The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-03-19

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HE HELD HER THUS IN SILENCE
THAT WAS LIKE A PRAYER
and swung along with great strides.
carrying in his breast a more blithe
than he had known for many a year.
Blind and deaf TO all about him, his
mind sped ahead of his limbs 10 the
goal for which he made.
1t was four weeks since he had
seen Nancy. and those in that house
Of rest where he had spent the pc
riOd of his sequestration could tell
him nothing Of her since they held
no direct intercourse with those who
had their being in the pest houses.
In a month much may betide. Evil
might have befallen her, or she might
have departed thence.
You conceive, then, the dread
anxiety in which he came. breath
less. hot and weary from the speed
he had made 20 the open fields and at
last to the stout, spiked gates of that
pleasant homestead, that had been put
to the uses Of a lazaret. There a stern
and surly guardian denied him pass
age
You cannot enter, sir. What do
YOU seek?"
Happiness. my friend" said the
Colonel, completing the others con
viction that he was mad. But his de
mand that the gate should be I'M
barrel for him held an authority that
was not lightly to be denied
You understand, sir" the gate
keeper asked him, that, once you en-
ter here, you may not go back whence
you come for twenty eight days. at
Ieast?"
Il understand" said Holes. and
/ come prepared to pay the price"
The gate-keeper Shrugged. "Ye're
warned he said, and raised the bar.
thus removing, as he thought, all OBJ
S,acleS that kept d fool from his folly.
Colonel Holes entered. The gates
FLASHED behind him, and he took his
way briskly. almost at a run. down
the long avenue in the dappled shade
OF the beech trees and elms that Dor
dered it, making straight for the
nearest of the red-brick outhouses.
which was the one which he himself
had occupied during his sickness.
A broadly built, elderly woman per
ceived his approach from the door
way, and, after staring at him mo-
ment in surprise and CONSERVATION.
started forward to meet him, calling
to him to stand. But he came on
needless and breathless until they
were face OF face.
How come you in, you foolish
MANI" she cried.
You don't know me, Mrs. Bar
low?" he asked her.
Save us, It's Colonel HolIesp'
And almost without pause she went
on in a voice of distress: But YOU
were to have left the house of rest
today. Whatever can have brought
you back here to undo all again."
Nay, not to undo. To do, Mrs.
Barlow. by Gods help. But we've a
singular good memory, to remember
that I should be leaving today!'
She shook her head and smiled with
a touch of sadness. 'Twasn't me
that remembered, sir. 1t was Miss
Sylvester. And again she shook her
head.
She's here, theni Ha, She is weH?"
We'll enough, poor dear. But oh.
so mortal sad. She's yonder, resting.
under the cedars-a place she's haunt
ed this past month"
He swung aside. and, without more
than hurriedly flung word Of thanks
or excuse, he was gone swiftly across
the lawn, toward that cluster of ced-
airs. amid whose gnarled old trunks
he could discern the fiutter of a gray
gown
She mad haunted the spot this
month past, Mrs. Barlow had said.
And it was the spot where they had
spoken their farewells
Ae he drew nearer over the soft
yielding turf that deadened all sound
of his steps, he saw her sitting on
that stone seat where a month ago
he had left her in the conviction that
he was never to behold her again
with the eyes of the flesh.
He stood there, breathless. at
loss. And then as if she sensed his
presence, she slowly turned and
looked behind her. A long while she
stared, startled, white-faced.
He plunged forward.
"Oh, Randall, why have you come
here? You should have gone to-
day
Il went, and 1 have returned.
Nan" he told her. standing there be-
side her now.
You have returned!'' She looked
him over more attentively now, and
observed the brave suit of dark blue