The record-union., 1898-12-04

He made it poor return. Damn him!'
he muttered, walking over to the win
dow. HE had better left you in my
keeping, after ALL
He stood with his back to her, and
frowned on sea of chimney pots, and
she covered her shamed face, where the
dead mans blows seemed to throb and
burn again.
/ When he came back he. was full of
self-reproach. He had hurt her by his
bluntness. He was a laundering old
fool! And he Immediately set about
proving the assertion, choosing the mo-
ment of her humiliation to put a seri-
Gus question:
rs it too late, Maggie?" in a very
wistful tone.
And she answered, 'It was that years
ago, john
Which was just what he might have
expected. And then they parted. He
wished to know her plans, but she was
reticent. He would have offered fur
ther help, but was afraid.
For days after he was dour and rest
less. Stocks failed to interest him. He
grew worn and harassed.
He visited the child's grave. Stand
ing by the mound of moist, freshly
turned earth one evening, bitingly
keen sense of his own loneliness swept
over him.
He had grown hard and selfish with
the added years, he knew; quicker to
scent a bargain, keener to haggle over
and hoard the money he had gained.
Well, a man must find some interest
when the one most coveted in life had
been denied him. He had craved the
Forsworn and Tilted, he had shut tight
eyes on Grub street.
And now?
The grave of her Child lay at his feet.
Looking down, it seemed the one in
which he had laid his blighted tender
ness for ever. Was it too shallow
wouldn't the thing die? 1t seemed as
if the scraping of his foot would bare
it again, tormenting and quick and
beautiful.
| A mist before his eyes. He brushed
I them with doubtful fingers. Tears!
He turned to co. but the Child's mother
stood at his elbow.
rs it you?" he said foolishly; but she
scarcely seemed to hear.
You stayed so long," she muttered;
'I grew tired of waiting
She sank on the grave. like one who
was spent and weary, and he under
stood somehow that she had been
watching him from afar.
| She had been there before, she told
him; she had only left her post to buy
these flowers at the gates. They We're
pretty, weren&t they? Only the hawkeI
was late to-day. She undid the string
and spread the flowers on the sod.
| He stood watching her.
| Such a little thing she looked to do
| battle with the world. such a white
sorrow laden, weary little thing.
A sigh escaped him.
What are you doing?" she asked, as
| he bent over the grave.
| When he Strengthened his back he
| held some violets in his fingers. He
| laid them between the leaves OF his
notebook before answering.
II loved her too," he said, and gave
| her long, long look. "She might
| have been mine." he added, eft
| Then he stopped, choking, and strode
hurriedly away.
| Trouble was in his eyes, hunger
! gnawing at his heart, but that didn',
affect his bearing. A small voice ar
| rested him.
| rJohn!" 1t cried TREMENDOUSLY
| He stopped. cleared his throat and
| turned his head over his shoulder.
1T can't be helped" he cried cheer
fully. Don't you fret about it, Mag
| gie,' and took a step, forward.
| john" she called again.
He went back. When he reached hel
side the tears We're streaming down hel
cheeks. But it wasn't that which puz-
zled him. Tears were natural. 1t was
something that lay behind them. my
DEAR" he cried. what is it," and his