sure that one
haunting terror beset her, the obsessing
fear of Harry Underwood's re-entrance
into the life he had made such long
drawn-out misery for her.
what Madse Wondered.
A fiery zealot in her patriotism. her
husbands bravery in the service had
wiped out for her all resentment for her
own wrongs, or for the mans former
crimes against his country, and Dicky,
his best friend. I had known Of her
Quixotic determination to crush her own
happiness and that of Robert Savarin,
because of Harry Underwood's real or
fancied need of her. at the time she
made it. l guessed that in following it
out she had sent Robert Savarin away
from her. as soon as he had sufficiently
recovered from the terrible illness-
incurred in his search for Harry Under
wood-to be able to accompany his sis
ter, Mrs. CosgrOve, to their mountain
home.
And now Harry Underwood had come
back, and l alone, of all his old circle,
held the knowledge of his return. The
glimpse had caught of Lillian's an
guished terror when she suspected for
a fleeting moment that she had seen
him, her relief when she decided that
she had made mistake, were fresh in
my memory. They had decided me to
keep the conditional promise I had made
Harry Underwood to let his presence In
America remain q secret for time.
1 wondered a little fearfully If Rob-
ert Savarin in his lonely mountain home
ence Of Harry Underwood near the lady
of his heart, and if this subconscious
influence were back Of his proposed Wis
it to US. The next instant I had laugh
ed at myself with prosaic scorn at my
own folly, assuring myself that Robert
Savarin had reasons enough for his
trip in his desire to see Lillian and ar
range for the sale of his pictures, with
out my imputing touch Of the occult to
his journey.
Dloky Observes.
That Lillian for the first time in her
life doubted her own strength Of re-
nunciation. l knew from her words and
manner when | had first told her Of
Robert Savarin's projected visit. As !
remembered the whiteness of her lips
and her anguished eyes. I renewed the
vow l had made that if l could COM
pass it, Robert Savarin should have an
other chanc. to plead his case with her.
He has always seemed to me to need
an advocate, this gentle recluse, will,
Is years Of mental blankness behind
him, and his apparently hopeless love
for Lillian completely filling his heart
and brain.
But it was new Robert Savarin
whom 1 met few days later. when
Dicky. after telephoning from the city
that the artist had arrived, brought him
out on the train which reaches Marvin g
half hour before our dinner time.
what dye know about the old dear:'
Dicky demanded Of me. when after he
had ushered the artist into our home
with the air Of reverential admiration
he always employs toward the man he
regards as a master. he had conducted
him to his room to rest for little be-
fore dinner isn't he the clipper old
party though? I hardly knew him when
he stepped from the train, he swung off
like 2-year-old. Old Lii would better
look out. She's always looked lot
younger than he, but if he keeps on at
this rate people'll take them for mother
and son.
l laughed at his nonsense, as he had
intended l should. but I watched Rob
saw Savarin unobtrusively when I next
saw him, and my observation confirmed
Dicky's. Something had changed him
from the gentle invalid, crushed by Lii
lian's coldness. to forceful man, look.
ing Is years younger than when hal
last seen him.
felt with a sudden rush Of relief that