The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1921-04-04
ALTHEA
Ny 0 0. GRAVES.
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innn of ca. his hair iron .gruy. his eyes
clcar, guided IL skillully, lie was
content With his lot. and we'll might be-
be-. Fortune had dealt kindly with
Him
Wien a hoy he had left this very
county with no more than u silver
dollar IN his pocket aud his wardrobe
oh his back.
Now ny the car swept through the
dusk aud The familiar old hills recalled
Ia him his past life II was with no llt.
tle satisfaction that he knew his
wealth had been accrued with no hard
ship ~ anothcr. So far Us hc knew.
aud he made II n point to know. he
had harmed no one aud MI who knew
Him respected him.
That there was something lacking
the old mnn was aware.
The man stopped the car aud
jumped out with the agility Of youth.
Ills eyes sought u familiar landmark.
II was there. A narrow winding foot.
path bordcred by n little garden n
sweet alyssum. baby's breath, and mi.
gpnctic.
Having curved around n clump Of
hollyhocks. the path abruptly ended
before Il toy-like little white house. \
single candle glowed warm In u Win
dow. The man knocked softly ut tie
green panclcd door. His heart bound.
ed az the response he remembered so
we'll. q light s%prlnging s%tep-thc same,
Tile door opened and the gentleman
saw before him In the candle.liglit. n
dainty little woman IN gray. her white
hair curling softly above serene blue
eyes. 4 single rose nestled In her
bodice. It's freshness no fuirer than lis
vcarcr's cheeks. Behind her In the
tiny room the candle.light glowed on
polished surfaces of tables aud chairs.
and the old man longed 10 enter. by
the GOODNESS with which tie little lady
regarded him. he felt he was not rec
ognized 50 he offered:
MADAM. my machine Is ut the road.
side. II will not run. May | accept
your hospitality?'
"C0me ,in." lie noticed the voice,
naturally mellow, was hard. The door
closed behind them and the woman
turned TO him iiercely. "lIugh Base,
do YOU dare come here!'
The old man was startled and be-
cause lie did not understand he asked
with sincere wonder. Miss Serena. !
do not know why | should not come
back. | passed throngh the village. the
old hills recalled our-my youth. and
tl.it same old clump Of lmmortelles by
the gate decided me. | could not pass
them by.
"fIugh Basse, youll say that TO me,
Althea's sister?'
"Althea?' the old man echoed. "but
why Althea? She was but a baby. 1t
WAS always You. Miss Serena, even IL
/ did not come back before"
"Say no more. Of that, sir, what Of
Althea's childY"
"Ah, she marriedY"
"You ask that? Men are cruel"
The Old man %pondered. Truly, he
did not know what the little 0ma
meant nor why her fury.
Again the green paneled door opened
brishly. A pretty girl Of 10 entered
with a soft rustic of summer skirts.
"Why auntie, ! did not know Of
company" She advanced to the old
Inan and held TO him Il cordial hand.
"Did | see your car in the laneY
The old man assented and smiled
kindly into the bright black eyes. Miss
Serena ~shuddered and commanded
sternly, %"IIelcn, go TO your room. l
will call you when-when--"
"lIugh Basse, is that your child?'
The old man drew back in astonisll-
mcnt. The little room seemed to
wllirl about him. "Althea's child? My
child?' echoed in his ears.
Notwithstanding. Miss Serena
seated herself and pointed to a chair
for him-"didn't you send for AIthea
to come to you in the city"
"Never| the old man answered
truthfully.
Miss Serena covered her face with
her hands.
"She said you did-Althea said you
did. she said Helen was your child"
She searched his face for the truth.
"When Althea died she said you
were IIelen's father. The neighbors
all know. Helen knows and believes
ii is you.
Again the silence was heavy. The
little gilt clock licked faster and faster,
until the old man could not bear the
sound Of it. He arose unsteadily and
stumbled to the door, an older man.
His fingers fumbled for the old-fash-
toned brass latch. He found it, and
slowly drew open the door. A gust
Of wind swept across his hot brow.
cooling its feverishness. Beyond in
the moonlight the old familiar hills
rested sublime in the night. The man
turned slowly back into the room. He
forgot the open door and kneIt before
the little woman, his large hands CROP
ing for hers.
serena he said, his voice vi
hrant and urgent. II did Althea no
harm, nor any man or woman; but |
will say | did before the world. | will