The San Francisco call., 1904-12-11

T was strange 70 him, TINS ne"
sorrow fo~ sihylla. lie had never
felt that yet It was odd that he
should feel it now-for the woman
who had forss1en her chilo ana
sought TO dishonOr her husband ana
son. But the feeling was very strons
CT him. It found its arst utterance IN
words of constrained civihty. he turn
ed his head back saying
I'm afraid you're very tired
She answered nothing.
I hope you're not very colo
A little shiver Of her body ran into
his.
we shall be home very soon
Home" she murmuTed sleepily
yes. soon home now. Grantey.
God help me-" he muttered-
He could not make il out. Some
hev his whole conception Of her, OF
tho situation. Of himself, seemed
shaken. This guilty woman behind
him Cwas she not guilty in all that was
of consequence. in every decision OF
hef viii and every impulse OF her ma
ture2) seemed 70 accuse not herself
but him. He was torn from the Judg-
ment seat and set rudely in the dock.
neremptOrily hidden TO plead, not
TO sentence, 10 beg mercy in lieu OF
pronouncing doom. Her wandering
wits and drowsy murmurs had mex
plicablv wrought this transformation
And why? And how2
Was il because she had been capable
OF the fairy ride and able 10 make X
eternal2 Capable-yes, and comment
of her ability. SO confident that, in
the foolhardiness Of strength, she had
engaged herself to try II with young
"a 1iUhT love.
who was all unequal TO the great is
sues which he himself had claimed as
The kernel Of the fight. Where lay the
failure Of the fairy ride? Where re-
sided its nullity? How came 1t that
the bitter irony Of contrast found IN II
SO fair. so unmatched a field? VINO
had turned the crimson Of the glorious
sunset 10 the cold light Of that distant
unregarding moon?
On a sudden her grasp Of him loos-
ened: her arm slipped away. She gave
q little grOan. He wrenched himself
round in the saddle. dropping the reins-
Old Rollo came to a standstill; Grant
ley darted out his hands with quick
eager motion. Another second and she
would have fallen heavily TO the
ground With a strain he held her and
brought her round and sat her in
front Of him. She seemed deathly pale
under The blUe-white moon rays Her
lips opened to murmur "Grantleyt'
and with a comfortable sigh she
wreathed her arms about his neck He
almost kissed her, but thought Of
young Blake and took up his reins
again with a muttered oath.
So they rode down the hill into Mill
dean, old Rollo picking his steps care
fully since the chalk was Shiny, and
there We're loose flints which it be-
hosved a careful and trusted horse to
beware Of. The old scene dawned on
Grantley pallid and ghostly in the
mOOnlight-the church and the post
Office: Old Mill House, where she had
lived when he wOoed her: his own
home on the hill beyond. Sibylla's cold
arms close about his neck prayed him
70 see il again as he had seen il once
nay. in new and intenser light; to see
it as the place where his love had been
born. whence the fairy ride had started
and whittier returned. He did not try
TO loosen her grasp about his neck She
seemed a burden that he must carry,
a load he bore home from out the tenn
pest OF the winds and waves which he
had faced and fought that night. And
ever, as he went. he sought dimly. say
ing. why. why?" How did il come
about?" Haven't / loved her?"
Hasn't she had everything?" Or ex-
claiming "Blake!" or again, "And the
El-A-4 L , ---S ~ clINoSs Il AAlE 70 J0A6N,
trying 10 condemn. yet ever feeling the
inanimate grasp. looking on the obliv-
iOus face, returning to pity and to
grieVe.
A groom was waiting up. for him.
Grantley reused himself from his pom
derings 10 give the man a brief expla-
nation. Mrs. ImasOn had meant to
stay at Mrs. Valentines, but he had
wanted 10 talk to her on business, and
she had insisted ho
him. Unfortunately she had attempted
10 walk, and II had been too much for
her: her bag would be sent home to-
morrow. He had arranged this with
the grun innkeeper. and paid him a
good sum 10 hold his tongue. But he was
conscious that tongues would not be
held altogether, and that the groom
was puzzled by the story and certainly
not convinced. This seemed TO matter
very little now-as little as young
Blake had mattereds Let them guess
and gossip-What was that compared
10 the great unexplained thing between
himself and Sibylla, compared to the
great questioning Of himself by him
self which had now taken possession,
Of him? What the outside world might
think seemed now a small thing-yes
although he had been ready to kill
himself and the child because of 1t.
lie bore Sibylla into the hall of the
house. One lamp burned dimly there
and all was quiet-save for a shrili
fractions cry. The child was CRYING
fretfully. The next moment old Mrs
Mumple came to the top Of the stairs
carrying a bedroom candle and wrap
ped in a SHABBY voluminous dressing
gown.
You're back, Mr.. Imason?" She did
not see Sibylla and held up her hand.
"Hark 20 Door little Frank" she said.
He's been crying all the evening.
can't quiet him. He misses his mum
my So"
Could words more sorely condemn
Sibylla-the woman who had forsaken
her child2 But Grantley gathered her
gently into his arms and began TO
carry her upstairs. Then Mrs Mum
pie saw. and turned on him eyes full
Of wonder.
She's unconscious. think he said.
''She can do nothing for herself I'll
take her 10 her room and YOU must
put her 10 bed. She's very cold. too.
You must make her warm. Mrs. Mum
pie"
The old woman followed him into the
bedroom without a word. He laid ST.
bylla. on the bed. For an instant she
opened her eyes and smiled tenderly