The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-08-16
How She Came Home.

fathers farm. On the ridge between
her and the west she saw the two long
shafts OF tilted roller standing up
dark. gsums. The sight made her sud
denly afsid. She thought of her
father Was II he who had been work
Ing with the roller--who had left 1t
there an hour since? She paused with
beating heart.
After little she opened the gate and
slipped quietly through, holding AZ care
fully I'm her hand as she turned 20
fasten IL. She remembered how II al
ways swung TO the post with clap,
and, though she was far from the house
she shrank from making a noise. Then
she turned up the hill road.
When she came out upon the bare up
lands they were flooded with uncanny
light. 1t dazzled Janet 50 that she
could scarcely see the house lying
straight before her. Her whole body
felt how visible TO the farm folk II
must be, coming on illumined IN the
yellow glare. She covered - closely
TO the stunted hedge that the strag-
Cling brambles tugged at her. A burst
of terrible splendor came athwart the
world, an awful dying gloom. Far and
wide famed the red and silent moors
like altars lighted for the end of time.
Janet crept on. feeling mean and little
I'm the great desolatfon.
AT last she stood within the long
shadow that was cast toward her
house. so dark and silent were the
buildings that her heart stopped beat
ing with a sudden dread. But pres
emily a familiar sound fell on her ear,
and she breathed with relief on look
ing round. over in the little croft the
ducks were waddling home. late as
usual. and clatterng away 10 them
selves When the drake stood up and
tapped his wings the white round of
his breast shone vividly.
The farm road led TO the square chose
at the back of the dwelling house
the front was 10 the sunset. Janet
stole to the corner Of the barn and
peered through the shadows 10
the kitchen door. she was shaking
with fear. Her father had threatened
that il she ever came back he would
hound the dog al her. She hoped
Il would not be n new dog. Bauldy
she knew would not bite her. The
tall whste wooden pump glmmered like
ghost I'm the gloom. She remembered
every feature OF the place as IN IL were
yesterday she went away. Yet she felt
she was looking at IL athwan an
enternity. The double feeling of
familiarity and strangeness made her
conscious OF her physical abasement:
was she who was Liferent. different.
a stall-tied COW lowed loudly In the
empty byre. ann the mOurnful sound
was echoed by the gaunt buildings
Janet shivered and drew her poor
shawl about her shoulders. AT last she
ventured out, creeping down the close
on her tip-toes. trembling. When she
reached the step OF the back door. she
stood and listened FOR a sound within
The hOlISp was SILENT
Twice she ra'sel her hand To knock.
and twice she let fall I'm cOwardice
Then self-pity came over her with a
burst tin Aef- threat al i4+44a-lit4--
pered in dull repetition; oh it's a
pity o me: it's pity D me. My God.
ay: its geyan pity o me-" She
Knocked family. There was no re-
sponse. AS she craned TO lsaten she
heard the oldfash'ened kitchen clock
tick with a dreary loudness
she Knocked again. The scrunt OF a
chair being pushed backward ON the
stone. floor made the blood prick her
veins suddenly. \ silence followed. and
iher the SUBTLE OF slippered feet COM
ing slowly. Would ~ be her father?
And would he curse her? Her tongue
was dry i'm her mouth.
y bolt clanked to the wall: the door
creaked on its hinges and somebody
peered out at her. hand over eyebrows.
ITS you" said her mother at last
The woman stared at her daughter
for a while. and then turned away
without a word. leaving the door omen
behind her Janet followed TO the kit
chen with tremorous foot that was
ready to start backward. But her
father was not in the Kitchen.
There was a strange stiffness. The
rich light came streaming through the
bare window and fell full upon the
dresser. The dishes shone wlerdy
against il. There on it's old hook
Janet's mug was still hanging. her
name on it in bright gilt lettering.
With Il sud len stab OF memory she
thought OF the night her father had
brougt IL home to her from the winter
fair at Carbie. coming in from the won
derful darkness. with snowfiakes on his
coat. to his little gli by the great fire
how blthe had been his dark eve.
how cherry and re the middle of his
cheek. She could still feel his finger
rough and cold beneath her chin. and
the benediction OF his eyes looking
DOWN on her. But now-ah. Christ!
Mrs. Goudie had nut away in the
window-sill her great Bible. and her
heavy white-rimmed spectacles atop of
1t. Janet was still standing.
''Sit doun,' said her mother, care
lessly.
Janet sat down on the edge of n
chair close to the door. Rab the cat
she had reared, was sitting near her in
a blank band OF sunshine lying ath-
wart the flags. his legs propped in
front of him like two furry little p1-
lars. gray-golden slits OF eyes fixed on
the window. Janet, feeling the con-
straint OF the silence. put out her hand:
and. not daring To sp,ak aloud. said.
"Rab!" in choking whisper. Rab
turned and looked at her carelessly
through his half-shut eyes: then he
rose and walkel. with lazy stretchings
OF the hind legs, away over 90 the
hearth. There he sat down and stared
up at a blue wisp OF fam blinking i'm
the crate. The mOnOtOnous tick of the
clock was the only sound in the wide
kitchen.
Mrs. Goudie stood with her hand on
thu back OF a chair. At first her eves
paZed before her with wide look Of a
proud anger: and her mouth was hard
The glow fell upon her withered face
and revealed it's dark and stern no.
bility. Presently her eyes narrowed
and wept far away. and she seemed 10
be musing. Then strange smile.