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


| bitter i have deceived thee, but I'm s9 9n,
I'VE asked thee to forgive me I'm sorry fo oT
see what more can dO' She had the .b tet,' by
which sometimes comes with confessions 'hnV fop NJ
confession the sin is atoned for and should De ior
gotten, and she resented Sarahs GRIEF aI glad
and cruel There's nothing wrong IN per feIt he
to see Roger" she continued me- no anywhere
| was welcome need not have seen MN anS ''AN-0
| else. And-and-I like TO be with hosel' ,,,;+bopt
Sarah looked at her for momen'a Rachel
speaking, and then she said Abruptly ask thee
tboneb am not sure that thee win tell the truth
Sarah was quite calm now but her mlha w"s and
fused between distress at TINS 69sr to 4eseit.
'I Ts lps parted and then closed again she
| hung her head In silence - DooboI oouId not
| Answer me, Rachel put haon9i 0O"''
speanE Does thee mean" Sarah said ncisively, that
thee cares for a man who does not catn lol ~. . do
And to be with him thee mas use armt Thee has
ee ion % Ito nnon thv soul! Rachel have known
thee didst not love and ala not enee.iu .,,s
obey u.s. but never knew new th oU bSdst not the
nodcstv Of the Young women of thy family Doso
| tbou think we can ever trust thee again m $3.50
Rachel stood trembling ana pa thOngbt n' Of self
wounded animal She had no tnouBnO VI ''A
defence; il was only pam ia ot+or
Thee may go to thy room Sarah sai d. a and
long silence; thy uncle and Will Try anu
Without a word Rachel turned and fled out
into the hall and up the stairs. She caught
| glimuSp of her uncle walking calmly up anu u'"h
between the tall white lilies in, Sarahs consery-
atory He would have TO be told she scarcely
seemed to breathe until she reached her own
room and shut and locked the door, ana tne men
| leaned against it for support Hcc Leart was
| rounding in her throat; her eyes were ol9rI Ecu
and singing, but without tears She heard r., the
| uarlor door open and close, and knew tnet ohVer
| was listening TO the story OF her gullS
cannot bear it," she said aloud; no
| cannot bear itl' l.. IT. .1ol.
| that IL could not be BONE IL meant escape from
| intolerable pain, though she could not yet sec
| bv what means. Her mind even darted forwatu
| 10 contemplate time OF peace, and she vaguely
| tbonght OF a day when she should look back
| upon this misery-but no, II was 700 tefrloie
| 10 be looked back up0n Pity for herself MADE
! her Sob aloud, and without knowing chat she was
only choosing the lesser anguish she began TO
| ay: IL is all because they are angry ABOUT
| Roger She could not face the truth, that her
| pain and theirs was because Of her deceit. lv
vas little easier to say. " They are angry that
| Roger should care for mes BY and by means
| of escaping from pain by action efgan TO grow
clear TO her. She would go and tell Roger Ia
| her proud innocent heart Sarahs assertion that
| She cared for who did not care for her
| left no snng save the bitterness that her aunt
sTll tell Roger she said, over and over again
to herself. 1t seemed to afford her an Intangible
comfort
The warm fragrant abr OF the conservatory,
| and the silent beauty of Sarahs stately lilies,
1
| He almost forgot his anxiety about Rachel ana
| when he came into the parlor he was sgreatly
| startled and alarmed to find his wife hiding
| her face In her arms upon the table, her quick
| breath showing that she was in tears.
I" Tell me, Sarah he said. But 1t was some
moments before she could speak. and then she
| said brokenly: Oliver Rachel has been decev1ng
| us She has confessed 1t, though she Is not
| really rcpentant Think how we have failed
| In our duty 10 her, II such an Is possible IN the
roor child!s Then she tod him, faltering with
4 81 and Chu ~ fla "a "A
tender instinct 70 spare Rachel, she said nothing
Of what she thought Of rs the gihls lnfatuau9n
for Roger Livingstone After @ all that was , the
think how far wp have let her drift from us
that she could deceive us. Oh, l have sinned
in this-it is my fault-not RachePs. She does
not love us, Oliver, after al these years but IL
is because | have been unworthy OF the charge
| Of one Of His little ones'
lie tried to comfort her and tell she was wrong
hut for once the brave, silent woman was broken;
she would not listen, and by and by went TO
her own bedroom, pacing up and down the floor,
in despairng condemnation OF herself. Her heart
ached for Rachel YET IL did not occur 10 her 20 go
| aud comfort the child she would even have felt
10 wrong 20 have seemed too readily to excuse the
sin, but had she thought OF it. IL was even then
| too late
Raehel's vague purpose Of telling Roger had as
| sumed definite form There was a train into
town that she could take which would make it
possible for her 20 see the young man before be
went out for the evening. And she would tell
him all about IL, and he-he would tell her how
TO act She had confused thought Of finding o
place 10 board and some work 90 do, but under
meath this purpose was the wordless conviction
that Roger would take care OF her. She did not
think Ho will ask me TO marry him. but she
felt IL
At last she rose from crouching against the door.
and with trembling little hands put on her dove
colored bonnet and folded soft shawl about her
shoulders Then she opened the door and stood
for moment listening her eyes dilstng and her
breath coming quickly. There was no sound ex-
eept the FAM swapping Of the frc in one OF the
- lull .ttasn 1nrIr In ha
early twilight, and the shadows hid her as she
crept down stairs: her fingers shook when she
turned the big brass knob and opened the front
door. In another moment she had closed II
stealthily behind her, and stood alone in the gray
chill Of the November evning.
She looked back once, as she reached the foot
Of the steps, not hesitating in her purpose, nor
with any relentng tenderness. but with the habit
Of love which has been rcpresSed and misunder-
stood The blinds were not drawn, and she saw
Oliver sitting with his gray head bowed upon his
hand his spectaclcs were folded across the page
Of an open book upon little round table at his
sde whose shining TOP gIeamed family in b the
knitting work lay just as she had put IL down
when she began 20 reprove Rachel The room
looked so warm and peaceful. her uncle sat SO
quietly watching the fire, his face hidden By his
hand. q wave OF bitterness swept over Rachel
What does he care IL am unhappy p she
thought; as soon as the lamps are lighted he'll
she already thought Of her life with them in the
past-she could have been so good but they would
! never trust her or love her again! For an In.
slant she forgot that her anger was for Roger:
sake
She turned and ran swiftly through the garden
; her dress caught a broken branch OF a rosG
bush, and she stopped 10 loosen it, pricking hel
thin fingers till they blcd. She found hersel
suddenly crying: il was showing softly. and SHE
was cold, and everything hated her.
The rush and tumult Of the flying train drowned
her thoughts She was half dazed when sh,
reached the city. but in the short ride TO Roger,
rooms she began 10 think how she should tel
!, him her story. Again and again she reached
certain point in 10 and then seemed TO wait fo
/ his answer. What ought l TO do, Roger? II
! do whatever thee tells me-
She was so sure OF his sym pathv and 40 ipnoran-
? Of human nature, that it was impossible for hel