The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-10-09
EBENsBURG. PA. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9. 1885

/ quiet aspect 10 tllb HeSSd9e L ndQ 10
/ bring. | could not tell whether il made
/ him happy or the contrary; his cOunte-
/ aanCe could be at times so totally inn
/ passive that 10 friend. dearest or near
est, could ever FIND cut from it ANYTHING
le did not wish to betray.
The matter is settled then" said he
/ TTaVely: - viii write to Mr.. French to-
lay, and perhaps it would be as well if
/ we never alluded to what has passed
! |, at least. shall not do 1t: tell Zillah so
/ But III the future, say that | entreat
/ she keeps no secret back from You. Re-
member this, my dear Cassia; watch
/ over her as you love her-and you do
-Ove her?" continued he, graSping my
/ Iand
answered thai l did. and God knows
/ even then | told no lie. She was a very
lear child to me always!
Mr.. Sutherland seemed quite satisfied
/ and at rest lie bade me a cheerful
I goodbye, which | knew meant that |
/ should go away, so accordingly | went.
Passing the drawing-rOOm door. | saw
Zillah lying in her old position on the
/ SOFA; so | would not disturb her. but
went and walked up and down under a
( ciump of tir-tTeeS in the garden. They
made a shadow dark and grave. and
still; 1t was more natural than being
on the lawn among the flowers, the sun
shine and the bees. l did not come in
for hours.
At dinner there were, fortunately.
/ only ourselves, Just a family party.
Mr.. Sutherland did not Join us until we
/ reached the dining-room door. | no.
/ tlced that Zillah's color changed as he
I approached, and that all dinner-time
. she hardly spoke to him: but he behaved
/ TO her as usual. He was rather thought
ful, for, as he told me privately, he had
/ some tritiing business anxieties burden
ing him just then; otherwise he seemed
. the same. Nevertheless, whether it
was his fault or Zlllahs in a few davs
the fact grew apparent TO me that they
/ were not quite such good friends as
I heretofore. y restraint. a discomfort.
/ shadow scarcely tangible, vet still
. real, was felt between them. Such a
cloud often rlseS-a mist that comes
. Just before the day-dawn: or as ham
. pens sometimes, before night.
For many days-how many I do not
TecOlleCt. since about this time all in the
house and in the world without seemed
. TO 90 on so stranCely-fOr MANY davs
. atterWard nothing happened of any con
. sequence, except that on SUNDAY after
. noon l made FAINT struggle of polite
ness IN some remark about going
nome and 'encrOachinC on their hos
pIJallty,' which was met with such evi-
dent pain and alarm by all parties. that
/ l was silent: So W. tayel set longer.
/ one Wouiug-it was high sumner
. nOW-We were sitting at breakfast: we
three only, as Mrs. Sutherland never
rose early. l was making tea. Zillah
near me. and Mr.. Sutherland at the foot
OF the table. lie looked anxious and
did not talk much, though l remember
/ ne rose up once to throw a handful of
crumbs TO a half-tame thrush that had
built IN laurel-bush on the laWn-he
was always so kind to every living
thing!
There, my fine bird. take some food
/ nome TO your wife and weans," said he.
pleasantly; but at the words. became
grave, even sad. once more He had
his letters beside him. and opened
/ Jhem SucceSSIVely until he came to one
"a momentouS one, | knew, for though
ne never moved. but read quietly on
every ray of color faded out OF his face,
lie dropped his head upon his hand. and
sat so long IN that attitude that we
were both frightened.
is anything the matter?' I said.
gently, Tor ZllIah was dumb.
Did you speak?' he answered. with
bewllderlng stare. Forgive me: I
1 have had bad neWS''-and he tried to
resume the duties of the meal; but it
was impossible: he was evidently
crushed. as even the strongest and
braVeSt men viii be for the moment un-
der some great and uneNUected shock
We said to him-I repeat we. because.
though ZIllah spoke not. her look was
those few soothing things that women
can, and ought to say in such a time
Aye, he answered, quite unnamed
aye. you are very kind. | think it
would do me good if l could speak to
some one-Cassia, viii you Gomez"
He rose slowly. and held out his hand
to me. To me. That proof of his con-
tidence, his tenderness. his friendship.
l have ever after remembered, and
thought, with thankful heart, that,
though not made to give him happiness,
have sometimes done him little good
when he was in trouble.
We walked together from the room.
l heard low SO' behind US. but had no
power to stay; besides a mOmeutaTy
pauT mattered little to the chid-her
sobs would be hushed ere long.
Standing behind the chair where he
sat, l heard the story Of Mr.. Suther-
land 5 miSfOTtunes-misf Reith-
er strange nor rare in the mercantile
world. In one brief word he was
ruined; that Is. so far as a man is ru-
Ined who has enough left to pay all his
creditors, and start in the world afreSh
as a pennileSS honest man. He told me
thIs-an everyday story; nay, it had
been my own father 's-tOld it me with
great cOmpOSure, and | listened with
the same. | was acquainted with all
these kind of business matters of old
1t was very strange, but | felt no grief,
no pity for his losses. | only felt on
my own account, a burning, avariciOuS
thirst for gold; d, frantic envy-a mad
longing to have for single day, single
hour, wealth in millions.
eS, 1t must be So said he, when
after talking to me little more | saw
the hard muscles of his face relax. and
he grew patient, ready to bear his
troubles like a man-like Andrew
Sutherland. Yes. | must give ND
this house and all my pleasant life here;
but l can do it since | shall be alone'
And then he added in a low tone: Il
am glad, Cassia. very glad of two
and the winding-up last month of all
my affairs with-AIisS LIE POer"
When, said |, after pause-"when
do yOu intend to tell Zillah what has
happened?' | felt feveTishly anxious
that she should know all. and that l
should learn how she would act.
Tell Zillah? Aye" he repeated,
tell her at once-tell her at once"
And then he sunk back into his chair.
muttering something about its signify
ing little now
/ left him. and with my heart nerved,
as II were. to ANYTHING, went back to
the room where Zjllah was Her ewes
met me with a bitter. fierce. Jealous
lOOk-JealOuS of me, the foolish child
until | told her what had happened to
our friend. Then she wept, but only
for moment, until a light broke upon
her.
what does it signify?" cried she.
echOing, curiOusly enough. his own
words. 4 am of age-I can do Just
what l like: ! viii give my guardian all
my money. 60 back and tell him so!''
l hesitated.
''GO-0uick. ouicLzl-aT have in the