The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-09-11
Her Romance
Had Come
True at Last
By ELLA

HEDWINA, who d'you thinks back
- in town." asked little Miss
Mary Summers excitedly of her niece.
Henry Coleman"
Henry Coleman?" repeated her
niece vaguely.
years ago before he went West, and
now he's back with a fortune and I'M
married"
"Oh, Aunty !" exclaimed Edwina.
NOV don't you be absurd, child! A
very good chance for your"
Edwina flushed under her saIlow
skin. Miss Mary must have been close
on fifty, Edwina twenty-five. The two
women shared the little cottage on
the outskirts of the town. Miss
Mary's love affair had been a very
serious one in bygone days. Henry
had sworn never to marry anyone else
when she rejected him.
Nonsense, of course. Yet Miss
Mary's heart futtered as she thought
of Henry. He was not too old for
her niece. She must be cold to him,
try to bring about a match between
them.
When Henry Coleman came up the
garden path Miss Mary, watching
from a window, would not have recog-
nized the slim youth of twenty years
before in this stalwart, bronzed
stranger. How her heart beat when
she opened the door and put her cool
hand in his.
"How do you do, Henry! I'm
pleased to see you again." she said.
Henry was staggered. He had
looked forward to a cordial welcome;
he had even dared to think that he
might kiss her. And now-how aloof,
remote Miss Mary seemed
~This is my niece, Edwina."
Miss Mary left the two together
while she fused about the kitchen
getting the evening meal. She could
hear their voices in the parlor. They
seemed to be getting on very well to-
gether. All, Henry would never know
what it had cost her to send him
away, because her duty lay with her
aging parents. He would never know
the romantic fiutters at her heart, nor
how the old magic had come back,
like springtime, with his advent.
She was markedly cool to him that
evening. Once or twice she saw
Henry looking at her in perplexity.
When he was gone she said:
ga fine chance for you, Edwina!"
"Oh, don't be so absurd, Aunt said
her niece, flushing again.
Henry called often during the next
week or two, and Miss Mary always
contrived to leave the two together.
She believed Henry's suit was making
swift progress. But she did not dare
ask Edwina. One night Henry said:
TIN going back West next week"
Going Westl Miss Mary's heart
seemed to stop. SO this was-the end
That warm summer night Miss Mary
always remembered. Henry had
Edwina to come for a stroll with him
in the garden. In the parlor Miss
Mary sat by the window, seeing their
figures silhouetted under the trees.
He must be asking Edw1na now. He
would take her away with him. She {
would be left all alone in her old age.
Tears flooded he" eyes. She knew
mad ever done. What a fool to have
let him go! And now he was taking {
Edwina. All, well, she was too old for I
him. She must make the best of it.
The couple were coming up the gar
den path. Miss Mary went and opened
the door to them. That look upon t
faces-it was impossible to mis-
take that. Miss Mary glanced from J
one to the other. Impulsively she put
out her hands to Henry's: /
81 think I must congratulate you"
she said. you will have a splendid
wife, Henry" l
"Oh, Aunt" Edwina's tone was
between crying and laughing. And, as !
Miss Mary looked at the girl in per- I
!
I'm going to tell her, Henry. Henry I
has been wondering why you are so
cold to him. He-he loves you so ]
and he came back in the hope !
hat you might marry him. Aunty, !
1on't you think you could care a j
ittle?" !
Mary, can't you?" asked Henry,
stepping to her side and taking her !.
hands in his. I
Edwina had disappeared. But Miss j
Nary didn't even know. For her ro- I
nance had come true at last. i