The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-04-18

y
dayl' she exclaimed abruptly.
Take holidayp' he repeated in amaze
ment. my dear, are you madP Pray,
what would the vicar say, and who would
do the dutyi'
ooh, I'd find some one, I'm quite Ger
tain l could find some one, and you are
looking so tired that you are very likely
to break down unless you get change. If
1t were only TO bennington, john" she
hurried on, putting up her hand to check
his interruption, cit would be better than
nothing, and you know that Mary has
been worse, and it would be the greatest
comfort to themP'
my dear Louisa'-- She pushed his
hand aside breathlessly.
"Come, say yes, say yes, just to please
mel Let me go and pack your bag, and
| then you can start by the train"
He began to laugh.
"What are you talking abouti This is
October and we will discuss holiday
when August comes round and the vicar
has had his. | can't imagine how such an
unreasonable idea got into your head !
| Pray, take it away with you and leave me
to my sermon" As she did not reply, he
looked round and saw tears in her eyes.
"My dear love- he said in a changed
voice, 81 shall begin to think it is you
who are overdone and want the holiday.
If you are really speaking seriously, recol-
lect how much illness there is about-you
know should not like to be absent even
for one night when it might be a sick
soul was in sore need of help"
"Every thing falls on you" Her tone
was sharp and resentful, for already she
was fighting with remorse and great
fear.
"Well, WELL" he said smiling, 1--WE
needn't grumble. Hard work agrees with
me, and, God knows, I've more blessings
than most men. Hadn't you better see
what those children are after?"
Dinner time came, and she helped the
children methodically, although she was
more silent than usual, and if her hus-
band had been an observant man he must
have noticed it. His own thoughts, how
ever, were busy with the possibilities of
village reading room he was starting and
with setting a Latin exercise for his boy.
He had no conception of the remorse with
which his wife-brought up to feel duty
the highest obligation of life-was bat
Ting. 1t struck him at last, however, that
she looked even paler than usual, and,
remem bering with some uneasiness the
little scene in his study, he said kindly,
81 am afraid, my dear, that the children
have tired you"
"No," she said. NO" Then quite sud
denly-suddenly even to herself-for 1t
did not seem to her that the thought had
flashed into her mind until that moment,
she added, "But il you won't go to Don
nington / believe shall"
"Youl" he exclaimed in utter bewider-
ment, for his wifes reluctance to leave
home had passed into a proverb in her
family.
eyes. Why notY Annie can manage
for you and the children for fey days,
or perhaps your sister would come"
"Mary is not really worse, is she?"
mo. But she feels seeing so little of
us. If you don't mind think will go
this afternoon"
AS she said these words she flung him
frightened look, but the amazement of
her first announcement had swallowed up
that of the second.
"Of course don't mind" he said slow
ly. II dare say you re right Pm afraid
I've been selfish in keeping you away
from poor Mary Won't you take one Of
the childrent"
ooh, no, no, mop she cried, with quick
shudder.
John Wood was a man of easy adapta-
tions, and by the end of dinner the first
strangeness of her proposal had worn
away. She was relieved from any fear of
his wishing to see her off by his telling
her that he was obliged to go Immediately
to distant part of the parish and would
take the elder children part of the way
with him. And when he offered to leave
her bag at the station she said she would
prefer to carry it herself
"How long shall you stay?"
ooh, perhaps few days. 1t will depend
upon what find when l get there. You
won't expect letters, will you, John? I'm
going to have real holiday"
$50 it seems" he said, smiling. "But
do just what you like, and by all means
enjoy your holiday. must be off. Good
by" And he kissed her.
She would have liked to have warned
him against taking the children into any
house where infection might Turk, but
dared not She felt as if the very word
would betray her. Scarcely knowing what
she was doing, she moved like person in
a dream, packed her clothes, took the pud-
ding in basket, saying she wanted it for
sick woman kissed the younger chill
dren and went out of the house. AS she
passed the turning where the road branch
ed to the station her thoughts began
again to follow, step by step, the girl who
had walked along the green lanes that
morning, unsatisfed. She had quick
imagination, and she pictured her drag
ging drearily back to the death haunted
house with no better message Of comfort
than that the minister was absent. Sup
pose she spoke to any one ON her way
home-it was only natural for a girl to
falkland learned the TRUTH Suppose-as
she half fancied-the girl herself suspect
ed the falsehoodp The neighbors would
rise and cry shame upon her husband
her husband, who would readily have laid
down his life for his God and his people,
and she would have brought it on him. 1t
was this conviction which now carried
her on her way She could not have put
her intention into words, but really she
grasped at the idea of atonement which
presented itself, fancying that if she went
to tend the sick woman no one could com
plain, and that her nursing might save the
Pickering life Then in day or two she
would really go on to her sisters.
AT the door of the first cottage she reach
ed stood the girl who had come to her that
morning, staring down the road. She
might have been expecting the doctor or
watching him depart. Although the cot
tla oil