Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-07-09
Tales and Sketfhes.
AFTER MANY DAYS.
Continued from yesterday

90 on with his studies, you know, and the
discipline would be good for him. shall
hate to have him 60 away, but it may be
for the best"
Very likely." answers Miss Crawford.
carelessly. AS if the matter holds but slight
interest for he.
That night a telegram comes TO Miss
Gravle from her sister in Trenton. She
is sick. Will Mary come to her for few
DAYS?
In the morning Miss Grayle goes away.
That afternoon Kingsley Durham calls.
Miss Crawford knows hat she cannot help
seeing him. for The servants would suspect
her of untruthfuness il she sent down an
excuse pleading headache or any other
illness. So she puts on her armor of self
defense and takes her shield of pride and
goes down to meet him.
And Mary has gone ?" he says. 1t has
always been MARY" and Kingsley" be-
tween them. 81 am sorry am obliged
to 90 awav this afternoon. and shall not
come back until after she has gone to
Europe. wanted to ask her question.
But it seems that am too late. | shall
have to write it and leave for you to give
To her 1t is about something that will
affect my whole Life"
He saws this looking at Miss Crawford
with a strange excitement in his face. She
fancies that she knows what his excitement
is about. His glance makes her tremble
with its power. She goes to the window
and drops the curtain to shut out the sun
light that floods the room. Her face is
left in the shadow, and she feels safer.
IF only understood you BETTER" he
saws, coming to her side. "But-l hardly
feel if understand you at all. wonder
if all women can be "a perplexing to a
man as you are to me ?''
perhaps, if they try to be-" she an
swers I'VE are said to be riddles, you
know" with little laugh that sounds
forced and empty of merriment.
'If | only knew" he says, and then
pauses with his eyes upon her face.
"What does he mean" She feels
strange mesmerism steal over her beneath
his glance Is he playing with her heart
He Kingsley Durham. who is to stand
before men as one of Gods teachersp
"You can write your letter to nv cous-
in and leave it on the table. | will give
it to her." she saws, turning to the door.
II must beg to be excused, there is so
much to do" Then she bows and leaves
him. The truth is. she does not dare to
trust herself with him longer. If she
does her secret is not safe.
She finds the letter there when she goes
down.
II know what the question IS that he
has asked her." she says. as she takes up
the missive. "iie has asked her to be his
wife. Her answer to the question is what
will affect his whole liie,n and then she
laughs dscordantly. She teels like drop
ping her head on the table and crying, for
the pain at her heart is sharp and bitter.
She feels kind of fierce, hard anger
against Kingsley Durham. against her
cousin Mary. against all the world.
She takes up the letter again, and looks
at it with eyes and face full of rebellion
at destiny.
IL am to be to her the bearer of mes
sage of love from him. she cries. II.
who love him as she never will. Fate is
full of bitter irony when it makes me such
a messenger. II will not do it! with
sudden, fierce determination. She crum-
pies the letter in her hand and looks
about her. She sees the old clock in the
hall. She goes to it, opens it, and drops
the letter into its mysterious depths.
Stay there forever" she says, and
turns with guilty start to the postman at
the door; he has brought her letter from
her mother.
The schools will open two weeks
earlier than usual she reads. you
must come home at once or you will lose
your place as teacher"
Two days later she goes back to the
New England village in which her work
is waiting tor her. And that day Kings
ley Durham goes to little church in the
West to begin his work.
$50 our paths run apart" she says as
the train whirls her away from the city
where she has passed summer full of sad
and sweet experience for love, even if it
gives all and receives nothing, is always
sweet; land perhaps it is better so.'
Three years have gone. Alice Crawford
is again a visitor at her cousin home
Mary is married. but not to Kingsley
Durham WHY she did not marry him