Graham guardian., 1920-09-10
TRUE AS STEEL
By ALDEN CHAPMAN


wedding OF Elinor Blair and Ahson
Daers They had known each other
intimately and had gone good deai
together, although there had never
been any hint of an engagement, pres
ent or prospective.
The bridegroom was stranger 10
the people of Rayford. He had hash-
ed upon the quiet village apparently
an old acquaintance Of Richard blair'
Then ElinOr was seen a good deal In
his company and the marriage TOOK
place. Bride and groom and MIR.
Blair left Rayford TO settle somewhere
In the South, and their former friends
and acquaintances soon forgot them
All but two persons--Eunice Trux-
ton. the aunt of Elinor and Edwin
Darrell They knewl
Il was at the home Of Miss Truxton
one day that Darrell was drawn closer
TO Elinor in pity and love. She had
for some time past evaded him ana
had shown q sadness he could not
fathom. They were alone on the porch
when Darrell, Impelled by irresistible
emotion. put his arm about Elinor ana
confessed his love. She swayed
toward him with Incoherent words.
They conveyed a sure token that this
affection was returned, but that the
situation was hopeless for both OF
them, She chung to him in a frenzied,
hysterical way and was lost In sobs
and tears. Then, voiceless. she He'd
into the garden. Darrell sought her
10 be confronted by Miss Truxton. She
was pale and agitated, and to Darrells
inquiries stated that Elinor had gone
home.
"You must not seek to visit her or
meet her here again." she told Darrell.
Poor childl Something has happened
TO cloud her life that ! cannot tell
YOU now, but, oh! Mr.. Darrell, what
ever you hear, do not mlsJudge her"
What Darrell TO his utter despair
later heard was that ElinOr was TO
wed Alison Dacre. and this was fol
lowed by the marriage which drove
! i'm temporarily from Rayford. When
g returned the Blairs had left the
Illage. Crushed and comfortless. Oar
sell sought Miss Truxton.
at was sacrifice, cruel immola.
lion OF youth and innocence to save
an imperiled father" was all she
would tell Darrell, and she never al.
luded to the subject again. She left
Darrell to surmise that Dacre had
held some power over Mr.. Blair, which
hent him to his will aud compelled
E,linor to accept him as q husband.
'The only assurance for Darrell was
that Elinor loved him. Victims to cir
cumstances, they had the mutual con-
ylction that nothing could ever sepa'
rate them as to soul affinity. but II
looked a lonely, dreary road.
At the first Elinor kept up cor
fespOndence with her aunt. Then
there was n year of silence. In her
anxiety Miss Truxton wrote to the
,Iwn from which Elinor's last letter
l;1d come. She learned that Mr.. Blair
lid died, that the Dacres had sepa-
rated and that Ellnor and her little
child. Priscilla, had disappeared.
Shortly after that Dacre appeared
IN Rayford. He did not go near Miss
1'ruxton, but visited and borrowed
mOney from some former friends, and
lied after a protracted drinking bout.
Having no means, he was about to be
buried in n pauper's grave when Dar-
rell came forward and arranged for
his funeral.
Then Miss Truxton passed away.
Darrell took up his dreary life, hut not
alone. Within month there arrived
at Rayford colored woman with Il
little child of three. She had a letter
for Miss TruxtOn. II was from Elinor,
who asked her TO care for her little
child. As for herself. she had an op.
portunlty TO engage as companion for
a wealthy invalid lady, which would
enable her to send some money to her
aunt to provide for Priscilla.
Thus, strangely, Edwin Darrell had
been the only one to care for the
dead husband, and now for his child.
Every three months small amount
was sent from a different place BY
the absent mother. Darrell rented n
small fiat, secured housekeeper and
grew deeply attached to the little
waif.
II was n beautiful summer after.
noon when little Priscilla accompanied
him on stroll. IL led to the beautiful
town cemetery. and on a. seat near
her fathers grave Darrell answered
her many questions as 10 the parent
she had well nigh forgotten. Darrell
tempered his replies so that the child
would have no correct conception of
lthe unworthiness OF her father.
"And mamma--why does she not
come and see me?" inquired Priscilla
spathetically. "rell me about her, will
you notf'
II was In the midst Of glowing words
OF sympathy and regard for his lost
love that a sob interrupted Darrell
Turning Ga trace Its source, he tllscov,
cred wonlaR seated on n little mound
directly hehlnd them.
II was tlinOr: hOt the Elinor OF
old. for sorrow had aged her, bHt the
same truthful eyes told story OF
gratitude, for. returning TO her native
village. she had learned OF all the no
bic kindness and charity Darrell had
shown to husband and child.
Three left the sacred spot wher,
two had approached lt--three united