The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-06-11
CHAPTER XVIII.


Easthelis mind. with no Reuben CuiWtck
At hand to laugh down her iogic-with
Reuben Culwick's power to laugh it
down, perhaps, wonderfully diminished.
John had told Of Reuben going to tind
Mary Holland at Worcester. Lnc1 had
predicted evil would come of it, and
Sarah was wretched.
She must give him np-shc must not
remain that weight upon his life. that
clog upon his industry which All" hah
always thought she was. when her love
was not hewildering her too much. Keu-
ben loved her. she hoped still--she did
not put faith In those strange suspicious
Of Lucy Jennings--hut Lucy was right
in one thing; that she. Sarah Eastheu,
could not add to the happiness OF Reu-
ben Culwicks life. She could only add
20 the expenses! she could only keep
him Door If she stood apart now. per
haps he would marry Mary Holland. and
be master of his fathers house again. just
sst he father had wished from the first.
She had no right to bind him to his
long engagement. to shackle his energies,
to keep him from lettering himself
now that she felt herself ~ poor-nor-
ally, II not legally as poor--as when he
came In search of her to Potters Court.
1t was a very quiet morning at one OF
those strange Sunday services; those who
came to pray were not disturbed by those
who came to scott: hut the evening was
tolsterous and stormy. and made up for
1t.
Lucy Jennings read the signs oi 1t III
the noisy crowd about the door, and com
pressed her lips and held her breath at
the strong language which echoed from
the street as she and Sarah approached,
under the escort of two policemen, who
were waiting for them.
"You are trembling-you are afraid,
said Lucy Jennings to her companion;
will you turn back nowT'
"Whyp"
There will be but little religion there
tonight" said Lucy, "and You are not II
strong woman
81 was not thinking of the crowd--Or
the service" answered Sarah.
"Of what thenT' was the sharp in
quiry.
"Of all shall say to Reuben present
~. It's very wrong. | know, Lucy, but
YOU must not blame me for thinking of
him so much | can't help it." she said
plniutivcly.
They passed under the arch. whore
the service commenced and was inter
ruptcd-where the old uproar went on
and the police were tOerahly busy for
an hour and a half The service came
90 an end; the stormy elements suhs,d-
ed; men. women and children went their
various ways, and Lucy Jennings and
Sarah Eastbell came out together, and
confronted Reuben Culwick, who was
waiting for them.
you have come back then" cried
Sarah in her first delight at seeing him,
in her new forgetfulness of all that she
had resolved upon.
"Yes-t was no use stopping longer in
Worcester, Sarah. Well, Lucy2"
We'll" answered Lucy in her old
short tones.
II congratulate you on your sermon,
but | wish the surroundings had been
more orthodox. and the congregation less
auarrelsome; for some of these days
Lucy was gone. She had suddenly
doubled" and disappeared down one of
the dark turnings. aud Sarah and Reu-
ben were left looking at each other.
Sarah Eastbell took his arm and sigh
ed. This might be for the last tine that
they would ever walk together thus. who
could tell2 She had made up her mind
now, and the sooner the truth was told
him the better. He gave her the opp1r-
tunity 70 speak at once. and her impul-
siveness leaped toward 1t. indscreetly.
desperately.
IL saw Miss Holland this morning i
gave her the willard you are as poor
as old Job, girl" he said.
Yes, Reuben; have been waiting for
this poverty to tell you that you must not
share 1t with me-"
Indeed was his quiet answer.
That you and | are not fit for each
other. Oh, Reuben" she cried, II am
quite certain of 1t now!'
Because Lucy Jennings-charmin
Lucy!-has been at her old work, reck-
oning after her old style, fashioning out
human lives after her own purposeless
way, choosing for others path ahead
that no human being out of Bedlam could
follow, doing everything for the best and
for ones good but scattering dust and
ashes right and left like violent Vesu-
vius. Come, is not Lucy Jennings at
the bottom of the resolutionf"
Il have been thinking of this for
weeks. have been seeing the neces-
sity for it"
Ay. through Lucy's spectacles."
You would lose money by coming to
me-" said Sarah mournfully.
Nonsense! have begun to save
money again"
"Ah, Reuben, let us understand each
other at last: don't ask me to say any
thing, do anything, but end this unnat.
ural position between us. am unhap-
Ply"
Because of this engagemeutp"
Yes"
You are afraid of poverty with me p
i am afraid of making you poorer
than YOU are-nf knnnin.r ~. = y,