The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1922-01-19
Reunited by
Quicksands
By WILLIAM FALL.

fltAilaaNAA NlA hfhiAHAH AA@se
y must. grandma" was the reply,
firm. yet palned. and the old woman
\ glanced keenly al the young face,
wearing care and sorrow, aud
I sighed. and then was silent gazing
sadly. dreamlly into the nickering
CRATE.
Dear child" crooned the old wom-
an. as Elizabeth threw 3 cape across
her shoulders and fitted from the
room. Dear. poor child know |
know !"
Just a year this very night. not chill
and sere. although September-llge now.
but star-spangled evening Of sweet
sounds, a stroll along the whispering
sands. and troth plighted under the
/ great, stately elm that had shaded the
old brook for over a century Then
under the great elm where each had
promised. no matter what might hap
\ pen, to return there upon each ami
versary as to shrine devoted TO
love undying, eternal.
"It was all my fault" moaned Ellz-
abeth, as slowly, sadly she started
down the edge OF the sand beach,
watery moon casting dim, weird shad-
ows across her path. "oh, why was
| Jealous. why was ! so impulslve and
cruelT"
She recalled the May day festival
at the village where she had been so
proud OF her lover, Randall Gray, and
then so irrationally Jealous OF him.
In fit Of pique, melted by a false
friend, schemlng girl companion,
she had tried TO punish her lover, en-
tirely innocent of any real purpose TO
pain him. and she had lost him.
And can never forget" she
walled to the signing night winds, and
pursued her lonely path on pilgrim
age Of sorrow and penitence.
She faltered as she came In sight OF
the old elm.
II thought II would comfort me to
come" she moaned. but It Is break
Ing my heart I"
At last she reached the old trystlng
place. She sank like wearied child
TO the moss-covered trunk and cried
her heart out
Hark
Her pulses stirred al cry OF alarm.
II was a call for help.
Elizabeth started to her feet and
tremhingly listened A new fear came
into her face as she traced the call
...., - ,I,yfng axpapsa ~ gtuntad
oak to where the brook ran and the
whispering sands were the most
treacherous.
She was a true daughter Of the wood
land. and she sped like a sprite along
the upper lodges overlooking the
brook.
"Helpw
II was closer now, that cry.
A human form was visible In the
swirling mass Of quicksands, appeal
ing wildly for help, with arms out
stretched. sinking deeper and deeper
each succeeding moment
How she managed to drag one OF the
great rough logs, the size Of railroad
tie in thickness, fully twenty feet, she
never knew. She managed 10 tilt the
end OF the heavy timber across the
ledge Of rock and let II drop Eliza
beth crept out on the log.
Grasp the log firmly with one hand
give me the other"
Then her voice died away and her
soul seemed to go with II, for the man
nj
II was like hideous dream with
golden awakening, as both reached the
soft ground and sank upon a messy
plat exhausted, their eyes met. and
then their hands.
"You have saved my lifei" he
breathed. II owe II TO you-Eliza-
bethr
How sweetly, how fervently he pro-
nounced her name, the ring OF year
ago In 1t!
II am glad" she said simply, and
shrank back away very contrltely and
with a sense of unworthlness.
III you had not been near" he be
gan. and then asked: How came you
to be1"
Her eyes dropped and she rose to
her feet He caught sight Of her poor,
bleeding hands. and grasped them and
kissed them.
ut was Just a year agO-the old
elm-do you rememberT
She bent her head. and he guessed
the truth.
ats call was strong upon mel had
not forgotten" he said In q low. eager
tone. elizabeth. say II was all a mis-
take. your cold. bitter letter 70 me"
at was more-it was cruel. wicked.
and have been punished. Oh Ran
dal. my heart Is breaking"
He caught her swsying form In his
arms He ciasped her close. leading
the way past peril into peace. past
the weird whispering sands 20 the
soft shadow Of the great elm, lis
swaying boughs seeming to welcome
80 much youth and 'oveIlness and
f0v