The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-06-18

he must say something, and with tone
that was hollowly and cruelty artificial, he
moaned sgone."
This must have been effective in a meas
ure for the woman dropped her head on her
hand and looked tearfully at the carpet,
studying the figures In the peculiarly d.
!. verting mental manner, characteristic OF
gr.ef-stricken people.
Undertaken Martin, noting the glance. be.
ieved the woman had detected the weak
ness IN his sympathy and quaiied inwardly
Thereupon he weakly tried again. his vocal
organs. with a saucy independence, ending
the word with rising infection and in a
questioning manner:
| "Gone?'
The woman took her eyes from the carpet
and looked up into his face, in a most blank
manner it must be confessed and denoting
that she did not hear what ne had said
But to the guilty Martin who had just
been indulging IN a hearty laugh, the look
| was one Of keen penetration. And as he
| looked back at her with an expression he
| felt TO be patiently counterfeit he was Ger,
! tam that that glance OF keen penetration
| changed into one Of crafty condemnation.
1t set his little round head in such a wtirl
to make such discovery. that he dropped
his eyes as one who pleads guilty. Sud
denly with another struggle to save him
self he started to again repeat the word
| Gone" when the conviction rushed in upon
him that this time his voice would collapse
| entirely and he would stand a self-confess.
| eo humbug before this woman who had al
ready discovered what fraud he was
| He cleared his throat instead and said:
How tall was she, Mrs. Banks?"
| he irc+ Ia
and mind had turned against him and were
exposing him, for Mrs. Banks with a hur-
ried sweep of the room at the collins OF
various sizes. turned to him again and with
an outburst that was as demonstrauve on
the part of the Lips as on the part Of the
| eyes, sobbed:
''Ohw
Il didn't mean that" said the trembling
| william. Il didn't mean that at all I meant.
| how old was sher'
Mrs. Banks did not answer Great as her
grief was, and II was as great and as
worthy as any mothers sorrow, high or
| low, Mrs. Banks could not restrain the
feeling that the kind Mr. Martin was coIdly
civil.
As for Martin he knew he was But Il was
! because he believed the woman had dis
covered him. He had just been laughing
heartily over foolish joke, and he was ex-
pected to come into the presence of heart |
achlng gloom and attune himself to this |
He knew what to say, but he could not saw |
Ito her-who had read him and his hear. |
as an open book-his false, black heart |
He mad known pretty little Amy Banks |
She was beautiful child, with golden |
hair and pink cheeks and heavenly blue |
eyes. Only the last week he had seen her /
bind up little child's torn ankle He could |
nave told Mrs Banks this. He could have |
SAID that he had often watched the dear
little woman at play and admired her He |
could have repeated the incident of the in
]ured child and her sweet help He could
have told this all sincerely. But this woman |
would not grant him his sincerity. She
would believe that this was a professional
trick. and she would arise and denounce
him for all his years of false gravity.
knowing his guilt and his falsity he
would not open himself to further attack.
He remained silent, waiting for her TO take
the initiative. As she sat and looked at
nm in her fearful way. his breast sud-
denly revolted- Instantly he resolved TO
sell out, to quit the undertaking business
folever and for the rest OF his life laugh
as much as he pleased. His mind became
OAAis lie permitted hlmSelf
to think of the joke he had just been laugh
ing about and with a desperate, heady
abandon. he felt his lips spreading in a
smile
fhe woman broke afresh into tears, but
he went on grinning regardless. A thief
gets a world of consolation out OF a con-
1ession. That is his lirlit of defiance, his
insurmountable defense.
Then with boldness he said:
Mrs. Banks?"
"Yes, Mr.. Martin"
You noticed that was smiling then? ?"
Yes Mr. Martin"
The old fear came back to him Should
he confess? Should he tell her that for all
these years he had been a fraud, that his
gravity was mockery, that he lived to
laugh; that nothing was sad 10 him in all
the world not even death; that at many (
funeral he had had uncomfortable impulses
to break into laughter at the tone of the
prayer or the grief of some hypo-
critical relative. This was how he had IN
tended 10 explain the laugh. But pressed
10 action he could not do L. He said in
stead: !
Mrs. Banks. was smiling because We
should smile when little woman like Amy
goes TO heaven. We only are the sufferers.
She is happier. She is. among the angels
where she belongs
His voice cleared as he said this. He felt.
in spite Of himself, that he was not mock :
ing. that what he SAID was true. Now he
knew II was true and that his tongue had
been sincere in spite OF himself. /.
The woman broke into fresh fit Of sobs !
and swallows
He was sincere. This woman had doubt
ed him She was probably doubling hIm 7
aow. But he was sincere. Little Amy was G
better or" be meant il when ne sad il, Il
he would prove 10 her that he d.d
You are not r.ch woman. Mrs Banks"
BE said touching her arm kindly Z
No she said lowly. Poor" v
And the sl1aiIes, funeral expenses. are s
aeavy-will be heavy on you"
''oh Mr.. Martin" she exclaimed. IT viii
work my hands of. FOR she mus; have Z
sood Iu7erai. Mr.. Marun-the angel. o. Z
Ssr. Martiar' 2
he felt az antscipa;ory thrill Of pleasure
VIXEN be replied:
She Saan have a lsse tribute Mrs Banks
shall give her my finest cssket. and shall !
zee Reverend Brooks. and We shan have Il
ne choir from The church and flowers and Z
III that shall attend 70 Il al, Mn
Banks There VIII he no expense TO you"
The woman looked az h.n-
Il mean that dii love your littl. aausH- Z
er- Tr6e-,akers are expected 10 love every :
BODY when they are dead, Mrs Banks. bu, =
knew Ettle Amy and ask 70 be permit
ed 20 co this for her"
TIE woman placed her hand upon his :
lrn.