Middletown transcript., 1905-08-05
A MIDSUMMER QUEST
BY EDITH MACFANE

and shook IN ner sHoes. w, lin va
her hope now, her confidence, her refuge
She smiled ingratiatingly at the cabman
"Oh, but he's such fine horse" sh,
said, sweetly. II don't want to chang'
to an ordinary horse now, after having
been driven around SO beautifully al
the morning. So, please, just take M
ND to Observation-Disclosures street anC
Tll-l'll pay You double the amount Q
your fare. )"
Suspicion winked in one of the cab
mans eyes, cupidity in the other. Like
as not, de S'ci'ty will GIT after me fer
ill-usin' him." he grumbled, "but j
you've taken such fancy to him-make
it ten and I'll do il"
"Ten dollars, very well" sighed Miss
Carleton in relief, and the way-worr
horse, the recipient of SO much tender
regard, began his toilsome march up the
interminable length of the broiling ave-
nue..
Tile journey was amending, hot. And
as the blocks checked themselves of
before Miss Carleton's eyes, many differ.
ent kinds of terror strained and mingled
themselves in her soul. Fiftieth street
sixlietl- Seventieth--oh, suppose Dick
wasn't at home Eightieth-Ninetieth
One hundredth-oh, suppose he was
at home!
Her mouth went dry, her whole frame
shrank beneath the thumps of her agi.
tated heart. What would he think of
her, coming to him this way? His eyes
were they the same as ever, with that
uncomfortable trick of looking through
her soul into her reluctant heart? ooh, :"
she cried despairingy to herself, as she
clenched her hands in useless attempt
at self-control, chow disagreeable, how
maddening, it is to be in love-and to
be in love with some one that you hate !"
The cab drew up before the undis-
tinguished row OF brick houses, one Of
which bore the number that she had so
often written, SO often dreamed of-and
had looked forward to beholding-under
what different circumstances There
was a neat little sign, black, with rather
new gold lettering, which stared her in
the face. Richard Wentworth, NJ. D."
said the little sign.
A neighboring clock struck the hour
Of two. Her limbs shook and a gray
mist blurred her sight. Zone moment"
she said to the cabman, and blindIy rang
the bell. The door was opened by
maid-servant with vague feeling Of
satisfaction, Miss Carleton observed that
the maid-servant was old and plain.
rs the doctor at home ?" she asked,
family, and raised her shaking hand to
her throat. She knew not which answer
she more dreaded, eyes" or ''No."
"He is" replied the servant, cheer
fully. Miss Carleton took in her breath
sharply, and for an instant her figure
wavered unsteadily. Hunger, heat and
tumutuous anxiety had begun their
inevitable inroads upon her strength,
and even an iron resolution could no
longer quite supply the demands upon it.
Land, amt she pale !" cried the serv-
ant, sympathizingly. "a touch of sun,
| reckon. Well, you can lie down here
and the doctor will see you presently"
She opened the door of a small recep-
tion-room, and Miss Carleton walked in
with unsteady steps. In one corner OF
the room sat an elderly lady, in another
uniformed messenger-boy. So there
were others beside herself who waited
for him. And as she slowly drank the
water which the sympathetic servants
brought her, there dawned upon her a
disconiforting realization of this life Of
Dick's-his work, his career, into which
she could not enter and which had been
going OH independently ever since that
day year ago when she had Withdrawn
her countenance from him forever.
The bell rang, another patient entered;
a dyspeptic-looking man with thin legs
not imposing in his own person but
crushing in the weight which his pres
ence added to the dignity of Richard
Wentworth, NJ. u.
All four sat and waited. The air was
hot and blistering, and heavy with an
impressive smell of drugs. Through the
window Miss Carleton could see Incar-
nate Terror in the shape of the cabman,
hopping his brow with his handkerchief
and steadfastly surveying the house. Be-
hind the closed door Of the inner room
she saw another Incarnate Terror-Dick's
eyes, surprised, gentle.
The door was opened. Miss Carleton
,lenched Der hands and closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, she saw
before her, steadfastly regarding her, the
cold, quiet eyes Of her vision.
"Aliss Carleton p said voice low,
'elf-contained and piercingly well. remem-
oered. Il am sorry to have made you
wait so long. Will you step into the
office. please 2"
The old lady gave utterance to an un-
disguised snort of disgust as Miss Garlic
on rose and took place Of her in enter
ng the sanctuary. The messenger
vat placidly resigned every extra mo-
nent meant extra money for him.
Miss Carleton stood voiceless, embar-
'assed like naughty child with an in
voluntary gesture her finger sought her
Up, while her toe traced a pattern on the
carpet. How different from the cold
Lightly which she had SO often relearsed
or the next meeting with this delinquent
Dick
rs there anything that l can do for
you, Miss Carleton ?" said the voice again
md Miss Carleton took heart of grace
o raise her eyes to the speakers face.
How tall he was, how cold, how alto
'ether superior to every other man on
whom her eyes had ever rested Sud-
ienly she felt a helpless and irresistible
ieslre to cry-after all, she was con-
emptible and helpless little thing, ard