The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-05-06
They Prayed
for Peace
BY BERTHA r. MCDONALD

/
TT WAS all over.
Swallowed up in one corner O.
the huge davenport she sat, pathetic
little figure, gazing unseeingly into thu
CRATE fire, gripping in her hand thu
mute evidence which decreed that she
need never admit him to her home
again. At the same time, every fbel
Of her being was crying out for him
| yearning for him. needing him.
And yet, how could any woman with
gone on with things as they were? One
could forgive brutality, nonsupport
immortality. any Of these things and
try to go on, if one loved, but In a
case like theirs. where there really
was nothing tangible
The lawyers had named it incom-
patiblIity and ne had not repudiated
the claim
But how can 1 ever live without
him." she moaned aloud, slipping to
her knees beside the couch, burying
her head among the pillows. WAS
too hasty? Is there some other thing
might have tried? Oh, God" raising
her wet eyes prayerfulIy, flash the
light of Your wisdom upon my path
way and guide me to peace-peace-
peace"
"Go 'wayl Wanna Daddy Never
did have 'nough Daddy"
The childish vail, floating down to
her FROM somewhere above, inter-
rupted her fearful supplication, turn
ing the knife in her heart with a
sickening twinge.
His son His son and hers, who
never had had enough daddy And
now, neither of them was even to hear
his voice.
The next moment thee penetrated
through the stiffness Of the drawing
room. unlighted except for the glow
from the fire, the souiid of key In
the latch. the gentle opening and clos
ing of door, followed by footsteps
coming along the hall. A brand from
the fire blazed up and disclosed to the
woman upon her knees, the outline
of a familiar figure standing In the
curtained archway between the hall
and the drawing room; figure bowed
as though in mental anguish, unmind-
full of time or surrounding.
Quietly, on her knees, she slipped
along the edge of the davenport, los
ing herself among the shadows at the
end. watching breathlessly. waiting.
for what, she could not have told
Presently the figure moved on toward
the CRATE and stood, apparently alb
sorbed in something pictured to him
in the Pickering fire. The butler, en-
tering with wood for the fire, seemed
TO lift him from the apathy into which
he had fallen.
"Are-are you stopping for the
night, sir?" the surprised butler
asked jerkily.
Motifs only another of my
usual mistakes Forget about being
barred-stin have my key-used it
from force of habit-that's all. I
I'll go in a moment"
Its quite all right. sir the servant
returned with suppressed excitement.
Its a cold Might've brought wood
-you-yOud better get warm, sir"
Thrusting a log upon the glowing
Goals, the butler brushed his sleeve
coat carefully, glancing furtiyely
meanwhile at the preoccupied man
who had so recently been deposed as
his master and hurried from the room
For one long moment the man stood
there motionless, then dropped to his
knees before the couch in the same
spot where but little while before
another suppliant had begged for
peace.
"Oh. God" he prayed aloud. his
head upon the couch. his hands folded
above it, "show me the wayl Tell me
that I have done right to let them go
Dut of my life forever, still loving
hem as | do What is the meaning
Of it all? What is this hard. cruel
hing that stalked like death-dealing
through my home and drove
ny happiness out? Oh. for peace
To the stricken woman crouching on
he floor among the shadows there sud-
lenly appeared a great light. Creep
ne to the mans side she laid her tear
vet face against his folded hands and
obbed aloud.
MY dear-my dearr' The smoth-
red gasps reached the mans ear,
his benumbed conscious 4
less like ray of silvery moonlight.
/ did it for you," the woman went on.
i thought we, the boy and |, the /
ONE. everything. annoyed you-bored
on. l thought you longed for free
ON and II only wanted you to have
hat was necessary TO make you
appyl"
Slowly unfolding his hands he took
err face between his palms and drew
forward TO his breast.
The last smoldering spark in the
re died out. The glowing tapestry
( the morning spread like a promise
the dull gray Of the sky. Still the
ian and woman sat there. facts shift
* and changing ground. the real be-
,ming shadow. the shadow becom-
,c truth like things In a flowing mist