The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-12-21

was beginning to wonder if she could really
readjust her life and turn it back into the
currents in which it had flowed so long.
The red geraniums which she had Just
brought in dropped from Amelie's hands and
lay about her feet she stood In profound
establishment in the door of her little pink
and white sittingroOm. A great toe OF
doubted her senses, in that swift wonder
full moment in which she saw the French
professor coming across the room to greet
her.
santing shaft of late afternoon sunlight
fell across her face, she stood there,
wrapped in her heavy gray coat. The soft
brown hair was wind-blown about her
cheeks, into which vivid color Rad come,
and the shadow of dream deepened tie
blue of her eyes.
He took both her hands in his own and
held them fast while he looked into her
wonderful eyes.
81 must hold you like this, he said. in a
low voice, 81 must be sure that you VIII not
vanish from me again. must be perfectly
sure that l have you and that | am not
dreaming"
And then he stopped and gathered up the
red geraniums and put them into her hands
again.
II shall always want to keep you in my
memory l see you now," he said, with
the red gerapiumS against your gray coat,
with the warm, golden sun across Your face,
with that color in your cheeks, and that
dream in your eyes-here in this little
ROOM"
Then Amelie laughed little because she
could think of nothing to say for moment
And then she asked him.
when did you come and how? | was IN
the garden and Aunt Narclsse called IRON
the porch to come up, for company was
here. Of course, l expected to see one Of
the neighbors, and-well, | seem to have
found you!"
He watched her arrange the geranlums
in a vase on the table and she turned to I'm
with inquiry in her face again.
"Do sit down." she said, land you haven't
told me yet why you came.
vaguely she guessed he had come for the
record Perhaps he had needed Ii Tor
further evidence; perhaps, she had done
wrong to keep him in ignorance OF her
Whereabouts these last few weeks; perhaps
she had kept him from claiming the reward
These thoughts sent a sharp little fear into
her heart and she looked at INN win
question in her blue eyes.
Il really don't understand it." she said,
breaking the silence. Il don't know what
to say"
"Well, you might say you are glad to see
me, or some pleasant platitude like that,
he leased.
and it was you who chafed under
mystery, you who didn't like IT.: she an
swered. Tell me-" she broke off. did you
get IHS ISNdIO5 Ulu Iie INV g.
some?" .
Eyes" he said, 81 did get-that reward.
And she clapped her hands in childish &c
light and tried to make him understand nc"
glad she
Il will tell you all about it,, he said. cutie
happily, "but there is mystery that Is lar
more interesting to me than that Ard
now won't you tell me just how you got
your Record No. 33, why you were so ford
of it. and all about it? 1 really want to
know the whole story"
And quite simply and naturally she told
him. Of how she ordered the machine, II
her struggles to keep up her French down
in Merryville with never a soul TO hear or
understand; of how, after she had had the
machine for weeks and weeks she accl-
dentally stumbled upon this record; of how
it aroused her curiosity and of how she
wondered and wondered and wondered
about the person who loved Louisiana Just
as she did.
at was perfectly natural that l should
be curious" she said. wouldn't you have
been curious if, when you were trying a
record some might all alone, some new voice
in perfectly natural tones, We're to begin to
express the sentiments that had been Your
sentiments all of your life? Now really
don't you think 1 had a right to be
curious?"
II do,' he said earnestly, sbut so On.