The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-12-09
An 0. HENRY Story a Day :SS$s;

HtiI ktuhlFys tAu ~" NV toh
could give NJ . woman for 10
years, but not 10 years for q
woman. OF course ! know why you
did II. Everybody dooa. Edith Carr.
ahs fitted four or i've besides you.
But you were tho only one who
took 20 . hole In tho ground. The
others had recourse 20 whisky. the
Kiondflss. politics.. and that similia
nimllibtm cura But ray-Ifamp.
Faith Carr was tint about the finest
woman IN tho worid-hiKh toned
and proud and noble. and playing
her ideals 20 win at all kinds OF
oddA she certainly wns n cracker
hek.-
after rcnounc-d the world
said the hermit Il never heard OF
her again.
-ghe married me- said Einitiey.
Tho hermit leaned against the
wooden walls OF his ante-cayo and
wriggied hia toez
\ know how ycu feel sbou, n. :
said Blnkicy. what else could she
40, There w~r- her four sisters and
her mother and old man Carr-you
rcfneinbcr how he put all The money
he had into diffgihls bailoons7 Wen.
everything was coming down snd
nothing going up with 'ern. as you
might say. Wen. ! know Edith as
well as you do--aitho | married her,
/ was worth a million then. but I've
run n up since 10 between five and
six n wasn't mo she wanted AZ
much as--xeii. II was about BIKE this:
shs had that bunch on her hands.
and they had 70 be taken care Of.
Edith married me two months after
you ala the ground-sruirrei act
though ahe liked me. too. at Tho
tms.-
And now,- inquired ths rccfu-s.
-We'rs better friends than ever
now. Rhe rot a divorce from me two
years ago. Just inoompaubliity. !
didn't put IN any defense Wen.
well. we'll Iiamp. this Is certainly a
funny dugout you've buiit hero. But
you always were a hero of fiction.
'sseerns like you'd have been the very
one TO strike Edith's fancy. Maybe
you debut TIA the bank RON that
catches 'em. my boy-your caves
and whiskrrs won't do n Honestly.
iiarnp. don't you think you've bean
a darned fooir-
Tho hermit smiled behind his tan
gfrd beard lie was and always had
bern 90 superior 10 the Grade and
mcrcrnary Binkiey that even his
vulgarities could not anger him
Moreover. his studies and media,
tons in his retreat had raised him
far above the little yanities of the
world His little mountaInsids had
been almost an Olympus over the
-dre Of which he saw. smiling. the
bolts hurled In the valleys 81 man
below. Had his ten years Of rcnun.
citation. OF thought Of devotion TO
an IDEAL. Of living soorn Of sordid
world been In vain1 Up from the
world had come to him the youngest
and beau,ifuicat-fairer than Faith
ono and three seventies tims iovelscr
than the seson-year~~erved Rachel
30 the hermit smiled In his board
when fsinki~y had relieved the
hermitage from the blot Of his pres
encs and the first faint star showed
above the pines. tho hermit got the
can Of bakinr-powder from hix cup
board lie SIN sulscd behind his
beard
There vrs . sfsyht russss m The
doorway. There stood Edith Carr.
with ali the added beauty and state
nnsas and noble bearing that ten
year. had brought her.
She was never one IN ehsfter. she
looked At Tho hermit with her large.
thinking. dark eyea The hermit
stood stu. surprised into = poes as
mo'ioniess as har own. Only bis sub.
conscious sense Of the fitness Of
things CAUSED him 20 turn the bsk.
ing powder can slowly In his hands
untii It's red Label vas hidden against
his bossm.
Il am stoprtne n ne nm. said
Edith. In low but clear tonca II
heard OF you thera told mysek
that must see yon want to ask
your forgiveness. sold my hap.
pincsu for money. There were others
TO bs provided for--but that docs no,
excuse me ] just wanted to sec
you and ask your forgiveness. You
have lived here ten years. they tell
mo. cherishing my memory i was
blind. Hampton. could not see
then that all the money In the world
nnnot weigh In the scales against
n faithful heart If--buf IL Is too
late now. 81 COURSE"
Her assertion WINS q question
clothed as beat II could be In a low.
ing woman's pride. hut ;iSfu the thin
Disguise the hermit @w easily that
his lady had come back Ia him--if he
chose lie had won n rolden crown
If II pleased him TO take n. The
reward az his decade OF falthf,iiness
was ready for his hand--if he desired
to stretch II forth.
For the space OF one minute the
old enchantment shone upon him
with reflected rndiance And then
by turns he felt the manly scnsa.
tons Of Indignation at having been
discarded. and OF ropugnance at hav-
ing been--aa II werc--eougiit again.
And las, OF ali--how strange that n
should have come at hst,--the pale
blue vision or the beautifuicst OF the
Trcnholne sisters illuminated his
minds eye and leu him without a
waver.
ut II too bate" he raid. m deep
tones. pressing tho baking powder
can against his heart
Once she turned after she had
xono slowly 20 yards down the path.
The hermit had begun 20 twist the
lid off his can. but he hid Il again
under his saclting robe. lie could
sec her great eyes shining sadly thru
the twilight; but he stood innexibie
In the doorway of his shack and
made no sign.
~ n a - x~<x a..