Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-10-03
bd at the end Of a fortnight tn

Ef[8sOG HCrOWuou
Id at the end of a fortnight they
detied criticism and spoke. 1t
Wlaining steady drizzle, and
/through the mire of muddy court
Paul Maryland saw familiar form in
gray stepping over the puddles without
an umbrella.
"Please take mine," he said.
But she would only consent to share
it.
"These places are not fit for you, :"
said the doctor later when walking with
her homeward. "You are too young,
too-too- Indeed it is scarcely safe
for so young girl to venture amGng
the criminals that are hidden here//
But must, she murmured.
"Ah, you are one of those brave wo-
men willing to risk anything. I had
heard of you long before had the pleas
ure of lighting you down those rickety
stairs two weeks ago."
"You have heard of me?" she asked,
with an abrupt sharpness of tone which
he did not notice.
"Yes, from the poor wretches whom
you have mace your devoted friends, !"
he explained. "It is more often for you
they call in the extremity of their pain
than for me. -
81 am glad if have done any good, !"
she said, signing with relief.
"Goodv' he echoed. eff the depraved
creatures about here worship anything
at ALL it is the Little Gray Lady, as
they have named you.''
DR.. Paul Maryland was celebrating
his fortieth birthday over a lonely cup
of tea. Old Betsy, his housekeeper and
one time nurse, had made a doubtful
looking cake in honor of the occasion,
and her afTcctionate master was sacri-
ficing his digestion to please her.
1t was not often that he was left to
enjoy meal in peace, and today was
not an exception to the rule. He was
still contemplating second slice of
cake when he received a hasty summons
to case in Lavender court.
"That's just like him." she growled
in monologue. 'He'll never be rich
while he doctors them paupers for moth
ing And they takes vantage of his
goodness, they do. Now, if Master Jack
hadn't turned out a scoundrel"- Here,
being a devout Catholic, she crossed
herself and mused mournfully upon the
doctors secret sorrow.
"Master jack was Paul Mayland's 9
youngest brother. his junior by 5 years,
who had been left as a sacred trust by
their dying mother to the elders care.
Some seed of depravity, perhaps sown
in long generations past, early developed
i'll young Jack. After rushing through
various vicissitudes of gambling and
drink he devoted the remaining part of
his sodden intellect to the criminal sci
ence of burglary.
His distracted brother for several
years grieved for his "sacred trust'' as
a thing lost to him until one night Jack
had appeared craving protection from
the law. For the sake of his dead moth
er, Paul had shielded the boy, who,
when the danger was over, broke loose
again, and in the course of time his
dexterity earned him, in the criminal
world, the sobriquet of lightning
Jack"
At Lavender court, in the room where
his patient lay, DR.. Maryland found the
Little Gray Lady kneeling by the truckle
bed on which consumptive child was
dying.
II sent for you," she said. 81 knew
you would come if you possibly could.
She had puzzled him from the first
her absolute loneliness and her reserve.
There were moments when he wondered
if she were firing of her charitable
work, SO obvious to him had been her
troubled mind sometimes. Tonight,
walking beside her through the busy
streets, he abruptly put his fancy into
woras
Yes, lam very tired, =" she answered.
~ Lite the work. l hate it,"
Bat it isn't compulsory, he ex-
c.Aleed. "Why do you do it?''
''Because l must" she said bitterly.
Paul Maryland was not Il rapid think
er, and not until they had turned into
the street where she lived did he come
to some sort of conclusion. Perhaps she
was performing deeds of charity in ex-
piation of some trifiing sin, magnifed
: by her tender conscience.
Yes, he loved her. She had guessed it
long ago. 1t was in that moment when
he had once unconsciously revealed his
secret that her work had become sud-
denly hateful to herself.
| Don't go in yet" he said. 81 want
to tell you something. Let us walk
back to the end of the street. ,"
81 love you, Hester. l love you. "
His low voice penetrated through the
traffic of the street. 81 am not young
man, but my feeling for you is deep and
strong enough to last my lifetime, even
unto eternity" He caught the sharp
sob that was choked in her throat.
Hester" he cried. look at me! Oh.
my darling, what is ft?''
:! am so happypl she said "rh"' is
They walked up and down 10
~ yer knew. They
reality of things