The Coolidge examiner., 1930-11-28
Robin Heard Her
Love Song
By DOROTHY DOUGLAS

ldSL JllHc, " llle NOICc ne IONCu
best in all the world. After that,
when he had heard each record,
he would destroy them all.
An hour previously he had
posted the letter to Mildred Cat
win, asking her to become his wife.
The die was already cast and he
would henceforth endeavOr to put
dreams of his boyhoOd sweetheart
completely from his life; but not
before he had heard once again
each of her glorious songs.
1t seemed but yesterday-thOugh
a full fifteen years had passed
that he and Mary Atwood had
wandered arm in arm through the
sweet-smelling country lanes and
he had pleaded with her to marry
him. She was but Il sweet bud
of wOmanhOOd at seventeen but
she had announced her intention
to become a great singer and had
refused to marry him.
Il know as well as if it were
written on the sands" she had
told him, that if we marry now
1 will utterly fail to carry out my
ideals in music. If you will wait
for mel will love no one but
you"
But Gilroy in his immature rea-
sonfng and the heat Of youth had
turned from her. He wanted her
then or not at all. If she loved
her voice better than she loved
him she must choose her own way.
Of course, Gilroy knew of Mary
Atwood's success as all the music
world did. But he knew not where
she was nor would he have fol-
lowed had he known. She was
somewhere in the world singing,
but not in his part of the world.
He knew now that he had COM
mitted great folly in his youth;
he had been ungenerOus, small,
jealous.
However, Mildred Catwin was
a lovable wee thing, and no doubt
they would be tremendously
happy.
Mary's songs at seventeen had
been, won't You Tell Me Why,
Robin?" "In the Cleaning" "The
Lost Chord" aye Banks and
Braes," and Gilroy had managed
to secure them all for his gram
ophone.
He was so deep in his dreams
and so regretful of their imminent
passing that he was only half
conscious that a voice, not that of
the gramophone, was singing
through, won't You Tell Me Why,
Robin?"
Gilroy's heart thumped against
his side and he gripped the arms
of his chair in tensity of emo
ton that he had not known for
years. For Gilroy's name was
Robin and the emotion in that
voice told him that Mary Atwood
was in the same building calling
to MIN.
He must go.
Down the elevator he went and
swiftly to the office of the apart
ment house to make inquiry. A
lady had arrived during the after
noon, yet-her name was not, how
ever, Atwood.
Gilroy's heart sank. Was 1t
not his Mary? Or worse still was
it Mary and was she married? He
could not contemplate the thought
and rushed off to the rooms men
toned by the clerk.
She opened the door to her suite
of rooms and Gilroy found himself
speechless with emotion.
"Robin-Robin Adair," she cried,
using the old pet name.
"My Mary" was all Gilroy could
say. and then Mary was in his
arms and she was trembling and
Gilroy could only hold her close.
''Then it was yOu-listening to
my voice?" she asked presently.
"It doesn't seem possible. The
Great Hand of Fate-isn't it,
Robin? Her voice was unsteady.
II have listened to your voice
ever since the first record came
out, and in my soul-I have heard
it-before that"
She was leading him into her
spacious sitting room. "And now
tell me everything. 1 am hungry
to hear you talk. l sneaked into
the country under an assumed
name so that / might have few
months away from my public
they demand so much of me-"
"YOu are not married.!
She looked wistfully at him. II
told you fifteen years ago | would
always love you, Robin"
Suddenly Robin realized the ter
ror of the situation. His letter of
proposal to Mildred was even then
in her hands-no doubt she was
writing him her answer and Gilroy
know it would be "yeS."
MARY, my own" he said swift
Iy, Il have had no one in the
depths of my heart sleeping or
waking for fifteen years. and now,
now when l had given up hope of
your seeking me out, have asked
another girl to become my wife. l
have never wanted to seek you be-
cause / felt too unworthy and
small Now l know 1 have been a
first-class idiot. 1 shall love you
always"
Mary was struggling to keep
from crying out, but in moment
she smiled.
robin, my dear. There is no
power to keep true lovers apart in
the spirit, and 1 feel certain that
| fate will in some way eventually
| ,,o fO ooah