The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-01-30

Hodges for somehow Ann had not
been able to bring herself to break the
news to Rhody. She hurried over, as
You may suppose. Ann she cried. And
then she softened the rcproach cam,
dear, what does it mean? Do you
know what they are saying about you?
Really. you must not let Ivy in So much.
1t rs making no end Of talk. They say
people say-O, | know they say is It
liar! But they do say-that--you are
going to marry Ivy
And 50 / am said Ann. But she
looked out OF the window.
Rhody sat frozen to stone. She could
not move her lips at first. And when
she could, it was only to whisper, You
are WiH Mather's wife"
70, you lie still, Rhody," said Ann,
biting off the thread with which she
was running up the breadths Of fine
wedding garment and showing all her
handsome teeth
why, / can't be still" whispered
Rhody, who for the life Of her could not
more What will VIII say?'
''NOthing, | guess"
Put if he should come back, Anny"
gathering strength.
What a simpleton you are. Rhody.
After all these years an the insurance
paid and all. You're a perfect deaths
head at The feast. An look here,
won't have you talking so to me. And
Ivy wouldn't like it all"
20, Ivy. with infinite contempt.
Yes, Ivy. | always liked Ivy. AM
he's the lawyer of this village, an 'tisn't
every one marries the lawyer. And
every one respects him"
'Iyy'S well enough. | amt nothin' to
say against Ivy. I've allus liked him,
too. But Ivy amt no business here"
He amt comm here. I'm goin' to
his house"
"Ann! Well do no how you can
STAN that long-winded talk o his'n."
"Rhody, if you wasn't my oldest
friend
I'm more'n your frien'. I'm your blood
relation. I've right to speak, am
you've a right to think shame of your
self. And to Think what if Will"
The Man-o'MUll hesn't ben heard
from for MORN seven years. And I'm
quite within the law Ivy says so"
But there was Robinson Crusoe-"
20, Rhody, you'll be the death of me
yet! / believe you're as crazy as Hum
phery Lavendar l guess one Robinson
CrusOe II do An now you've spoke out
and done your duty, your conscience's
clear, an 50 is mine. l was good
wife to Cap'n Mather and l shall be Il
good wife to Ivy Hodge"
'"Ihen," murmured Rhody, the tears
pouring over her face and her thin,
prrple-veined hands, with which she
tried to hold them, ''the day you marry
Iyy-O, my! | do'no' how you can-I
should think you would be. You
needn't ask me to come to the weddin'-
/ shant' countenace ut. But you will
send ME ever Wills picture, then, won't
You: You won't want it for a reminder.
And I'd better take care of it for YOU"
Il don't know" said Ann, CHANGING up
at the dark and dashing likeness. 1T
looks good on the wall I've KEEP the
frame real bright. There amt. nothin
mean about Ivy; he wouldn't put VIII
did set by it. An you paid for it, any
way. An Perhaps some tender
memory swept over Ann. Yes" she
went on. Il guess it belongs most to
You. But-but Will belonged to mel"
And then Ann began to cry, and Rhody
kissed her-she couldn't help it; it was
Ann. And then she run home as il q
ghost pursued her.
One day the picture came, and RhOdy
put 1T upstairs in the spare room 1t
was not for all the world to see. And
she made a case for it as tenderly as
ever Elaine wrought ON that for Lance
lots shield if it were not so beautiful
1T was of crazy patchwork, a thing Of
silken shreds and patches She made
herself a black gown, too. in those days.
She had always worn light colors about
the sick; she said it was more cheerful
for them; and rainy afternoons she had
made a point OF putting ON q bit OF
bright ribbon or q flower, or a gay
apron, or her tojaz breastpin, as if
some pleasant thing were expected. But
she Slipped into her black gown now,
saying nothing to any one. If it had
been cloth of gold and sewn with jewels
it would have been less precious, for to
her it was the symbol Of something she
was doing for Will But no one on all
the shore, except perhaps Sally Laven-
dar, had an idea that Miss Rhody was
wearing black.
Days and nights, away at her work,
she felt that her house held something
sacred now. To go home to it, to that
picture, was to look forward to a joy
She seldom allowed herself to gaze at
it. Sunday mornings sometimes, before
lLSelllhS HyuIkAldJ MORNINGS
she stole in and let the sun fail
through the open shutter a moment, and
looked at he bold, black eyes that follow
ed hers, the hair like mass of carved
ebony, the ruddy cheek the laughing
mouth, and Will was then more alive
to her than ever. When the great
equinOxes blew, she comforted herself
again by the assurance that it gave a
robust life. And summer Sunday nights
She sat a little while before it, moon
beam slanting over it and refining it and
giving Ut an air almost of unreality. And
in those moments she felt q deep peace
in her heart Ann was the happy wife
OF Try Hodge-but there was life to
cOme-and in that-who knew? To be
sure in that life they neither marry nor
are given in marriage-but love, service,
companionship, those things must belong
to all dives! Only, only-df Will Mather
should come home again! She covered
the portrait quickly lest that moon
lighted face should figure rudely in the
dreams OF the night because OF that
foolish fear of hers.