Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-20
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! thing from town?'
There are some eggs to take in, and you
! might bring out some sugar and package Of
cornstarch and-never mind. / must write out
ist of what want or you'll forget half" she
| replied. with an uneasy effort at playfulness.
Her husband caught her hand as she would
have passed him and drew her to him affection
/ atelv.
Poor little hands" he said. with o loving
little squeeze, 'they are not as white a. they
we're when you taught school at Oak Hill and
boarded at mothers. I'm thankful for that
| term of school. amt you? You don't look well
tonight, Maggie" he added, rather anxiously.
docs your head ache? You've been working
| too hard this spring. l think can manage to
send you away somewhere this fall. You were
speaking of Kate the other day. How would
yon like to visit herr You could have q Jolly
time talking over old times and all that sort Of
thing"
A great love welled up in her heart for this
big. tender man: and her voice sounded dang
erously like tears a. she answered: I'm only
tired; / think | will be all right tomorrow"
She could trust herself to say no moro.
"well, run along, then. and go to bed early
and get good rest" His eyes followed her as
sho left the room.
He took the chair she had vacated and looked
ont into the night. Il very dark now for
the moon had disappeared and clouds had gath
cred and hid the light of the stars. Bert sat
there smoking for some time. and his thoughts,
tween the puffs-''she has had q hard time Of
it. She was never used to work like this; and
thought when we came west we were doing what
WAS best for US both 1t has been harder for
me, too. than she has ever known. But, IL
things go all right in another year or two can
make her comfortable. bless her! Well, now
for the contract wonder il 1 can find it."
He struck a match, jerked open the drawers
of writing desk. his big rough hands scramb-
ling among the papers. aha! here it is"
He took down his coat from the hook behind
the door, put the contract carefully i'm his in
side pocket and did not notice that another
folded paper had slipped in with it.
Then he tiptoed softly upstairs that he might
not arouse his wife If she had already fallen
asleep.
But Maggie was restless and sleepless and
awoke the next day with a nervous headache
something very unusual for her.
Ii was q rainy, dreary morning. "Just the
day to 60 to town." Bert remarked: ''couldn't
do any thing if stayed at home''
So he pulled on his rubber coat and his
slouch hat and called upstairs. II stop Us go
past Jones and send over the oldest girl to help
Maria today. I'll try 10 be home for supper
but l NAV be late; so don't worry il I'm not
here at supper time Goodbye" and he was
off.
The Jones girl came over and Maggie gave
stairs joking and giggling with the hired man.
She ever afterward dishked that Maria.
= she felt better in the afternoon. and rose and
dressed herself. There was 50 much then to do
that she forgot the letter and even Bert him
self
the milk put away.
Bert had not come. and still it raired The
early darkness came and Maggie lighted the
lamp and seated herself to do some sewing Maria
and the Jones girl had gone home and she was
alone The lilac branches slapped dismally
n II he hnn Sha I'd fha 10
dashed against the window panes, and occa-
sionally the splash, srlash of horses struggling
through the mud and the swish OF the water as
the wheels sank deep into the ruts Of the
read.
Others were late coming from town as well rs
Bert. She had been thinking all day how low
ingy she would greet him. She would atone
for her wickedness-for sIch she felt il to be.
What though no one in the world knew it. she
was Mortified to find that such treacherous
thoughts conld have entered her heart.
She wondered if Kate had been there whether
she would have spoken them.
She felt her cheeks grow hot with shame and
she bent lower over her work. though there was
no one there to see. She raised her head quickly
again, however. for she heard another horse
spieshing through the rain This time it came
faster. dashins recklessly through the mud
The wide gate creaked as it was opened to
admit the horseman.
He was riding straight up to the door,
1t was not Bert, for he had two horses and the
covered buggy.
What could it mean?
Her cheek blanched as she few to the door
and threw il open.
The Jones girls father was standing on the
threshold.
Your daughter-didn she get home all
right! What is the matter. Mr.. Jones?"
He shook the water from his dripping hat and
coat and stepped inside that she might close the
door. into which the rain poured
There was a silent moment of suspense, as she
looked anxiously up in his face.
He choked down lump which seemed to
rise in his throat, looking down to avoid her
ewes at the hat he held awkwardly in his hand
She remembered afterward most distinctly the
prints his muddy feet left on the kitchen floor
ard the little puddle Of water which dripped
from his coat-a1l magnifed and seeming near
her eyes as one sometimes sees things in a
dream:
my girls all right. 1t amt her." be STAN
mered. Mrs Owen. they's ben an accident.
hope Don't be- he gulped.
What is it?' she said, in a low. hurried tone.
Tell me all you have to say. must know the
worst at once"
''Some way-I reckon nobody knows how 1t
happened Leastways nobody saw il. Moore
he said. Bert 'peared kind o. absent minded and
looked white like when he went out Of his office
hadn' no more than got his papers out fore he
got that way, and Moore Gale lates that he was
feelin' sick. 1t rainin' mighty hard, too,
you know, and that might have deadened the
whistle. You see. he was crossin' the railroad
tracks on the road home and-"a pause, "he
didn't see the train" In the rough mans ewes
shone a world of pity. They're comm back
there and they lowed I'd better help you fix
things. you know"
Tell me-" she begged, piteously, clasping
his arm. there is hope"
Keep up your courage, my gal. As long as
there's life there's hope" he said kindly.
They thought he was dead. and after the tiny
spark OF life began to burn there were long
days and nights OF suspense and almost hope
less anxiety before Maggie Owen could feel that
her husband was spared to her. She never
knew how she lived through those weeks. The
sharpest pang of ali came when they handed
her the package of papers which were found in
his pocket. She had tainted then on Mrs.
Jones capacious bosom.
Pore thing, she's plum tuckered out, stand
IN over him night and day. l never see the
beat OF how much she does think Of him.
The poor wifes only prayer was that be
might hive to know how much.
The leaves were beginning to fall when, weak
and pale, he was able to sit again by the win
dow.
He had been very quiet that day. a. II trying
to recall al almost forgotten circumstance.
Maggie. did they find the deed and-snd the
other papers?"
Maggie walked over to the door and locked
It. Then she took some papers from the writing
desk and knelt down by her husbands chair.