Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-08
"May I ask when he went awayY

Hope IIousoH
yes"
There was another silence. Gordon's
mind went into n tumult
May l ask when he expects TO re-
turn"
Il think tomorrow or the next day"
She was recovering her cquanmity,
but she resented his questions.
"Will you kindly ask him to come
down to Hope House and see me on a
matter of business when he rcturnst"
"Will you state the busincss?" She
put the question as coldly us he had
put his.
"Ccrtainly." Passion had the reins
now and was lashing him hard. please
tell your father want to ask him how
far he considers himself responsible for
the murder of over sixty children and
the manning Of a score more on ac-
count of the illegal tenement he CON
structed on Bowen street" 1t was
the severest thing he had ever said
to Lucia. but his excuse was found
in the agony that filed Hope House at
that minute.
Murder, did you say" Luclla $ eyes
blazcd. She stepped toward John Cor
don and confronted him dciantiy. DO
you realize what you are sayingW
do |? Oh, Lucia, if you had seen
what | have seen during the last three
days. Gordon broke down so sudden
ly that Lucia was overwhelmingly en-
barrassed. 1t was no secret with her
heart that the man had her love: at
least she was wretched without him.
even if she was not yet willing to live
with him where he chose to live. TO
sec him sitting there now, with his
face covered. smotc her proud nature
so hard that in Il moment she would
have been knceling beside him and
promising to 20 with him anywhere
to leave every social pleasure she
priced, for the love of his heart.
But how should John Gordon know
anything of all that? When he looked
up he saw her standing very still and
very white. staring ut him in n qucs-
tioninG way. And in an almost matter
of fact tone he began to relate the
facts about Mr.. MarshS relation to the
dispasSOnate manner. In reality he
was exercising great repression. And
he noticed as he drew near the end
that Luella was listening like one who
was being told certain things for the
first time.
81 fhnt fnt hpr nr>-npI
any property ON Bowen street" she
said in low voice when Gordon
stopped.
John Gordon rose. His heart was sore
over everything connected with Mr..
Marshs conduct. He had not Il single
excuse to offer for him.
do you believe mcE' Luella cried
with her old spirit flaming up
Il have no reason to disbelicve you.
You are not to blame for your fathers
guilt"
at is great grief to me-" she said
simply. over sixty children, | could
not read the details of the thc-disas-
ter. Father took the paper out of my
hands that morning. 1t made me sick,
and-and-yOu know how sensitive IA
ther has always been at the sight Of
suffering. lie could not bear to hear OF
it or look at it. | am made i'll the same
way. 1t is all too horrible"
If it is horrible to look at, what do
you think it is to feel it," John Gordon
asked griIuly. And as he asked the
question Grace Andrews face. with its
tender, deep blue eyes. flashed mp be-
fore him. and for the first time in his
lie lie compared her with l.Uei!a, SIM
ply in the matter of capablity to bear
the sins and sorrows of humanity.
Luella looked at him gravcly and
Shook her head And then John Cor
don rose.
You are not Coing?" she said before
she realized. And then the color flooded
her face. and she stood, proud woman
as she was, with bowed head. rs con
scious as girl who has made some
little social mistake
Again if John Gordon had said Iii
ella, | will never go from you if You
will ask me to remain she would have
given her whole life into his keeping
and followed him to the earth's end for
the love OF him. But how was he to
know all that: All he saw was wo-
man who quickly recovered from a
momentary confusion, and he said:
You must excuse me; | came 10 see
your father. | am very anxious to see
him and shall be under Obligations 70
you if no can come down to Hope
House as soon as he returns
lie turned and walked out into the
hail. where he turned again toward her
and gravcly bowed.
Good evening" he said coldly. He
said it coldly because his heart was
beating SO te-cely that he was afraid
to betray his emotions. She did not
say word only looked at him MS he
slowly walked to the door. As he
opened it she said in whisper, John"
He never heard Is love then both
blind and deaf! Yea; it is sometimes,
when the lovers are both high spirited.
strongly individual and sensitive. And
alas for john Gordon, lie neither saw
nor heard. and walked out into the
night, wretched ut heart and cast down
in his emotions. When he was gone,
Lucia laiu her head again on her arms
and when Mr. pcnroSe a little later
sent in his card she excused herself
from seeing him owing to illness. 1t
was the world old illness, which love
creates when it is battlcd, buffeted, dis
hopOrel or miSunlprstOO l
JObn Corfpn had nof henn IN ri. ~