Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-07-16
: 10y Prarg un Dss ssoppsa at sight Of

biz cilan,,Fal face.
why, Gabriel. = she falfered- is anything
the mAtters Are you
He cut her short, seizing her hands a-f
dragging her TO the window, vhere the Tx &
fell fun on Der faca Then. without a-y
preface.
did you meet Larry Underhin in ts
woods last Friday afternoon be said
Lefty biushed crimson
Yes" she began pieadingiy, BUT
And did be kiss your interrupted Gabril
between bis set teeth
oh Gabriel, let me tell you how
Yes or no; did he kiss your repeated =
briei with fierce eyes searching her fa-a-
There was long. sickening pause, then Lei
faltered again:
"Yes, but
He Iee 90 her hands SO suddenly that SIC
fell back against the wall Hs bad walked
away 10 the other window. where be stod
with averted face There was another 81
lence, then Lefty said, with trembling eager
ness: Gabriel dear, let me tel you TOW It
all was-ulay IF
There was no answer She crept up behind
him and laid her hand On bis arm lie Eu ;
il of Don't touch mei" he said III voice
she would not have known for his
Obi Gabriel, darling, only hear melH and
again she caught at his sleeve. He turpad
round then
Hear me- be said Il don't want eay
explanations, don't want you to touch n-e,
only to go away where never shall Sc your
face again-wait q minute, as Lefty tried -
speak. II don't want TO hurt you, but If you
don't go in five minutes swear will shoot
myself where 1 stand =
He took a revolver and placei it with his
watch on the table beside him Then he
turned his back TO his wife again ard waited
The minutes licked on monotonously Lefty
sat in stunned silence until she sd. him maze
movement, then she sprang forward and
threw herself upon him. Gabriel p she cried
in a voice Of agony, "oh. for the sake Of our
lover-
Not word OF that, he interrupted, zoos
ing her bold 1t Is time. VIII you 90, or -
He put his hand on the revolver She gave
him look Of passionate. desperate appeal,
then, as he made another movement with
wild scream she rushed out Of the house.
1t was soon noised about Stonybank that
Lefty Dallas had left her husbands home
and disappeared from the town. Old Law
yer Fernald questioned Gabriel, but found
him tacituru and obstinate. Don't ask INC
any more, Mr. Fernald, he said, respectfully
but firmly You've always been very good
to me, and don't want TO offend you, but
can't and shant talk about this. The old
man shook his head and turned away, for he
saw that the trouble was beyond his mend
ing.
After this no one mentioned Letty's name
TO Gabriel, except that once Steve Thatcher
suggested that She had gone to join Under
hill But the sullen fury with which Gabriel
turned on him restrained him from ever Re
peating this idea, and presently, the only re-
hinder of Letty's fight was the change il
had wrought In Gabriel
But one hot August day Lefty herself
though the mere shadow OF her former self
came back To Stonybank. She carried a
little, sickly, wailing infant in her arms, and
looked weary enough to have dropped by the
way, yet she pressed on to the corner whore
Lawyer Fernald lived. He owned the Old
house in the hollow, aud she wanted to get his
leave to occupy it. Tho old man tried to
induce her to remain for time under his
own roof, but hero he came in conflict with
certain gentle pride and obstinacy which
were marked constituents of Lefty charac-
ter No arguments could make her open her
lips about Gabriel or consent to any fay OF
more than the ,lso Of the oh house, and Mr.
So Lefty set up her poor little home within
the deserted walls where she had once laugh
ingy declared sho would ike to keep house
She supported herself AMI little Gabrielle
for so she had named the ha.,y-by needle
work and by such odd jobs as she could find
among the village housewives They were
glad to do what they could for her; and, as
she was thrifty, and the means Of living cost
but little in Stony bank. her small earnings
answered well enough.
People wondered at first what Gabriel Dal-
las would do, now that his wife had returned
to the neighborhood. But Gabriel simply
ignored her Once only did he show that he
was aware Of her presence. Lefty had gone
over to Stonybank Corners TO do IL piece OF
work, and the baby was with her one thin
arm claspCd about her neck. At Lawyer
Fernads gate they came suddenly face to
face with Gabriel, who was going out, and
tho child, moved by some impulse, began to
crow and stretch out its little fral hands TO
him. almost falling from its mothers shoul
der. Gabriel iistnctiyeiy put up his hands
to steady it. and over the Laby's head the
husband and wife for a Moment looked into
each others faces Gabriel's dark and sullen
AS usual now, Lettys pale and wasted, but
with the same sweet look in the deep blue
eyes, Then Gabriel turned away without q
word, and Lefty passed on silently
But one October day the baby died, with
cred up like frail little flower in the autumn
frosts. Every one was sorry, for whatever
the rights Of it between Gabriel and his wife,
Lefty and the baby had enlisted general sym
pathy So, in their simple way, they did
their best to comfort her. and by her wish
the tiny grave was made beneath the
branches Of hemlock tree beside the win
dow, where she could see it at her work.
Again people wondered about Gabriel
Would he be at the funerali He was not
there, but one who was and who saw him
the same day, thought she could never for
get the scene Cora Fernald had come over
with her grandfather to the old house in the
hollow, but, when they were about to return
home, Mr. Fernald recolected a matter Of
business some few miles further on So Cora
concluded to walk back through the woods.
After the close little room down there, it was
relief to he in the open air. and she went
along enjoying the beautiful Indian summer
ike day the splendid colors Of the forest fol-
age and the sweet smell of the whitening
brakes A branch Of brilliant scarlet maple
caught her eye ard drew her in search of it.
Entering small clearing, she came suddenly
red maple tree He was sitting on log his
bead in his hand. and great tears dropping
down his cheeks The girl spoke with mpul-
sive pity:
oh Gabriel she said Il am so sorry the
poor little thing is dead-so sorry for you
and Lettyw
Gabriel had started up and dashed his hand
over his face. He stood looking straight at
her as she stoppe, confused
Thank YOU" he answered with grave cour-
tesy, but there are some things it does no
good to talk about" He touched his hat and
thought, came back again.
Miss Fernald,n he said abruptly, do YOU
hear from Mr. Underhill nowf'
The young lady was taken aback by this
question, so directly yet so respectfully put
But Gabriel stood waiting. and under the
spell Of his gloomy black eyes she answered
hesitatingly:
why, yes-sometinesn-
Don't marry him, said Gabriel earnestly
Don't have anything to do with him He is
lad man" He paused and added simply:
bout be offended with me for speaking so TO
you, but you and your grandfather have
been very good to me, and don't want you
to be unhappy II ever | saw that man
again | should kill him With that he
struck off into the woods
Cora Fernald was completely bewildered,
and told her grandfather that she thought
Gabriel's troubles had turned his brain But
the old man thought he saw glimmer of
light upon the mystery Quietly. without a
word to Cora. he wrote to [ nderhill. asking
him some very direct questions With this
ba u 10 t.a