The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-12
EDening Story
The Lifted Shadow.

Thru anxious days he had been watt
ing for just that word. and now it
had come.
Mr.. Kathan met him at the door
and motioned him into the library,
where the gray-headed lawyer faced
him a bit sadly.
Chester, have good news for you
and perhaps bad news. Mary's case
has proved unusual, but the physicians
have told US what is probably to hap
pen, and you must be ready to bear up
just as the rest of us"
"I am ready, judge" the other
answered quietly.
We'll, Mary is going to recover all
right, but the brain fever resulting
from the accident has left this resulta
She seems to have forgotten COM
pletely everything that took place for
about a year before the accident.
That memory may return and it may
mot. Doctor Mcpherson says we know
as much about it as he does"
But she is better?" the younger
man asked eagerly.
Eyes, she is better" the judge
answered. an-odd look in his eyes.
land tomorrow we are going to let
you see her if she wants to-"
Wants to- the other repeated
in his eyes-''it was last year she
learned to love me and became en-
gagged to me. You mean that all that
isLis-is wiped out2"
The judge nodded.
Stevens left the house in a daze.
and not until he reached his own
rooms did the unsettled world begin
to sink back into place. In the quiet
of his rooms he rearranged a changed
world. His mind went back over
those months of courtship when he
had bent every means to one end
to win the love, freely given, of Judge
kathan's dark-eyed daughter.
Then in the rose garden of the fine
estate she had given herself to him,
and the next day, while out with her
car, the accident had come that had
thrown it's black shadow over his
heart and her home-a shadow that
the great city surgeon had almost
lifted. A forgotten year to her loved
ones would not mean /much-to him
it meant everything.
He knew from-tlae way the judge
had mentioned the situation that in
some way Mary had shown them that
she had not remembered. One straw
remained: he would see her the next
day.
Mastering himself with difficulty
that afternoon he stepped out on the
screened porch, where, comfortable in
q. big chair. she was reading.
She lifted a small, pale, but beauti-
full face to his. Her dark eyes glowed
a bit as she saw him, but the greet
ing was the old greeting of friendly
days:
Hello. Chef. Come to See the in
valid-that is good of you"
He killed his intense desire to take
her slight figure in his arms, to pet
her and love her until she remem-
bered; but he had been warned and he
chatted of just this and that-and
nothing more.
When he left, the judge put. one
hand on his shoulder. Lad, we are
all sorry. Win her again.
The farewell words thrilled him with
their meaning; and they took on new
significance when he saw the car of
Arden Lamson stop before the house.
"A queer thought struck him: Suppose
by some Queer twist of fate she should
now fan in love with Arden, his old
and bitter rival, then some day while
in love with Arden memory should re-
turn
II shall be mad if I keep on think
ing what might happen. I shall plan
for what know is going to happeni"
he said to himself grimiy.
He set himself to woo her again. 1t
was in his car that she took the first
rides, but Arden's dark roadster was
stationed often in front of the big
Kathan mansion Chester wondered
if any one had told Arden of the sit
age to ask.
AS the weeks went on Mary grew
stronger, but no event of the lost
months returned. Once as she and
Chester were strolling together along
the river path she said WhimSicalIy:
Sometimes it seems as if I almost re-
member"-she looked up at Chester
with dark, wistful eyes, and his heart
stood still-"and then all goes. How
queeri"
"Never mind the lost months, Mary,
SO long as the future ones are all
right" he answered.
She nodded and slipped her arm
thru his-the old way of their com
radeship, not lover, days, and walked
on in silence.
At the side door of the house after
the stroll she paused and laid a soft
cheek against his shoulder. ''Chet,
you have been so good to metz she
said softly.
He started to seize her in his
arms, then mastered himself "You
are worth being good to, Mary Kath
an" he answered gently as he said
goodnight.
One of the places he sought to
avoid was the rose garden, the haunt
ing spot where she had surrendered
to him. Memories there were too keen
for him and dangerous for her; but
swer to Chesters query, why think
saw her in the rose garden with
Arden"
"Arden'-the name stung. Hest
tating, then determined. Chester
swung down the dusky walk and met
Arden returning. Arden's greeting
was short. Surprised, Chester went
on.
He saw Mary standing. like a white
rose, among a host of rivals. She was
standing where he had kissed her in
the old pledge of heart to heart. If
memory would only return.
She saw him and came quietly to
him. Her first words thrilled him as
nothing on earth nor in the eternity
beyond could thrill him, so it seemed.
Chester do you love me or do you
pity ms? % she said in q breathlessl
way.
ssMaryl'' He caught her in his
arms. do you rem ember? Love you
why II His lips on hers fin
fTan