Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-02-26
CHAPTER XXI.
FAREWELL TO THE FARM.

CHAPTER XXI.
FAREWELL TO THE FARM.
Mason crossed the kitchen floor yer!
softly and opened the clubhouse door
But there was no one there. The plac,
was so large, so dark, there were Sc
many hiding places among the lumber
So many pitfalls besides the old wei
that he dared not make very exhaus
tive survey. He went back again into
the kitchen, however, with the definite
impression that some one had been II
there listening to his conversation will
Gwyn and that the eavesdropper, who
ever it was, had found way Of egress
The belief was disturbing one
Mason knew that in the belief OF
the household he was engaged tt
Gwyn, that he was going to marry hel
and take her away with him lay his
safety. And he was therefore not sur
prised when the girl made pretext fol
detaining him after dinner to whisper
In his ear that he must try to get away
without delay.
He was startled by her earnestness.
Some one overheard us this morn
ing!" said he abruptly.
"Yes. And you must go at once
There must be no more delay. l don't
say the journey will be without dan
ger, but it Is worth the risk-any risk
There will be light for nearly three
hours, and by that time you will have
go& out of the hills If you have any
luck. The road to the bottom Of the
hill Is clear now, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Well. you must start then and get
away as quickly as you can. The 9TH
ers are ON the hill yonder, making a
way up to the rest of the sheep. Go
now, at once, before they miss you"
AS she spoke she thrust out her hand,
and he took it In his. Before he could
utter a word In his turn, however, the
door was opened briskly, and the farm
er's cheerful voice cried:
"Hi, doctor, we've been looking for
YOU. Come and lend hand. We must
push on up hill before dusk comes"
T'd been asking the doctor to 60
down the hill, father, into the valley
to see whether there's a way up to
Thomas yet" said she. Were run
ming rather short Of provisions, and l
know Mrs Thomas can help us. Make
haste, doctor, and don't be long" she
went on, turning to him with warn
ing frown which her father did not
see. Get down the hill and look along
the valley to the left. If you see men
at work little distance of, cutting
their way toward you, shout to them
and tell them l would be glad to know
whether they can let me have side Of
bacon"
She hurried the doctor out, helping
him on with his overcoat and muft1er
and giving him when she could a
warning glance to urge him quickly on
his way. Then she opened the front
door, which had now been freed from
snow. and let him out, with a smile
and a nod. Her father was standing
Lehind her. just inside the doorway.
Farmer Tregaron's eyes were fixed
upon him all the time with a look
which Mason thought suspicious, Gu
rious. Under this fire nothing in the
nature Of tender parting from Gwyn
was possible. He would have offered
his hand for one last clasp, but her
own arms were held rigidly behind her
back, and although there was a
strange look of yearning and sadness
in her black eyes her lips uttered no
word.
"Goodby. then" muttered Mason In
q muffied voice.
"Goodby. doctor, for the present"
returned she loudly.
And as If fearful lest he should by
some word or action or look betray the
understanding there was between them
she shut the door.
Mason sped on his way down the
hill with a tumult Of strange feelings
raging in his heart. He could not be-
lieve that he had seen Gwyn's face for
the last time; that the deliverance
from prison, for which he had been
longing, had come at last and brought
nothing but soreness and regret with
1t.
AS he crossed the stone incumbered
plain In front of the farmhouse and be-
gan the descent of the hill by the mar
row cutting through the deep snow
drifts which he had helped to make he
was torn with regrets and longings,
with remorse and distress, in which
his admiration and reverence for Gwyn
struggled with his self reprOach on bis
brothers account.
Had he not wasted his time up there
and the opportunity which he should
never have again Of finding out what