San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-04-14
CHAPTER XIX.
THE ADVENTURE OF THE uEARsE.

THE ADVENTURE OF THE HEARSE
The day spring came at last, and in the
sick light of it | went down to the cottage for
spade and licEaX. In the tumult of NV
senses | hardly noted that our prisoner, the
dragon, had contrived to slip his bonds and
steal of in the night.
And then Della, seeing me return with the
sad tools on my shoulder, spoke for the first
time:
First, if there be well near, fetch me
two buckets Of water, and leave us for an
hour"
Her voice was weary and chill, so that |
dared not thank her, but did the errand in
silence. Then, but dozen PAGES from the
spot where Joan'S father lay, dug a grave
and Strewed it with bracken, and heather
and gorse petals, that in the morning air
smelt rarely. And soon after my task was
DONE Della called me.
In her mans dress Joan lay, her arms
crossed. her black tresSes braided, and her
face geuillr than ever twas in life Over
her wounded breast was bunch of some tiny
pink flower that grew about the tor
So lifted her softly as once in this same
place she had lifted me, and bore her down
the slope to the grave, and there | buried
her, wG!lp Della lnclt and prayed, and Molly
browsed lifting now and then her head to
look
When all was done, we turned away, dry
eyed, and walked together to the cottage.
The bay horse was feeding Oh the moor be-
low; and, finding him still too lame to carry
Della, | shifted tn" saddles, and, mendng the
broken rein, set her on Molly The cottage
door stood open, but we did not enter; only
looked i'll; AID Ing Jan TersaGle curled be-
side the cold hearth, left him So
Mile after mile we passed in silence, Della
riding and pacing beside her with the bay.
At last, tortured past bearing, | spoke:
Della, have you nothing to sayf"
For while she seemed to consider; then,
with her eyes fixed on the hills ahead, an
swered:
Much, if l could speak; but all this has
changed me sOmehow-'tis, perhaps, that |
have grown a woman, having been a girl
and need to get used to it and think"
She spoke not angrily, as | looked for, but
with painful slownesS that was less hopeful.
But" said |, lover and over you have
shown that | am nOught to you. Surely"-
Surely | am jealous: lis possble-yeS,
Jack, am but woman. and 50 It's certain"
"Why, to be jealous you must love met
She looked at Inc straight, and answered
very deliberate:
''Now that is what | am far from sure Of"
"But, dear Della, when your anger has
cooled
My anger was brief; l am disappointed,
rather. With her last breath, almost, Joan
said you were weaker than she; she loved YOU
better than |, and read you clearer. You are
weak. Jack'-she drew in Molly, and let her
hand fall on my shoulder very kindly-"we
have been comrades for many a long mile,
and | hope are honest, good friends; where
fore | lOathe to say a harsh or ungrateful
seeming word. But you could not under
stand that brave girl, and you cannot under
stand me- for as yet you do not even know
yourself The knowledge comes slowly to
man, think; to woman at one rush But
when it comes, | believe you may be strong
Now leave me to think, for my head is all of
a tangle"
Our pace was 50 slow 10y reason of the
lame horse that a great part of the after
noon was spent before we came in sight of
the House of GleyS And truly the yellow
sunshine had flung some warmth about the
naked walls and turretS 50 that Delia's home
coming seemed not altogether cherries. But
what gave us more happiness was to spy, on
the blue water beyond, the bright canvas of
the Godsend and to hear the cries and stir
of Billy Pottery'S marines as they hauled
down the sails.
And Billy himself was on the lookout with
his spygass. For hardly were we come to
the beach when our signal-the waving of a
white kerchief-was answered by another on
board, and within half an hour a boat puts
off, wherein, as she drew nearer, | counted
eight fellows.
They were besides Billy Matt Soames, the
master; Gabriel Hutchins, Ned Masters the
black man Sampson, Ben Halliday and two
whose full names | have forgot-but one
was called Nicholas. And, after many warm
greetings, the boat was made fast, and we
climbed up along the peninsula together, in
close order, like a little army.
All this time there was no sign or sound
about the House Of Gley, to show that any
one marked us or noted our movements. The
gate was closed. the windows stood suffered.
as on ny former visit; even the climuevs
were suoheIe,,. Surn effect had this desc
latIon ON our spirits tHat drawing near. We
fell to speaking in wh,p"r>, and said Ned
Masters:
''Now a man would think US come to hurv