minute, carrying out Lees ridiculous
request, or was it bequest?
“I would be the last person,” Alan
broke in. ”to want you to do anything
against your wish or your better Judg
ment." His tone was grave, very delib
erate.
Louise felt his eyes upon her. She
met them squarely. Was there a double
meaning to his words? She couldn’t
tell. But another question irked as it
flashed comet- like through her mind.
Did Alan know or did he not know the
full portent of Lees letter, and just
what had Lee written to Alan? She
simply had to know.
’Aunt Carrie." she said, "if you and
Philip will excuse us, I want to show
Alan what an old-fashioned Southern
garden is actually like on a Spring night.
He has often tried to imagine one. he
, says. Would you like to check up now?”
She addressed Alan abruptly.
"1 certainly would— love It! It will be
something to think about when I ride
around acres and acres of wheat and
alfalfa out Montana way —or among the
sagebrush.”
DUT Louise did not allow tire scent of
lilac and hyacinth, heady and sweet
In the cooling breeze, or even the witch
ery of a Southern moon to divert her
from the main purpose of this little pil
grimage into the garden.
Side by side and silently they passed
under the arch in the boxwood. Louise
heard Alan draw in his breath, then sigh
deeply. She sensed that the garden had
touched him profoundly. Even she. who
was used to its enchantment, felt un
usually sensitive to its charm tonight.
It was unutterably still Louise could
feel her own heart beating. She loved
this man. She did, she did! Way down
Inside she had suspected It for many
weeks, but she had put the thought from
her without giving it a label.
Sh felt her face burn under the cool
of the night air as she said in an unac
customed, high-pitched voice: "Did Lee
tell you what he had WTitten to me?”
“No,” said Alan soberly. "Bur what
ever it was, it has changed you.” He
looked down at her and Louise knew that
he wanted to see her face. Determinedly
she evaded that scrutiny. “This after
noon," he went on then, “I thought you
were glad I had come. I even thought
that you liked me a little. But appar
ently I was mistaken. Tonight you seem
annoyed at my very presence here. I— l
just don’t understand what you . . Did
Lee . .” He broke off abruptly and stared
straight ahead.
“Perhaps," said Louise, "If you were to
tell me first what Lee wrote to you it
would straighten matters out for both of
us. This^sfternoon you said fn«re were
tw o reasons why you *ame < the was to
deliver the letter. Just what was the
rttVloi* onol’ 1
A FITTING MEMORIAL - *
t 1. V
A Voice From
the Trenches in
France Sent
Louise Into
the Arms of
Another Man
rWAS the afternoon before Memorial
Day. Louise Norris was In the sunny
old box-hedged garden cutting long
etemmed red and pink tulips, white and
pink hyacinths, purple and white lilacs.
She had promised the chairman of the
Cemetery Committee that she would send
a goodly supply of flowers to help deco
rate the graves.
It was very still, and Louise paused
suddenly, to stand dreaming with a far
away look In her big violet-blue eyes. It
was here that she and Lee had grown
up together. Where the magnolia tree
now stood there had once been a sand
pile. It was here that Lee had told her
what she had always known, what
everybody In the old North Carolina
town knew —that Lee Robinson loved
her. It was here that he had told her
good-by that April day after hls enlist
ment two years ago when he had left
for an officers' training camp. And It
was there on the white stone bench under
the magnolia tree that Lee had said
good-by again on a clear, cold, shining
November day Just after he had been
ordered to France to help make the
world safe for democracy.
Such a gallant and handsome young
lieutenant of field artillery he had looked
in hls smartly fitting new uniform.
Louise was never to forget that last
brave smile as he passed through the
garden gate.
“Mis' Louise, honey, you all must come
quick," an excited voice called.
OTARTLED, Louise turned to see the
faithful Negro servant of more than
twenty years come panting down the
flagstone walk from the big Colonial
red brick house. "What has happened
Sally? You look as If you had seen a
ghost"
“Honey, hit's no ghost. t4>t the tallest.,
handsomest, Uveat mao you ever laid
cheeks and splashed onto the letter.
Then, In a sudden gesture of anger, she
flung the letter to the floor, Jumped up
and began pacing back and forth across
the room.
She would never consent to such sn
arrangement. It was Sbo utterly fan
tastic. n a *4ll using that Je» had.
been rteht about Alan's caring, hf>w
could she ever be sure, now that he had
”He was the
only sweetheart
I ever had.”
I«uiv> said at
la«ft as she
looked at Alan
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