The Dolores star., 1923-05-18

line OF vision.
Santoine rose; he stood an instant
waiting for his daughter. then sud
denly he comprehended that she was
no longer In the room. "Mr. Hillward,
must ask your help" he said, ana
he went out with Hlllward guiding
him.
Eaton, turning nnxiOusly on his PHI
low and looking about the room. saw
no one but his sister. He had known
when Harriet moved away from be
side the bed but he had not suspected
that she was leaving the room. Now
suddenly n great fear filled him.
"why did Miss SantoIne go away7
Why did she go. Edth?" he ques-
toned.
"You must sleep, Hugh" his sister
answered only.
Harriet. when she slipped out of the
room. had gone downstairs. She could
not have forced herself to leave be-
fore she had heard Hugh's story, and
she could not define even to herself
what the feeling had been that had
made her leave as soon as he had
finished; but she sensed the reason
vaguely. Hugh had told her two days
before. ~ will come back to you as
you have never known me yet-nnd
It had proved true. She had known
him rs man in fear. constrained,
carefully guarding himself against
others and against betrayal by him
self: man to whom all the world
seemed opposed; so that her sympa-
thy-and afterward something r'ore
! than her sympathy-had gone out to
! him. To that repressed and threat
| ened man, she had told all she felt
| toward him, revealing her feelings
with a frankneSs that would have
been impossible except that she want
| ed him to know that she was ready to
stand against the world with him.
Now the world was no longer
! against him; he had friends, place
| In life was ready to receive him; he
would be sought after End his name
| would be among those Of the people
| Of his own sort. She had no shame
that she had let hlm-and others
know all that she felt toward him !;
she gloricd still in It; only nOw-now,
If he wished her, hc must make that
plain; She could not, of herself, return
to him.
So unrest possessed her and the
suspense of something hoped for but
unqualified. She went from room to
room, trying to absorb herself in hcr
daily duties; but the house-her IA.
Tiers house-spoke to her now only
Of Hugh and she could think of moth
ing but him. Was he awake? Was
he sleeping? Was he thinking of herf
Or, now that the danger was over
through which she had served him,
were his thoughts Of someone else?
Her heart halted at each recur
renee Of that thought; and again and
again she repeated his words to her
ut parting from her the night before.
81 will come back to you as you haev
never known me yet!- To her he
would come back, he said; TO her, not
to anyone else But his danger was
not over then; in his great extremity
and in his need of her he might have
!
wanted her, why did he not send for
her?
She stood trembling as she saw
Edith Overton in the hall.
Hugh has been asking for you con.
tinually, Miss Santolne If you can
find time, please go in and see him.
Harriet did not know what answer
| Shn mnIn Shn oir che
ran as soon as she was out of sight
Of Hugh's sister; then, at Hughs door
she had to halt to catch her breatf
and compose herself before she opened
the door and looked in upon him. II,
was alone and seemed asleep; at leas
his eyes were closed. Harriet stoot
an instant gazing at him.
His face was peaceful now bu
worn, and his paleness was more evi
dent than when he had been talkln,
to her father. AS she stood watch
ing him, she felt her blood coursn,
through her as never before anC
warming her face and her fingertips
and fear-fear of him or of herself
fear Of anything at all in the world
fled from her; and love-lOve which
she knew that she need no longer tr,
to deny-possessed her.
Harriet" She heard her nam,
from his lips and she saw, as h,
opened his eyes and turned to her
there was no surprise in his look L
he had been sleeping, he had beer
dreaming she was there; if awake. h.
had been thinking of her.
what is 1t, HughT She was be
side him and he was looking up int,
her eyes.
"You meant 1t, then? All you sait
and-and all you did when we-yor
and 1-were alone against them all
It's so, Harriet! You mean It'll"
And you did tool Dear, 1t wa.
only to me that you could come back
only to me?'
"Only to you" He closed his eve.
In his exultation. "Oh. my dear.
IL u