New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-24


Townsend would simply find you and take you
home again. He has the legal right Roger was
still young enough in his profession TO feel It's
awe Indeed Rachel he continued, Tor she
did not answer, " it was foolish to come TO me-
to come in town, j mean; and it was mistake to
think you could take care OF yourself. know
the world, my child, and you don't. do go nome
Rachel, right away "
The old sim pie friendliness made him very much
in earnest.
said eagerly Your carriage is at the door sui.
and you can be home again in an hour ! mustn 2
go downstairs WIN y9n u YGaaat GO aO no
body will see you, and they need never. know at
Friend ,Townsend's tnat you came here
What?' cried Roger impatiently but without
waiting for her answer, you can say you came
in town on an GRAND and missed your train, or
In the sudden fear that some one might come
in and find her there, he was again growing angry
with her folly.
/ don't want any one 10 know that, you came
here to see me- Rachel DEAR he explained, re-
enting with honest sympathy for her mistake;
for girl to do such thing. So you won't mlnd
my not going downstairs with your
No, l won't mind" she said, looiung absently
about the warm, bright little room won't
mind; oh, no. And I'm sorry, Roger; and it
isn't thy fault. Only-I ought not to haze been
born, thee sees. IL think it isn't anybody's
What isn't? What do you mean ?" he said
with sudden anxiety, for she seemed so INDIFFERENT
to him and his explanations that Roger felt
But Rachel had gone lie followed her, into
the entry where the one small jet of gas iared
and burned bluely for moment in the draft from
his open door, but she did not look back. He
leaned over the balustrade and saw her gray figure
hurrying down the coil Of the broad staircase, ana
he stou1 there straining his eyes into the darkness
and full of pity, until the front door opened, and
then closed with dull, distant Jar
VI.
And. Rachel? The idea of going home again
never presented itself to her. yet with a am
consciousness of PROMISE she went bnndly 10
ward the station. She forgot the carriage, az
though 1t had begun to snow steadily, ana IN ner
hurried uncertain walk she stumbled once or tWlle
The second time group OF men, VINO hdd sOuSnS
shelter In O doorway, laughed loudly, ana one On
them shouted q name into ears too innocent 10
know that they were insulted she tufneu anu
looked at them with the wondering tnough1 .lliaa
any one was happy enough to laugh, and they "ere
Again the short, swift ride; again the glare OF
the lamp outside the little station, the paI11Iins
mine The clouds OF steam and through ali the
beating snow and the gusts OF wind ne s!a cad
master did not recognize her. ana wIe ad n LETT The
again for the one passenger VINO hau "i' "-
train she had vanished $500, .hu Leaf
She left the road running between the leal-
less hedges and climbing down graVeny I Tx
hurried across q field toward the river; II !
can inst he ouiet and think" she Stld again anu
again; if can only be quiet. II, ..l;..
She walked aimlessly about inc wi H Wiz
meadow TRYING TO silence the tumult IN ner ordln,
xrbicb seemed actual noise she even put her nanus
up to her cars once. and stood stili' repairing
must think" IAN tho +,,dsted root
~ a Iocust tree and through sheer exhaustion, uio
rot rise but sat leaning against us rough .uh LA
aTll think now" she SAID to heTsen snS III
her face in her hands, Tor the daIkhSSS gnu .in o
NJ hogan 10 terrlfy her. One WORD, repeating
and repeating itself, had made this ciamor III ner
mind .n..d ~ T viii die-I
oh, yIs, Oh IL Cod would only kill me-
He might be as ldnd as that. rye always peen
80 nni,snpy and il would be such nttle thIng
10 let me die But I've prayed ana prayed anu
Ves tSis thought worked itself out in her mind,
che heard above her own sobs ana ano NJ In, ;Ls
soft, swift rush Of the rver whIcn h Sar"ofS
brown arm about the moauV"' "'0
rumble of train of cars -, -. ,s,,
Then. suddenly it oil came to her, now . cay
escape was, how simple great cam SCI, sSIsiea
bewildered SMILE the snow had caught N
the wet tangle OF her soft hair. and blew agsinse
her small pitiful lips with faint. cold tGucne eS
mere was for Il 10 come 20 her she could take it
She rose, steadying herself upon her ,ireu Iee.;
began 70 y ,6 6Scs ssFss ' wondering why
envbodv was alive when IL was so easy not 10
be- She laughed under her breath TO tnnk , N.Y.
she bad prayed for escape, Wheh 81 IN, 1r other
The liver had been slipping by. or TINS QUE,
wRv invited her. What peace TO Just ioiEo ei
~ shonld not say-they should never again
have the chance to say that they ala noC u pnt
tbe tbonght of the heaven beyond was perfume
torv and unreal Actually, her purpose was only
! childish impatience with present pain
When she reached the steep EN- bankment agaIni
aha took off her bonnet and folded her shaWl
| about il with the hardly acquired haplt Oh cale
| for her clothing, and placed them beneath a Iee
| Then she climbed the grayelIy slope anu stqou
| nnon one OF the tracks: the snow beat IN heI
| face. and the wind twisted her wet skirt about
| her ankles Again, far back among the nils
| came the rumble OF an approaching uait, sne
| feIt the lar under her feet, and then, through
| The white blur Of the storm. came the uuuiea
glare Of the headlight 49,, -. s,,,o,,
In an instant the desire for death was swept
away Her instinct TO escape pain had been ony
| Inc other track oh. I didn't mean II mdn'
mean itip She cried hoariely. The rio, IS wind
| swept her frightened voice like Tea ther INTO
Down d@S the track She stood white and trembling,
| saving again and again: don't want to die,
| / don't want to die; l didn't mean ~!
| know-that the other express was due The two
| trains Numbered by each other and left only
| darkness and the beating snow.
rvcr Death was not kind to Rachel Dudley
the great silence left her still misunderstood,
She took her own life" Sarah said briefly.
The child of our old age could not love us
| enough TO live for us, and 10 was my fault.
No one but Roger knew of the interview in
| his rooms that night | drove her TO it, he
said under his breath divided between grief and
fright, Yet this did not last for he came at
| length 10 think very honestly that he had loved
her and that she had refused him. II she had
| cared for rue that night could have saved her
and now, she has broken my heart on.
Townsend dimly saw truth" The sins OF the
fathers are visited upon the children he said
1t was her inheritance
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