The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-12-21
RECORD NO. 80, By Ida Clyde Clark

Oafkeneu MS inner VISION at tIines iidu yeI d
silver lining-the shining silver of his un-
shakable faith"
This time it was she who pushed the
lever. On his face was an expression of in
terest, and, as if he feared to miss one thing
on that record, he dropped on his knees be-
side her. She could hear his quick breath
ing. No word was spoken between them
and it seemed minutes before the little
needle began to do it's work. And then.
81 am very, very tired of talking to ma.
chine--a cold, heartless, unresponsive ma
chine day after day and week after week
The professor jumped to his feet and held
his breath. Amelie smiled sweetly and the
little machine was talking on.
81 want to scent the magnolas and the
jessamine and the roses-to see the CLINT OF
the southern sun on southern waters
The professor was motionless. He stood
there and looked at her in sheer amazement
and gradually smile spread over his face.
Meanwhile the little needle sped on, and he
heard his own voice:
81 know that somewhere in that dear
southern land there is a sweet, gentle wo-
man with dream in her eyes and music IN
her voice and goodness in her soul who
could bring to me the only happiness l
craye-home and love-"
Then there was the break and the machine
was mute again.
The professor dropped Imply into q
chair.
"What does this mean?' he said, in
dazed sort of way. "How could it have
happened?" Then he passed his hand over
his forehead as if in deepest thought be-
fore he went on. "Channing gave me my
record the day before he made the one for
Chalmers; am almost sure of that. l
talked for two or three. Only one was sup
posed to be finished. Now have my rec
ord"
-Are you quite sure you have?" she inter
rupted. @, .,:.,-
I remember seeing it just before went to
Europe. Now, Claiming could easily have
made record from one OF those wax piates
of mine instead of from that he intended for
Mr.. Chalmers. Evidently, he made two OF
those records instead of one. And | am
convinced that the wax plate OF MI. Chal-
mers' record was destroyed. That must be
the way it all happened. But why"-the
professor hesitated-"Why did you not say
YOU had this one? Why have you kept 1t
such secret? Why have you allowed all
this suspicion to rest on you when you were
wholly Innocent"
Amelie had a sudden, rapturous feeling of
perfect joy. And still she knew that she
could not, that she must not answer me
questions he had asked her. She smiled and
blushed deeper pink as she busted her
self taking the record from the machine.
Then as she was putting it in the envel-
ope she said despairlngly: ION, dear, GEAR
me! l suppose they thought, and still think
l have the missing record"
He said very gently, Naturally they do
think" :;
''Then they told you, that was what they
sent for you for-to tell you that l was a
liar and a thief-and here l was CUES IN
your homer
lv as he dared. "You are innocent just as
/ have always said and believed you We're.
But you must let me tell them in order to
satisfy them, and then you must tell me
why"
at is getting late, what will your mother
think of me? How thoughtless, how incon-.
sderate l am, to have kept you SO long!
Your mother showed me my room. must
go. Good night, and don't forget your
promise
Half in earnest and half in coquetry
Amelie said these words as she retreated
through the library toward the stairway.
She knew it was late, far too late, for her
to be talking there with him, but she knew
also that she had told him all he must
know.
CHAPTER VIII-The Reward
TN HE dry leaves of the old sycamore tree
in Amelie's little garden rustled hoarse-
ly in the chill October breeze, like a