The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-06-07

4
money. What is the use Of trying to
keep the old fires going here. They're
out l want a new hearth, with room
for something of my own. Mother has
Just been with me. She hasSbeen en-
/ lcouraging me to start out alone
/ There's nothing for young blood
here" she said Scarcely a living
Your eyes glowed the other night
when you told me to start out, to make
try. You said you knew would
succeed; that / would come back
great man; that you
The colonel broke off with an ex-
clamation. He looked up at Margaret.
TPhe color was coming and gCing in hcr
cheeks. Her lips were quivering in
/ sympathy, the old sympathy renewed
into even warmer flame
i ut was our spirit working together.
Margaret" he said II wanted to res
J cue you from the bondage of yogr
fathers tyranny; to make new and
beautiful place for you. You inspired
lme'
The colonel broke off again. What
4. light had sprung into. her eyes! How
lit all came back! 1t seemed like yes
terday.
The strong chord of sentiment il.
the coloneIs nature was touched aneE
by firmer hand. It played great
hymn in his ears.
He stepped to the doorway and
stood looking out into the purple mist
that in soft spirals was drifting up
, ward from the river. The sun had
sunk in great glory. Orange and opal,
crimson and amber, burned their fires
: in the west and sent fluctuatins
streamers, wide shafts of varying
tints up the zenith. A flush of shell
pink circled the horizon.
The colonel stood for several mo-
ments wrapped in the glow
He turned back, glanced again at
Margaret as she sat, her eyes still
alight, the warm color shifting down
through the pines upon her face.
He picked UP one letter after anoth-
er, reading them In silence.
Over one he fingered 1t was the
letter of that June evening that 9th
er June evening that seemed hardly
more than yesterdays evening now.
'"There can never be another June
night like this,"' he read aloud 90
cannot sleep. have been sitting BY
my window in the moonlight-tllial-
remembering until ] have had To
light candle and sit down and write
from thinking of your voice as you
said good-by; the promise you whis
pered, fearing Old Sam would hear;
hat you would meet me in the Old
summer house. down at the foot q
your garden tomorrow
II remember it," the colonel burst
out, his voice full of the timbre OF
emotion. ''Dilapidated old place; tbs
seats half broken down. the ivy grown
hick, but paradise. There was white
rcso in bloom outside the door, Mar
eeeet; you remembers"
AIarsaret's answer was scarcely
more than whisper.
Did the hand trcnlble that she lift
e to brush away strand of hair that
had fallen too low on her forehead2
eAnd that shawl / folded over your
shoulders. There was just such
chilly wind as is coming up now. What
was the perfume that came out of that
shawl, Margaret? lit brought
thrill over me,
81 thought the perfume came from
those moist little curis on your neck
A., An. well, Pm going tomorrow; have
! got into politics little, may go
back to the old place. They want me
to settle down there; bring the peo-
pie up to the times.
1.-THE Congressman from the old dis
trict is getting along in years. They
Halter me into the belief that I am
still young nan. I've an engagement
TO talk things over. This has been my
hour of memories. I've drunk again
from the old cup of water in the des-
ert- always sparkling, always sweet"
Margaret seemed to withdraw lit
lie within herself Sho shivered, glanc
ed at the unread letters on the table.
The colonel lifted the sheets in his
hand and read on
~ can hardly wait to see you
again; to hear your voice urging ma
to start out, to conquer, There is some
thing in your voice that makes NE
want to do great things. Oh. Margar
ct"
And SO il went, page after page, the
ambition that thrilled him, their hopes
their hour just past, their hour TO
come on the morrow,
The colonel's breath shortened. His
voice turned husky.
He laid the letter with tenderness
on the pile of those most redolent of
youth and love.
There was only one letter left to
read. The colonel lifted it. opened il
Glowly. His eyes fell upon the first
words and rested there during an in.
slant of tense stiffness.
Then almost triumphantly the col