Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1901-05-01
PHINEAS HARDEN'S
<anu~INHERITANCE

church attendants. Through the sum-
mer LOrinda had sat just back of Phin-
eas Harden's pew, and the time seemed
very long ago when the pew in front
mad been empty at the evening meeting
and he had sat back with her.
His mother had been dead Just six
mouths. The cold and drearness of the
winter was gone, and 1t was soft
night in early June. The windows in
the old church were open, andperhaps
Phineas listened more to the monoton-
GUS voice of the minister When he
was little boy he had often wished
that they would have church outdoors.
God seemed nearer there. The woman
sat and watched his face during the
long sermon. She looked at it more
carefully, perhaps, than she had ever
done before. But Lorinda North was
not capable of seeing the real Phineas
Harden. All she saw was slight, bent
figure; face with eyes that were apt
to fall a little before the hard look in
her own. She could not know that he
did not meet her eyes only because it
pained him to see the expression which
time had printed on her face.
The long service was over, and there
was n sigh of relief as the congrega-
tion stood and received the benedic-
tion. Phineas had never passed out of
his pew without stopping and speaking
to Lorinda. Tonight he looked up with
his usual smile; she was just beside
him, her hand resting on the railing of
the old pew that stood between them.
Something In her face arrested him ;
he stopped and took her hand.
what is it, Lorinda? Is anything
the matter?'
She looked for full minute into his
kind, inquiring eyes before she spoke.
mo, nothlng's the matter. only
thought that, perhaps-perhaps, we
might walk home together"
He dropped her hand, and the color
flashed to his face. But the blood moves
more slowly at forty than at twenty,
and he only said:
"Why, yes, Lorinda, of course"
The night was clear and beautiful.
1t was strange how the man noted each
sound, and how his thoughts went back
to another June night long ago, when
he had walked over this same road
with the woman beside him. He looked
at her face; even In this soft half light,
1t was hard and cold. There was some
thing pathetic In the silent walk of
these two old lovers. They were almost
at her door now, and she turned her
face toward him. If he could have
known it, there were two bright spots
on her cheeks; as it was, he felt great
pity for the lonely woman. He did not
know that they were two players in
"the tragedy Of what might have been,
but he dimly felt that she was trying
to bridge over the lapse Of time that
had come between them. He remem-
bered something of the feeling he had
once had when she was beside him,
and wave of longing not for her, but
for the love that had gone, came over
him. He almost forgot the woman In
his remembrance of the love which
she had once awakened.
AS the memory Of the old emotions
came over him his heart softened and
he turned toward her with ready words
on his lips. But they had reached her
door, and she was holding out her
hand.
Goodnight, Phineas. haven't any
idea but that you think strange of what
I've done tonight, but whatever you
think l know l can trust you to keep
still. Perhaps there's things we all re-
gret l don't know how you feel,
but" She had opened the door now
and had stepped just within the shop
"but l won't be busy Saturday night,
and If you want to come I'll be at
home" And before he had time to an
swer, the door had been shut and he
was alone.
1t had been hot week for so early
in the season. Phineas felt tired and
spent as he drove home from town on
Saturday afternoon. AS he neared his
house its loneliness struck him as some
thing new. The heat of the day, and
his struggles with the question which
he had been evading and which kept
him calling for an answer, depressed
him. He longed for quiet and peace;
whether the old quiet life or the posi-
BILE peace of new one, he did not
know. But his house was not so lonely
after all; for, as he came nearer, he
saw the old doctors sulky beside the
gate. He had always liked the cheer
full, sensible old man, and he hailed him
now with even note of relief in his
voice:
Hello, Phineas; thought you'd be
along If l waited u minute"
Phineas got out and stood by the side
of the doctors sulky.
Its about the bill, spose," he said
Il meant to see about 1t before
| but"
"See here, Phineas Harden, did you
ever know me-to drive people on my
bills? 1t isn't bill this time, but some
thing that l ought to have attended to
as soon as your mother died, but it