St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1903-02-04
BLACK ROCK.
LContinued from Dec. 3l.l

| forming her that by the ueatn or nel
husbands father she had come int
the whole of the Mavor estates and al
the wealth pertaining thereto. The
letter asked for instructions and urged
an immediate return with a view to q
personal superintendent Of the es'
tates A letter, too, from distant
cousin of her husband urged her lmme-
date return for many reasons, but
chiefly on account of the old mother,
who had been left alone, with none
nearer of kin than himself to care for
her and cheer her old age.
With these two came another letter
from her mother-in-law herself. The
grabbed, trembling characters were
even more eloquent than the words
with which the letter closed:
81 have lost my boy, and now my
husband is gone, and | am lonely wo-
man. | have many servants and some
friends. but none near to me, none so
near and dear as my dead sons wire.
My days are not to be many Come to
me, my daughter. | want you and
| LOWS cllIu-
"Must l go?' she asked, with white
lips.
do you know her well?' l asked.
81 saw her only once or twice." she
answered, "but she has been very good
to me-"
"She can hardly need you. She has
friends. And surely you are needed
here"
She looked at me eagerly.
"Do you think SOP" she said.
"Ask any man in the camp-Shaw,
Nixon, young Winton, Geordie. Ask
Craig" l replied.
eyes, he will tell me-" she said.
Even as she spoke Craig came up the
steps. l passed into my studio and
went on with my work, for my days at
Black Rock were getting few, and
many sketches remained to be filled in
Through my open door l saw Mrs
Mavor lay her letters before Mr.. Craig,
saying, 81 have a call too" They
thought not of me.
He went through the papers, careful
ly laying them down without a word
while she waited anXiously, almost i'm
patiently, for him to speak.
"Well," she asked, using his own
words to her, "should go?"
81 do not know" he replied. "That
is for you to decide. You know all the
circumstances"
G,rrIo lottore, foil oil ~
Her tone carried a feeling Of disap-
pointment He did not appear to care.
"The estates are large?" he asked.
eyes, large enough-twelve thousand
a year"
"And has your mother-in-law any
one with herW
"She has friends, but, as she says,
none near Of kin. Her nephew looks
after the works-iron works, you know.
He has shares in them"
"She is evidently very lonely" he an
swered gravely.
"What shall l do?" she asked, and l
knew she was waiting to hear him
urge her to stay, but he did not see or
at least gave no heed.
81 cannot say" he repeated quietly.
"There are many things to consider.
The estates"-
"The estates seem to trouble you"
she replied almost fretfully
He looked up in surprise. / wonder
ed at his sloWness.
eyes, the Estates" he went on, "and
tenants, | suppose; your mother-in-laW,
your little Marjories future, your own
future"
"The estates are in capable hands, l
should suppose" she urged, "and my
future depends upon what | choose my
work to be-"
"But one cannot shift ones RESPONSE
bilities," he replied gravely. "These
estates, these tenants, have come to
you, and with them come duties"
81 do not want them" she cried
"That life has great possibilities of
good" he said kindly.
81 had thought that perhaps there
was work for me here" she suggested
| timidly.
Great work." he fastened to say.
"You have done great work, but you
will do that wherever you 90. The
only question is where your work lies"
"You think l should 60" she said
suddenly and little bitterly.
81 cannot bid you stay" he answered
steadily.
allow can go?" she cried, appealing
to him. "Must | go?"
How he could resist that appeal l
could not understand. His face was
cold and hard and his voice was al
most harsh as he replied:
'If it is right, you will go, you must
CO."
Then she burst forth:
81 cannot go. | shall stay here. My
work is here My heart is here. How
can l go? You thought it worth your
while to stay here and work. Why
should not ~
The momentary CLEAN in his eyes
died out, and again he said coldly:
"This work was clearly mine. I am
needed here"
Eyes, yes!' she cried, her voice full
of pain. You are needed, but there is
no nccd of me-"
"stop! Stop he said sharply. "You
must not say So"
al will COW II must COW ;+'j che