The Red Cloud chief., 1892-07-22
CHAPTER XvI.-CoNrrsurp.

and then set off through the lanes to
old Bartlett. just rs the slow day had
struggled into light. The stars in their
= courses seemed to be fighting for Jane
Mt last. The miller had known Aaron
from n boy and had great faith in his
sober. silent ways. Aaron, he said. was
welcome To come to him as o us he
liked: the sooner the better.
And sc II came to pass that Aaron's
steps turned homeward. lie went to
see Olive, and told her that he was GO
ing back to Jane and Eastmcon. She
frightened at the news.
"Olivc." he said, looking ut her visit
fully, 81 wish you too were going back
to the old place. A great deal is said
about beginning n new life; but | think
return to the old"
Yes. with some Of u.s. she an.
swered. Your old life was tho true
life, Aaron. and your old love is the true
love" HaNEv
lie turned away from her with a
sigh. The gentle patience in her face
was almost moro than he. could bear;
and his old bitter feeling against
Michael returned in full force. Was it
just that n man who had done SO much
wrong should go unpublished?
~ shonld like to stand face to face
with him for II minute or two" he NUT
tered between his teeth.
"If you eve meet him face TO face,
Aaron. | hope your heart will be
softencd," Olive said quietly. "Until
we can forgive, we can never be healed.
The prayer for those who have despite.
fully used us is the balm for our
wounds. When you refuse to pardon
Michael, you reject n blessing"
81 will try not to think about him."
Aaron answer 1. THAT'S all | can say
yet. There's little good in making be-
lieve to forgive when you can't. Good
by. Olive; l hope we shall sec you ut
Eastmeon again by and by"
"Yes, Aaron" Her face frightened
again. ~ will como and see you md
Iane when you have made q home Of
Sour own"
He went his way, and when the door
had closed behind him Olive sat think
ing for n little while. Hsfp
Aaron was going back, MS she had
said, to that old love which wasthe true
love; but for her there was nothing to
60 back to. There in Eastmcon, here
in London, she was alone; and her soli-
tudc was of that invisible kind of which
the chaplain had spoken. And then
other words of his came back also.
''The life Of earnest duty and simple
devotion--of patient endurance and
laxytnu nnypt nu pinps-uy cha not o4rs,,-
ing to live it? And had she not felt in
her soul that sweet sense Of spiritual
companionship which Christ imparts?
This was not n feeling to be talked of;
II you described it in everyday Ian
guage you lost something of its sacred
ness. Olive always felt that in an ar
gumcnt with n clever matcrialist, she
would assurcdly get the worst of it.
The next day vas Saturday, and the
flower shop closed carly. She had
been ont in the afternoon on an errand
of Mrs. Wakes. and was coming. back
into tho first shadows of the dusk,
when she saw u face that She knew. II
was Michael himself, who passed her in
the falling twilight. IIe did not sec.
hcr; his eyes looked straight before
him, but she had q glimpse of his worm,
haggard face. 1t was as II the ghost Of
her old lover had appeared to her; he
was SO wan and wasted, so utterly
changed. Aaron had dropped hints
about Michacl's marriage, which was
generally thought to be IN unhappy
one; but Olive had refused to listen.
''Tell me nothing" she had said, firm
ly. There was no need for her to DO
told anything; Michael Chasc's story
was written on his altered features. A
successful man he might be, but never
q happy one.
The girl whom he had SO cruelty
wronrcd glided past him into the
cleaning; her face pale, her lips
pressed lightly together, For n 10
mcnt she hal felt q sharp pain; pity for
herself, n still deeper pity for him, took
possession of her and she walked on,
seeing nothing and nearing nothing,
although the streets were crowded as
usual. But tle peace that she had
gained was not of the kind that Q be
easily snatched away; 1t had taken q
deep root in her heart md its sweet