Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-11-12


she'll drive me to it--poor Mar Ann"
Then they went back to the hotel
together. l sat there still, thinking
of Mar Ann all the afternoon-of
Claire not ut all. Somehow | was get
ting on famously at forgetting Claire.
Dunlop's was just the place. was
even forgetting that il was Claires
story / was interpreting and not my
own. Ii had occasional conscience
twinges and natural hesitancy at let
ting Mar AIMS garrulous old mother
let me into the sacredness of Mar
AIMS trouble, a. she did, il was really
of little avail in the end. For day
or two tried to keep her at bay, but
il was almost necessary to be rude to
do it. She haunted me with her
plaintive stories that ran on and on
| trelessly.
She would talk TO me, and it was al
ways of Mar Ann. Moreover, con
viuced myself, when l thought Of
Claire at all, that owed il to my
promise to her to take honest advan-
tage Of all my opportunities. If it
had seemed to annoy Mar Ann--hut
Mar Ann never appeared to notice me
ut all.
And so the days-and the story
went along. | thought could hardly
he better acquainted with two strange
women than l grew in those days TO
be with Mrs. Beebe aud her poor
daughter. And. If the pity in my
heart for gentle Mar Ann grew, as
pity will, to love, no one was wiser in
| the least.
The day before left Dunlop's
something happened. l was going
through the hall, by the Beebes door,
to my room. A sudden piteous cry
coming, muflied, through the panels,
woke me out of my thoughts-Mar'
AIMS cry. Mar AIMS hands we're
shaking the door.
LET me outl Oh, for PHYS sake
open the door and let me outw she
pleaded. 81 must get ont! | must
lind mother! Mother-she has gone
away She locked me i'm Oh, let me
ont, for the love OF Godr
Ny heart leaped at the anguish in
the sweet voice. would let her ont,
snyway-nothing could have held me
back, One of the keys on my bunch
fitted, and / turned it quickly. Mar
Ann came out with little leap and
hurried away.
"Coue," she called back to me,
help ..4e to find her. Oh, we must
find her soon or / cannot bear 1t!
Mother. Mother"
1 could hardly keep up with her
swift steps. / could not bear to look
at the pain in her white, frightened
face.
We went toward the water. 1t was
Mar AIMS idea. When we found
Mrs. Beebe she was standing on the
edge of the little lake. The poise of
her figure had nothing terrifying in
ii for me then n9t until years after
ward. But Mar Ann sprang forward
with q clear, piercing cryand caught
her mother in her arms.
"Motherl Mother, L have found
you'll You will never leave me again?
Say you will never leave me again.
dear!"
That evening Mrs. Beebe volun-
teered to explain the exciting little
episode to me. though against my
will She had quite recovered her
customary calmness of manner and
was inclined to feel grieved with Mar
Ann. Poor Mar Ann! Her lips still
quivered with excitement, and the
frightened look was still in her eyes.
/ could hardly bear it,
cts very wearing" her mother
said ''You can see yourself how it
is. L can't get away minute for
even little walk alone. She follows
me-through the key-hole l should
Think"
Her shrill laugh made me angry in
helpless, dull way.
81 locked her in myself, and did
think could have minutes peace
by myself" she lamented on, but it's
no use. There's only one way, and
she'll drive me to that pretty soon"
/ went away from Dunlops the
next day.
1t was three years before / saw
Claire again. Then i was married,
too.
You don't say SOL" Claire cried,
with a great pretence Of dismay.
"Well, you're like oil the rest of the
men-ugh"
We had met in the city park, and
she sat down on one Of the benches
and motioned me down beside her.
"Oh, she can watt" she said, calm
ly. you're TO tell me the end OF the
story, you know"
'The story?" queried. though I