Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1926-06-18
A Man Who Kept
Faith
~~~N -
BY MARTHA M. WILLIAMS
(CopyriRht.)

IN HE autumn WORLDS gray SllunesS
L seemed to have crystalllzed in the
still gray house under trees yet ragged
with flickers of sere LEAKAGE. Ann Lee
looked lntently up the slope to the
further hilltop, crowned with a stone
walled grave plot, now invisible. She
had thought her heart was buried
there only two years back. Now
she knew better-that deathbed mar
riage had not ended for her all hope
of happiness. She had believed In
poor Phil. her husband Of an hour,
even more firmly in the deathlessness
Of her love for him. Belief had en-
dured for a twelvemonth-then all
In a twlnkllng, almost at sound Of
Arden Maxwell's voice, her cheeks
had out-bloomed May roses.
Philip Martyr had been killed
speeding recklessly to the rehearsal
Of their wedding next morning-yet
she had not screamed, nor tainted
only succored his extremity as best
1t might be done, and answered stead
lily the appeal of his eyes: "We'n go
on with it-just the same. II only
you will let meat once"
Luckily Maxwell passed out of her
plane for several months. Ann was
glad-she wanted time to fondle and
covet this new amazing delight. God
mother Ann, her companion in the
gray house, said aside to all their
friends in course of the winter, that
Ann was her old self--only more so.
Instead Of wearing black she had put
on the beautiful things proper to a
bride, happy young matrOn. 1t
had made talk, Of course-but after
a little everybody approved. Not
withstanding the soft rich gay-cOlored
garments had made an uncanny back
ground for silent pallor and ever
down-lidded eyes.
She met Maxwell all In sheer white,
vaporous, and cllnging-now that she
blOomed again, 1t made her enchant-
ing. Seeing her again, in myrtle'blue,
IN new-leaf green, tearose yellows,
the translucent pinks of real June
blossoms, the enchantment grew. Small
wonder that before his allotted span
Of fortnight ended, he had taken
her in masterful arms, kissing her
unresisting lips. and saying as master
fully: you will walt for mel You
must. We were made for each other"
She had said very softly: II will
wait"
How longT' Maxwell asked tense
ly.
Always" came the answer in that
thrilling whisper.
Maxwell shuddered violently, whis-
perfng back: mot that-but-it may
be years. Tiff you are brave enough
I will tell you why"
"YOu must r. from Ann imperative
ly.
Still holding her tight, Maxwell ran
on: 1--WE were poorer than poverty
my beautiful mother and I've were
hungry half the time, never really
warm. Then she married rich man,
kind and generous beyond belief. He
had a daughter slightly older than I
wanted to adopt me, but my mother
would not have 1.-THE might give
me an educatlon-nOthing more. was
tutors the girl and I. She
grew passIonately fond Of me- fol
lowed me everywhere-fOr awhile was
brighter than I In all our studies
then came a change-she had queer
Ats Of abstraction now and then, fell
in odd states-almost cataleptic,
know nOw--but toward me there was
did not see her again for ten years.
Mother and her husband had come to
me now and then-they had said lit
tie about Leslie-except that she had
grown up very, very beautiful. Then
mother fell lll--of course | went home
just before she died she told me
everything. Leslie loved me madly-
but would never marry me-her IA
Their would not let her marry anybody
she had Inherited epilepsy Then she
asked me to promise never TO marry
so long as Leslie lived OF course
did. owed her father so much
ut broke me all up when he
thanked me for what had done
six months later he died. leaving
Leslie In my charge and diving me
outright half his fortune. Leslle's
share goes back to her mothers peo-
pie. She loves horses--and rode like
an Arab-but one Of them threw her
hurt her spine. She will never ride
again, not even walk, but suffers very
little. Gently, slowly, she is fading
out Of life | go whenever she calls
for me-but 1t is her imperative com
mand that am never TO see her save
at her best She is very gentle, even
merry when / am there. tried, honest
ly, to keep faith with her and the
dead-tO hold my heart empty--untll
she didn't need me. But fate Is
stronger-lt brought us together. Are
you sorry-or gladT
Infinitely glad" Ann whispered
laying her cheek to his. "Promise to
put me quite out Of your mlnd-not
to do more than think Of memo mat
ter how long we walt"
"Amen I" said Maxwell, bowling his
head reverently, then walking away
a little unsteadily He met an i'm
perative summons to his dear charge.
She was dying When he knelt be-
side her, she said lightly stroking his
cheek: "You have been 50 true, so
kind, Arden, am glad you are soon
going to be free and happy. know
your eyes have told me. Love
then some one else. even as ! love
you"
II will - Arden said solemnIy. She
smiled happily md holding his hand
to he l'"t f,a' rH TO the Great
Enl' . srfit.I