Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1883-02-10

and the farm. She wondered how h
had managed about the milk. ths
ehurning and his meals. if he had re
membered to feed the cat and put ccrn
out for the pigeons and wind the
kitchen elGtS- She imagined the
kitchen floor muddy and wet. and felt
sure the dust was lying thick on every
thing from garrst to cellar. She won
dered. too. if Caleb had missed hei
absence. But she had been gone only
a week. A week, 1t seemed sis
months
That night she cried herself to sleeT
and her last waking thought was ol
Caleb and the OnkindneSs with which
she had treated him. Strange to say
the wrcngs which she herself had suf
fered were forgotten
81 must so home, mother" she
said. the next morning. ~YOu donh
need me any longer. and I ought not tC
stay
1t is only natural yon should want
to gN,~ said the Old lady. Il don't
blame vOO. Caleb is more to YOU nov
than mother and sister put together
I'm glad yoU are so happy in yom
marriage. dear. Rnt l felt sure from
the first that vOH would be. Try tc
keep the love vOo have won. daughter
Life isn't worth much if there is nc
love to help us bear its burdens"
A burning flnsh SuffuSed Rehecca'S
face.
How could l ever have told herg'
she thought How she would feel Il
she knew that only her Illness savec
Caleb and me from a separation"
1t was dusk when Rebecca reached
FreestOne. and as she had not writer
to Caleb that she was coming there
was no one there to meet her.
But she persuaded Mr.. Boswelfs
son to drive her out to the farm for a
"a consideration
He took the road which led past the
office of Lawyer Kane, and Rebecca
could not represS a ShOGdeT as she saw
it. Her heart turned sick within her.
as for the first time tine thought came
to her that perhaps Caleb would not
forgive her-wOuld rigidly insist upon
the separation agreed upon ten days
before.
She dismissed the buggy at the gate
and went on foot up the side road
which led to the kitchen door.
The house was quite dark. She
wondered if by any cruel chance Caleb
was away. But nOs the knob of the
door turned in her hand and she en-
tered.
Caleb had not lighted a lamp. but
the lids Of the stowe were of. and the
bright f1religi's showed him sitting in
large chair, his head sunk on his
breast and cne hand over his eyes
He was SO deeply buried in thought,
and Reeecca came in so softly, that
he did not hear her.
She stood for fOil moment looking
1t him. marking the wan look on his
face. the weary. detected attitude.
A terrible Pang struck her heart.
This was her doing. She it was who
had brought thOSe sad lines to the
handsome. manly cOuntenance of the
man she had never loved so well as
now. No doubt il WAS Of her unkind-
ness he was thinking as he sighed
heavily
With hOarse soh she threw herself
on her knees beside him. and winding
her arms about his neck. cried, wildly:
Caleb, Caleb, can you ever for
give mes~
He did not answer for moment,
but held her close. pressing his face
lovingly 20 hers. Then he raised her
gently to her fees and drew her to a
seat on his knee. as he said, in a low.
broken voice.
1T is 1 who should ask for pardon,
Beckie. All this long week I've been
aching to tell you how sorry / feel for
all said I sent Jonas away the day
after you left me. and I've been all
alone with my misery and repent
ance. Did yON want to come back +?
Tell mes~
But there was something in Re
becca's threat which choked her, and
she could only answer with q sob as
she hid her face On her husbands
breast
Hello. Sterling said Mr.. Kane,
meeting Caleb in the village street a
few days latter. why didn't you fulfil
that engagement that you made with
me two weeks ago.
~Oh. l settled the business very un-
expectedly. and didn't need any legal
aid answered Caleb.
And the lawyer, shrewd As he was.