The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-19
CHAPTER XIV,


THE TITLE DEED TO BRoNToN
HALL.
Mrs De Lyons and Miss Laeuua
Gaines. who were what might be calico
mortuary ministers to all defunct Man
devillians. stood drawing on their out
door things with evident reluctance ana
inward resentment. II was the first time
i'm long years of service that they had
been informed that they need not stay all
night II was unprecedented.
You are quite sure. Malvna. you
would rather have us go than stay?''
quite sure Mrs Lyons" the mourner
said. with firm lips.
And you won't be afraid 10 speho
the night here all aloneY
Afraid? Haven't spent every nlght
Of the last 20 years right hereE
Yes but not
"Is il mother you are thinking about?
You want TO know II am afraid to stay
and are used to It,"
Mss wns tte r1l wsssp ssse pas
sive tenant she and Mrs. Lyons had done
everything decently and in order.
Yes but Malvina, you know 1t Is diff
ferent now
Yes: some things are different 1t is
not a very far cry to your house or 10
Mrs. Lyons either. Lefty. IL should need
anybody, and you have both been a"-
After that there was nothing to do but
to leave her alone with her dead. Inc
clock was striking 10 as Miss Maivina t,in
out all intruders effectually. Lifting the
lamp from the centre table, she passed
dspd i in into the seF Folded Sands we're
flowers that Olivia had come back to
bring as peace Offering
=! wanted TO bring them myself. she
said, lifting heavy eyes to Miss NAL
vina. 80 that you should feel very sure
that all the hardness had gone out or
heart rt stss Sssd 70 not s5ay come sGms into
/ came" Then she had fiiued out into
the darkness again. lonely. pathetic
Malvina stood pondering, not the fiow-
ers. but the act she had resolved upon.
II might as well do i now as ,stony at any
With With my lonely vigil Il is a simple
act of justice 10 you mother. 1 am go
Ing to put that wild notion about those
papers to rest. | can't bear TO have
other hands searching among your
things. though / did promise that poor
unhappy child she might. You know II
Is not that am mistrusting you, mother.
dear, and ] think you are we'll pleased to
have me clear your name from the sus-
picion OF hiding papers that did not be-
With this apology to her dead for what
she was about TO do she returned to the
sitting room The gay chintz covered
chair had been pushed back against the
wall She advanced toward It resolutely.
II believe I'd rather have the plain
black horsehair showing anyhow 1t Is
more in keeping with funeral" che said
and went TO work.
Kneeling before the old chair she set
about untying the numerous tapes that
kept the slip cover in place Many a
knot was rendered all the more refrac-
tory by the tears she dropped upon 1t.
The old arm chair was very intimately
associated with her life. As n child she
had watched her fathers pen travelling
patiently by the hour over the paper
spread upon the little shelf attached to
its right arm. She had vague recol-
lection of a mysterious drawer, located
somewhere under the ample seat, which
had an inconsiderate habit Of tumbling
out OF it's socket at the most unexpected
moments. scattering it's contents In the
most unseemly fashion. Many a time
had Ii compelled her TO go down on her
knees to recover the dsjecta membra of
the next Sundays sermon.
Later, when the Rev. Mr.. Spillman had
been transferred to a world where there
was neither writing nor preaching of SER
mons, the chair had become identified
completely with her mother But the
drawer, which had been voted n family
nuisance when subject to careless mascu-
line handling had never played any part
in latter days. Mother Spillman had
long ago carried into effect her threat TO
fix ii so II should cease from troubling
how, Malvina had never thought TO no
tice.
Yes" she said rising to her feet after
conauering the last knot, I'D rather
never see this old slip cover again. Every
flower I'm IT would set me TO thinking
about mother. and that won't be good
| for me-"
With a skilfull jerk she drew the cover