The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-27

just mentioned. It awakened too many
thoughts and contradictory surrnises.
If this knot was signal, for whom
was this signal meant? If it was a
mere acknowledgment of death, how
reconcile the sentimentality which
prompted such an acknowledgment
sions lying at the base Of the whole
dreadful occurrence? Lastly, If it was
the result of pure carelesSneSs, q bit Of
Grape having been caught up and used
for a purpose for which any ordinary
string would have answered, what u
coincidence between it and my
thoughts, what wonderful comet
dence, amounting almost to miracle!
Marveling at the whole affair and
deciding nothing, 1 allowed myself to
stroll down alone to the gate, William
having left me at my peremptory re-
fusal to drag my skirts any longer
through the briers. The day being
bright and the sunshine warming even
the gloomy recesses of the forest before
me, the road, [ thought, looked less
ominous than usual, especially in the
direction of the village and Deacon
Spears cottage. The fact is that any
thing seemed better than the grim
and lowering walls of the house be-
hind me. If my home was there, so
was my dread, and I welcomed perhaps
more than I ought to the sight of
Mother James heavy figure bent over
her herbs at the door of her but, a few
PAGES to my left, where the road turn
ed
Had she not been deaf, I believed I
would have called her AS it was, l
contented myself with watching the
awkward swayings of her body as she
pottered to and fro among her turnips
and carrots. My eyes were still on
her when 1 suddenly heard the clatter
of horses hoofs on the highway. Look
ing up, 1 encountered the trim figure Of
Mr. Trohm bending to me from a fine
sorrel.
Good morning, Miss Butterworth.
It's a great relief to me to see you in
such good health and spirits this morn
ing," were the pleasant words with
which he endeaVOred, perhaps, to ex-
plain his presence in a spot more or
less considered as under a ban
1t was certainly a surprise What
right had | to look for such attentions
from man whose acquaintance I had
made only the day before? 1t touch
allowing myself to be ruled by trivial
sentimentalities, and, though l was
discreet enough to avoid any further
recognition of his kindness than was
his due from a lady of great self-re-
spect, he was evidently sufficiently
gratified by my response to draw rein
and pause for moments conversation
under the pine trees.
This for the moment seemed so nat
ural that l forgot that more than one
pair Of eyes might be watching me
from the upper windows back of US
eyes which might wonder at meet
ing which to the foolish understandings
of the young might have the look of
generalization. But, pshaw [ am
speaking as if l were twenty instead
of-let the family record say I never
could see that it was a weakness for
a woman to keep certain secrets to her
self
How did you pass the night?" was
Mr.. Trohm's first question. II hope in
all due peace and quiet"
THANK you" [ returned, not seeing
why | should increase his anxiety in
my regard. II have nothing to COM
plain of. I had a dream, but dreams
are to be expected where one has to
pass half-dOzen empty rooms to ones
apartment"
He could not restrain his curiosity.
A dream" he repeated Il do not
believe in sleep that IS broken by
dreams, unless they are of the most
cheerful sort possible. And I judge
from what you say that yours was
not cheerful
L wanted to tell him. 1 felt that in
a way he had right to know what
had happened TO me or what [
thought had happened to me under this
roof. And yet l did not speak What
L could tell would sound so puerile in
the broad sunshine that enveloped US.
1 merely remarked that cheerfulness
was not to be expected in a domicile
o. 70 he
and then, with that lightness and YER
satilfty which characterize me under
certain eXigencies, l introduced topic
we could discuss without any enbar-
rassment to himself or me-
DO you see Mother Jane there?" I
asked. Il had some talk with her yes
terday. She seems like a harmless i'm
becile''
Very harmless" said he; 'her onlv
fault is greed that is Unsuitable. Yet
it is not strong enough to take her a
quarter of a mile from this place.
Nothing could do that, l think She
believes, you see, that her daughter
Lizzie is still alive and will come back
to the hut some day. She wouldn't be
away then for all the bank holds. I
know, for 1 have tried to tempt her
It's very sad when you think that the
girls dead and has been dead nearly
forty years.
why does she harp on numbers ."
said I. Il heard her mutter certain ones
over and over
That is a mystery none Of US has
solved" said he. Possibly she has no
reason for it. The vagaries of the
witless are often quite unaccountable. -
I felt him looking at me. not from
any connection between what he had
just said and anything to be observed
in me, but from Well, l was glad that
1 have been carefully trained in my
youth to pay the greatest attention to
my morning toilets. Any woman can
look well at night, and many women
in the flush of a bright afternoon, but
the woman who looks we'll in the morn
ing needs not always to be young to
attract the appreciative gaze of a man
of real penetration. Mr. Trohm was
such a man, and l did not begrudge
him the pleasure he showed in my neat
gray silk and carefully adjusted col
lar. But he said nothing, which was
perhaps more of compliment than
otherwise. Then he uttered short
sigh and lifted the reins.
IF only [ was not debarred from
entering" he smiled, with short ges-
ture toward the house
did not answer. Even I understand
that on occasion the tongue plays but
a sorry part in such interviews.
He sighed again and uttered some
short encouragement to his horse,
which started that animal up and sent
him slowly pacing down the road to-
ward the cheerful clearing,--toward
which my own eyes We're looking with
what l was determined should not be
construed even by the most sanguine
into a glance Of anything like wistful-
ness. AS he went Mr. Trohm gave me
bow l have never seen surpassed in
my own parlor in Gramercy park, and
upon my bestowing upon him a short
return glanced up at the house with
an intentness which seemed to increase