The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-27
CHAPTER XIX.
SHADOW ON TIE sUN-DIAL.


Again Miss Twinkleton has delivered her vale
dictory address, with the accomplishments of
white-wine and pound-cake and again the
young ladies have departed to their several
homes. Helena Landless has left the Nuns
House to attend her brothers fortunes, and
pretty Rosa is alone.
Cloisterham is bright and sunny in these
summer days, that the Cathedral and the
rnonastery-ruin show as If their strong walls
were transparent. A soft glow seems to shine
from within them, rather than upon them from
without such is their mellowness they look
forth on the hot corn-felds and the smoking
roads that distantly wind among them. The
Cloisterham gardens blush with ripening fruit
Time was when travel-stained pilgrims rode
in gathering parties through the city's well
come shades; time is when wayfarers, leading
a gypsy life between haymaking time and har-
vest, and looking II they were just made OF
the dust of the earth. very dusty are they.
lounge about cool door-steps. trying to mend
their unmendable shoes, or giving them to the
city kennels a hopeless job. and seeking
others in the bundles that they carry, along
with their yet unused sickles swathed in bands
of straw At all the public pumps there
is much cooling of bare feet, together with
much bubbling and gurglng of drinking with
hand to spout on the part of these Bedouins;
from their beats with suspicion, and manifest
impotence that the intruders should depart
from within the civic bounds, and once more
fry themselves on the simmering high roads
On the afternoon of such a day. when the
last Cathedral service Is done and when that
side Of the High Street on which the Nuns
House stands is in grateful shade, save where
its quaint old garden opens to the west be-
tween the boughs OF trees. a servant informs
see her.
If he had chosen his time for finding her
at a disadvantage he could have done no bet
ter Perhaps he has chosen it. Helena Land
less is gone. Mrs fisher is absent on leave
Miss Twinkleton Tin her amateur state of ex-
istence) has contributed herself and a veal pie
to picnic.
"oh. why. why. why. did you say I was at
homer cried Rosa, helplessy.
The maid replies. that Mr. Jasper never
asked the question. That he said he knew she
was at home and begged she might be told that
he asked TO see her.
What shall 1 do what shall 1 dor' thinks
Rosa. casping her hands.
Possessed by a kind Of desperation. she adds
in the next breath, that she will come TO Mr.
| Jasper in the garden. She shudders at the
thought of being shut up with him in the
house, but many of its windows command the
| garden, and she can be seen as well as heard
there and can shrek in the free air and run
| away. Such is the wild idea that futters
| through her mind.
She has never seen him since the fatal night.
except when she questioned before the
Mayor and then he was present in gloomy
watchfulness. as representing his lost nephew
| and burning to avenge him. She hangs her
! garden hat her arm, and goes out. The
| moment she sees him from the porch leaning
/ on the sun-dial. the old horrible feeling OF he.
| ing compelled by him, asserts its hold upon
/ her She feels that she would even then 90
| back but that he draws her feet towards him
| She cannot resist, and sits down with her
| head bent. the garden-seat beside the sun
| dial She cannot look up at him for abhor-
| renee but she has perceived that he Is dressed
| i'm deep mourning. so is she. II was NOT so
! at first: but the lost has long been given IN
/ and mOurned for. as dead
| He would begin by touching her hand She
/ feels the intention. and draws her hand back.
| His eyes then fixed upon her, she knows
| though her own see nothing but the grass
| II have been waiting" he begins ssfor
/ some time to be summoned back to my duty
near you.
After several times forming her lips. which
| she know he is closely watching. into the shape
| OF some other hestating reply. and then into
| none, she answers: Duty. sir?'
| THE duty of teaching you, serving you as
Sour faithful music MASTER