Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-07-10
Gales aud Skttthfs.
AFTER MANY DAYS.
Continued from vesterday.)

but she does not know one word of what
she is saying. She only knows one thing,
that she sees the face of the man she loves
best of any in the world-the man she has
tried in vain to forget. He is like looking
! into heaven over wall she cannot pass
Kingsley Durham sees them, and his
face brightens. He sends them greeting
in a glance Mary is all a-fiutter with ex'
element, but Alice is calm, at least out
wardly. If he could only see into hel
hef TT
Kingsley Dunham's voice as he reads
from the sacred volume fills her soul with
music When he begins to preach it seems
as if he must be preaching for her alone
He tells them that the heart that has sinneo
must make atopement by confession of Its
sins and by turning away from the past
Has she not snned? she asks herself. The
old clock knows and she knows, and God
knows! 1t seems as if that letter lay upon
her soul and the weight of it will hold hel
soul down forever. With that guilty ACT
unconfessed and unforgiven how can she
ever be at peaceP
She has made up her mind long before
the sermon is over as to what course she
will take. She will confess what she has
done She feels as if the shame of con-
fession will kill her, but she will get rid
of her secret.
The services are through at last. She
sees Kingsley Durham coming toward
them. Her face is as pale as it will be
when she is dead. Her heart almost stands
still for a moment, then beats faster than
ever before.
She meets him before he reaches their
pew. She is aware that his hand is reach
ed out to her, and that his face is radiant
with pleasure. She does not touch the
hand he offers.
Il want to tell you that | never gave
Mary that letter." she says. in low swift
voice 81 hid it in the old clock. It's
there now. Forgive me. if you can"
Then. before he can speak or stop her,
she turns and goes hurriedly down the
aisle, past the wondering Mary, who had
bends nothing of what it means.
When Mary reaches home she goes d.
rectly to Alice's ROOM
"What was the matter. tonight" she
begins, but Alice stops her.
81 am glad you came here" she says.
II should have come to you if you had
not, to make confession of wrong did
you three years ago. You will hate me,
suppose, when you hear it, and | deserve
it. kept back letter that Kingsley
Durham left for you. felt sure that he
asked YOU to be his wife, and could not
give it to you as had promised to. | hid
it in the old clock. Oh, cannot look at
you! | want you to 60 away and leave
me to my shame and disgrace To-mor-
row | will 90 home. can never look in
your face or his again" And Alice Craw-
ford drops her face in her hands and sobs
over the humiliation she has brought upon
herself.
You must have been mistaken in think
ing he asked me to be his wife," Mary
says. 81 was engaged to George at that
time. and Kingsley Durham knew it. Let
me 90 and find the letter. That will ex-
| plain it all"
She comes back presently. with an ex-
cited tace.
And Alice reads:
My DEAR FRIEND NARY am a fool
sh, cowardly man. | know it. But
drawer men have been towards before a
woman's eyes. l love your cousin Alice,
but fear to tell her so. She puzzles me
| sometimes think she cares for me. Then
her mood changes, and | seem to be held
a great distance away from her
You must know how to read woman's
heart a great deal better than | do. Is
there chance of winning herp | shall
be gone before YOU come back. and shall
not be here to see you before you leave
for Europe. but you can write to me anC
tell me if there is anything to hope.
KINGSLEY DUNHAM.'
Alice Crawford reads the letter through
with dry eyes. She has been so near tt
heaven SO near! But her own hand ha.
barred the door against her entrance
The sense of what she had lost. of thu
fatal result of her guilty act penumbs her
go away. please, she says by-and-by
II want to be alone"
When morning comes she tells then
she is going away, and at once.
You shall not CO." Mary cries. "Yol
must not ~
IL must, she answers. 81 could moi
see him after reading that letter Dom
urge me to stay. for it will do no good.
An hour later she is being borne New
Englandward, and she carries with hel
the letter that tells her how Kingsley
| Dunndln lONeu neT. III is Il teTr1DIc tnlnS
to read, but she could not part with it fo
the world.
Back again to the old home, full of tn,
awful loneliness clinging to familiar
places after the death of those we love
1t seems to her as if years have passed
since she went out over its threshold two
weeks ago. In these two weeks she ha,
found out how sin brings its own punish
ment. And surely sin never had bitter
er punishment than hers has had
1t is the second night since her return
She sits alone. What she is thinking abou
You know as we'll as |. II seems to he
that there is but one thing to think abou
for the rest of her lifetime. Every da,
will repeat the thought of yesterday.
The gate opens. She hears a step OF
the path-a mans step. She know!
whose it i.-she would know it any
where.
How can I see him ?" she cries.
cannot. will not But her feet retdse t
obey her when she wills to fly.
He comes in and looks about in the twi
light
Alice" he says gently, "are yot
here ?"
"Yes. l am here - she cries so, VIII,
could you not have spared me this Wa:
not my punishment enough already p"