The Cecil Whig., 1885-11-21

or three men were talking upon the
steps. She thought they looked at her
a little strangely. Did they know that
something was the matter with Tom j?
She trembled all over as she assembled
the steps and went inside. A kindly
faced man was coming toward her, and
seeing her anxious, frightened face, he
asked her if she were looking for any,
one. She said she was looking for her
husband and told him her name
"Why," said the man, "he left here
nearly two hours age"
CHAPTER II.
-where-where has he gone ?"
sne cried. All the color left her face !;
her heart seem to stop its beating; she
would have fallen, but the printer caught
her and carried her to a chair.
at may be mistake. Perhaps he
had some extra proof-reading to do
that has kept him." he said, compass
sionately, though he knew perfectly
well that he had gone, as he said. "You
stay here and rest, he continued, "and
| will inquire of the others about him"
And he went out.
She waited in an agony of fear. She
knew perfectly we'll that Tom was not
there, and she dreaded the return of
the printer to confirm her fears. Every
footstep startled her, and when he came
at last she knew at once, by his face,
what he had to tell. "He did 60, as
l told you but he may have been taken
with faint spell and have gone into
drug store. Two or three of us are
going for him but let me put you on
street car first. We will be sure to come
and tell you how we succeed" And
with tender thoughtfulness he hailed
car, put her on, paid her fare, and
told the conductor where to put her
off.
The passengers looked pityingly at
her pale, frightened face and wondered
what was the matter.
She tried to scan the faces passing
in the street, in the vain hope of see
ing Toms, but they fled past too rap
idly.
When at last al home she fastened
in, only to feel the utter desolation of
an empty house. She reasoned with
herself that they would come soon,
helping him home, and she busted her
self building fire and arranging the
little untidiness of the room. But every
now and then she would stop and lis
ten or so to the window and look out.
At last she could not restrain herself
longer and walked about the room and
wrung her hands in an agony of appre-
hension.
The printer sent his mother to tell
her that they had not yet found him
and to stay with her, and a friend
came. They gently persuaded her to
take little tea and tried to keep her
mind from dwelling on her fear and
encouraged her with assurances that he
would yet be found. So the long hours
that seemed like ages passed, and night
settled down. The kind printer came
with no hope in his face. She had tried
to curb her impatience the most of the
day but now she cried. out: ooh, |
cannot stay here | must 60 and look
for him must 60 and look for him !!'
They finally coaxed her to wait till
morning, and some one would 60 with
her. She went to bed, but the dark
ness seemed to be alive with the face
and form Of Tom. 1t seemed to her
that she could hear him calling Ter.
She knew it was only fancy; but she
felt that he was somewhere in need of
her, and she could not wait till morn
ing. As soon as all was still in the
house she crept out of her bedroom,
wrapped herself in her cloak and hood
and went silently and swiftly out into
the night. The gloom of the great
houses wrapped her about. Only when
she crossed a street did she come into
the light of the street lamps, and then
her shadow rushed along at her side
like spectre. She passed one or two
men, who turned and looked at her in
Everywhere she went
she looked, but looked in vain, for
Tom. At dawn the city editor, hasten
ing home from a fire, found her far from
home. He was friend of Toms and
had seen his home and pretty wife and
admired them both, and now, speaking
soothingly to her, he took her arm and
led her unresistingly home.
Oh, the long, long days that followed; ;
that began with faint hope and ended
frantic despair ! Sorrow seldom kills
but it does what is far worse, it wears
away inch by inch, the bright, young
life, till the heart becomes old and numb
with suffering.
The day wore away into week, and
still no Tom. Ruth fell sick, and was
by the old mother of the
printer. The kind-hearted printers saw
that she wanted nothing, and fairly
loaded her with fruit and flowers, that
she could neither eat nor look at. They
unwearIngIy for Tom and ad-
vertised in the local papers and in those
OF other cities, but all to no purpose.
The family across the hall came in to
see if they could help her, and with
officious kindness offered again and
again to help her, and grew tender to-
ward each other through the sorrow