The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-01-06
CHAPTER XXXIII


CHAPTER XXXIII
sylvia was reading in her grand
fathers library when the bell tinkled."
With these words our chronicle be-
gan. and they again slip from the pen
as I begin these last pages. When
Morton Rassett left her at the door of
Elizabeth House she had experienced
a sudden call OF the truant spirit. Syl.
via wanted to be alone, to stand apart
for a little while from the changing
world and take counsel with her
self. Hastily packing a bag, she
caught the last train for Nontgom-
cry. walked to the KeltOn cottage and
reused Mary, who had been its lone
tenant since the Professors death
She sent Mary to bed, and after kind.
ling a fire in the CRATE, roamed about
the small, comfortable rooms. touch
ing wistfulIy the books the pictures,
the scaut bric-a-brac. She made ready
her own bed under the caves where
she had dreamed her Eirlhood dreams,
shaking from the sheets she found in
The linen chest the leaves Of laven-
der that Mary had strewn among
them.
She slept late. and woke to look
out upon a white world Across the
campus floated the harsh cIamor Of
the chapel bell. and she saw the
students tramping through the swirl
ing snow just as she had seen them
in the old time. the glad and happy
times when it had seemed that the
world was bounded by the lines OF
the campus, and that nothing lay
beyond it really worth considering,
but Centre Church and the court
house and the dry-goods shop where
her grandfather had bought her first
and only doll. She babe Mary sit
down and talk to her while she ate
breakfast in the little dining-room:
and the old woman poured out upon
her the gossip of the Lane, the latest
trespasses of the Greek professors
cow, the escapades Of the Phi Gam.
ma Delta's new dog, the health Of Dr.
Wandless, the new baby at the house
Of the Latin professor, the il-luck Of
the Madison Eleven, and like matters
that were, and that continue to be
Of concern in Buckeye Lane.
The sun came out shortly before
noon. Sylvia walked into town, bought
some flowers, and drove to the ceme-
terry. She told the driver not to wait.
and fingered long in the KeIton lot
where snow-draped evergreens marked
its four corners. The snow Law
smooth on the two graves. and sbe
placed her flowers upon them softly
without disturbing the white cover.
ing. A farmboy whistling along the
highway saw her in the lonely ceme.
terry and trudged on silently, but the
did not know that the woman tending
her graves did not weep or that when
she turned slowly away looking back
at last from the iron gates, it was
not of the past she thought, nor Of
the heartache buried there, but Of a
world newly purified, with long, broad
vistas Of hope and aspiration lengthen-
ing before her.
But we must not too long leave the
bell-an absurd continuance Of wire
and knOb-that tinkIed rather alb.
sently and eerily in the kitchen pan
try. Let US repeat once more and for
the last time:
Sylvia was reading in her grand
fathers library when the bell tinkled.
Truly enough, book lay in her lap,
but it may be that, after all, she had
not done more than skim it's pages
an old Life of Nelson" that had been
a favorite Of her grandfather's. Sylvia
rose, put down the book, marked it
carefully as on that first occasion
which so insistently comes back to
us as we look in upon her. Mary ap-
peared at the library door, but with
drew, seeing that Sylvia was answer
ing the bell
Some one was stamping vigorously
on the step, and as Sylvia opened the
door, Dan HARDWOOD stood there, just
as on that other day; now, to be sure,
he seemed taller than then. though
it must be only the effect Of his long
ulster.
How do you do. Sylvia" he said.
and stepped inside without waiting for
parley like that in which Sylvia
had engaged him on that never-to-be.
forgotten afternoon in June. You
oughntn't TO try to hide; it isn't fair
for one thing, and hiding is impos-
sibe for another"
IT'S too bad you came. said Syl-
via, for I should have been home to-
morrow. l came just because 1 wanted
TO be alone for day."
Il came" said Dan, laughing. be
cause I didn't like being alone"
II hope Aunt Sally isn't troubled
about me. I hadn't time to tell her
I was coming here; don't believe
really thought about it; simply