The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-04-19

He wrung one hand with the other
with grating sound that told of the
density of the cuticle.
eyes, you Go mind" he retorted. 81
like to think that you do. That would
be quite like your old self"
"Very we'll then" she said. "Sup-
pose l do mind, what thenT
He SHIFTED his position.
"You have changed" he said. "You
didn't use to get angry SO easily.
Won't you sit down."
But she had determined to stand
while he was there.
He had left the lid off the rose lar.
She went and put it on.
81 hope" she began, but she did not
finish.
He was looking past her, out the
window.
How strange it is" he said, 'the
sight of one thing brings up a whole
troop of others. All the way down here
thought off and on of looking you up.
Then l got to thinking of things con-
nected with you. thought of Marcy"
Miss Martha said not word, but her
lips spanned little across her teeth
A silence fell. He looked out the win
dow
"Of course" he said, 81 know she
died years ago-her husband, too-and
she left daughter"
With a passionate movement Miss
Martha threw her sewing on chair.
81 think" she said, you are shame
less to speak that way of the poor wo-
man who, because of your treatment of
her, had to get divorce from you
She married a good man, and she lived
down good deal of what she suffered
through you. She left a daughter.
Helena is with her fathers people
here"
''Herew He slowly moved his eyes
in her direction. "Herew
'Yes," Miss Martha said. "Her fa-
theirs brother lives here. Helena is the
only one have in the world, and when
her mother died it was only natural
that l should want to be near her."
$50" he smiled, that is why you
came here to live, to be near Margy's
daughter!'
Miss Martha was more angry STILL
She seemed to quiver. She went quite
close to him.
said with the suppressed voice of a
woman who is determined that she
will not be misunderstood. you think
it spiritless, dumb whipped animal in
me to want to lie with the child of the
woman who replaced me in the affec-
tions of man. You had asked me to
marry you, and IL was only 18-ac-
cepted you. Then Marcy came, and
her beauty made me of no account to
you. You acted falsely to me, but I
gladly let you go. 1 was not even an
CRY with Marcy. Her sufferings as
your wife made me thankful for what
l had escaped and made me feel al
most guilty for having made her ac-
quainted with you. l greatly admired
her second husband, and their daugh-
ter is like my own child to me. You
were always false. You taught me to
be false in that small matter of hiding
the cards. You had taught me to de-
ceive Margy's mother, who gave me
home. You were false when you used
to leap into Margy's parlor as you leap
ed in here. Your handsome face, your
bold, reckless manner, made fools of
both Marcy and me-"
Bor1and's eyes were once more di-
rected to the window, but deep fur
row had come between them. Miss
Martha let her glance fall on the man.
Something of what she took in in that
glance made her say: Il didn't mean
to make such fool of myself. And
after all these years to-
'"That's all right" he interrupted
placidly. SIT is just as say, we change
very little"
Meaning that was always fool?"
'Hrhat's about it maybe"
Miss Martha gave a little choke at
this comprehensive analysis of her
character.
Maybe you're right" she said. "All
the same, didn't mean to make such
fool of myself today. I haven't
thought of those times for years."
Il know how it is," he returned. II
know"
Then there was another silence.
Miss Martha grew uncomfortable.
Perhaps" she said, sit was kinder
than l thought-your coming to see
me-"
81 believe thought more of myself
than of you," he replied frankly. At
which she laughed little.
"That almost makes me agree with
you about our not changing" she re-
torted.
He nodded dryly.
"NIatty," he said, "seeing you, think
ing of YOU, seems to have set good
deal in motion. | suppose must have
been a scamp in those old times.''
"God knows" she replied. He made
you"
Meaning that | was as l was in
tended to be-" he said
On the instant there flashed across
her the thought of the sermons she had
of late listened to, wherein mans per-
sonal responsibility for his own life
was so dwelt upon.
NO" she answered; 1--WE are intend
ed to make the most of our lives"
''For ourselves or others?" he asked
her.
She cleared her throat.
''If we live for ourselves alone" she
said, 1--WE are surely not making the
most of our lives"
81 suppose you are right" he return.
ed. 'At any rate we won't argue. Sit
dou-p MoftuO