Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-25
CHAPTER w.

Poor Marjorie, as she was driven along,
felt that it would be unpleasant to explain
at home that she had tainted in church
and been sent home in cab by Mr.. Stanis-
land. They would ask how she came to be
alone there with him. And as she passed
Mrs. Wayne's garden gate she decided to
stop there a2d spend a few moments. She
dismissed the cab and went slowly up the
gravel path and touched the bell There
was no answer, but in moment more she
found that the door was unfastened, and
opening it went in. A low sobbing sound
fell upon her ear, and following it she
came upon Mrs. Wayne sitting at the foot
of what she called the kitchen stairs-stairs
that led from the back part of the house to
the old fashioned garret. She was not
weeping, but gasping.
"Oh, thank heaven, somebody has come, {"
she cried. "I'd have died alone here Mar
jorie Chadwick, come here to me and take
hold of my hands. couldn't he afraid of
my boy alive or dead, but Pm shaking like
l had the ague. | never believed such
things could be before, but I've seen him
Pve seen Herford-he's appeared to me-"
Ellis spirt?" whispered Marjorie, sink
ing down beside the old woman and chat
ing her cold palms.
'What could it be but his spirit2 We
sat together there, in that room, and heard
the dominic preach his funeral sermon; we
stood by his grave and heard the clods fall
on his coffin, but there he stood, just like
he used to look, only pale Mother
heard him say, mother and he held out
his arms like he used to when he was a
baby, for me to take him. He seemed
holdin 'em out to the house; he didn't
look at me. I'd just tied the shutters with
black ribbon as I always do for Christ
mas, and I'd been to the well for water.
was sittin down on the stone under the
lilac bushes to rest me, for l amt very
strong nowadays, when l saw him. He
seemed to be weepin and wailin softly to
himself. oh, my happy home,' he said
oh, mother, mother,' and | couldn't move.
turned giddy, and it's only five minutes
ago that l managed to get in the house.
Either I've lost my mind or Pm going to
die within the year. They come for warn
ings."
"Do theys" said Marjorie dreamily
"Then I am to die also, for he came to me
there in the ehurchyard."
"God have mercy on usr' gasped the old
woman.
There are moments when hearts open to
each other This was one. Sitting there
upon the little back stairs in the darkness,
the two women made confession to each
other.
II must tell somebody said poor Mar
jorie. 'It seems as = she way l acted to
Herford. the last day II his life, was burn
ing into my heart like coal of fire.
went on about not being rich; I talked
about rich husbands as if l wanted one.
He must have thought didn't care for him,
and that day he didn't kiss me when he
left me, and never saw him again"
"How used to nag my husband; how |
used to wish Herford was ambitiousl' said
Mrs. Wayne. after grandfather left mo
his little money educated him as well rs
could wanted him to get rich, to get
some kind of political Office, to be some
body always felt as if his father might,
if he'd just buckle to. | was SO disap-
pointed when he took clerks place at the
factory that / cried. Now, only to have
him there again, coming home to tea, call
ing, 'Hullo little Mamsy.' in at the kitchen
windowl"
"Ah if he could only come to take me
out tomorrow afternoon, shouldn't envy
any rich woman" sighed Marjorie. II
want to tell you something. l refused Mr..
| Stanisland today. shall refuse any one
! who asks na--if any one does again. III
live aud die IN If kwas HeFford's widow."