The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-05-20

When the doctor buggy turned the
corner. Dorothy went down TO Miss lanthe'
window to tell her. The blinds we're
closed, but there was a missing Stat, and
putting her lips to the opening the girl
called softly. There was no answer, and
she looked in Before her fire sat Miss
Iauthe, an open letter in her hand. On
the table was large box of long stemmed
American Beauty roses and blue and white
violets were scattered over the white cloth.
Dorothy drew back in quick surprise. The
doctor was coming up the steps. lie
stopped to pinch her pale cheeks and to
ask if he had been sent for to see her.
1t aunty. I'VE are uneasy. You
should have seen her long ago. have
been negligent and selfish Look very
carefully, please. for the cause of her weak
ness. She took him to the sitting room
aud went down and knocked at Miss Ian
the's door. When it opened Miss Ianthe
stood on the threshold and wifi of sum
merry fragrance pulled out into the hall,
''Send Dr. Bland to me here, Dolly,
and Tryphenie can be waiting in case he
should need anything,
Dorothy sat down and tried to think
what it could mean. She gazed into the
sitting room fire as if she hoped to read an
answer to her question there. American
Beauty roses here at Grecnfelds when the
spring had only advanced as far as the
earliest jonquils. \ great boxful of the
sweet long -stemmed things overturned on
Miss Ianthes table! And why should
they be hidden and kept secret2
after all, is there no such virtue as
eonstancyT Dorothy asked the oftrepeated
question aloud, but there was none to an
swer. The little, oily red and blue and
yellow blazes crep, in and out among the
Goals in the crate singing soft, low song
Of dreamy content A yellow jassamine
vine, already SET with waxy buds, tapped
at the window 4 wren ON the AL below
saug its short, clear song The doctor
came in rubbing his fat little hands His
rosy cheeks were folded back under hi:
snowy side-whiskers His eyes were
twinkling merrily. lie pulled Dolly haii
and laughed and told her how pretty she
was and that Miss Ianthe would soon be
her own charming self, and then he went
away. Dorothy wondered why she had
not asked him about Miss Ianthe.
Dorothy had her dinner alone, and when
il was over shs curled up in sleepy hol.
low chair and asked herself all the ques.
tons again. Then she heard the tap, tai
Of the little high heels in the hall, Miss
Ianthe came softly into the sitting room,
She brought with her bit Of tatting and
little ivory bobbin. Her delicate hands
trembled over the dainty work. She sat
rocking ia little chair close TO the fire.
You saw DR. Bland, Dolly
''For 4 moment -
Hes growing old. There are NJ
athers coming ON To take his place, Mis-
lanshe sighed.
Dorothy glanced at the boyish face half
hidden among Miss Ianthes laees anC
wondered if she would explain the mystery
of the roses.
Tryphenie came in with the daily paper.
Her freekles stood out in bold relief agains
the wilderness Of her face There beer
a wreck ap at Black Greek treslle, sh,
said.
Miss Ianthe unfolded the paper with
shaking hands. II was number 30, the
regular mail and passenger she ex
claimed.
t.was anybody hurt Dorothy loOkeC
up auessioBingly As Yet the disaster wa.
farther from her than the mystery Of th'
RISES.
Hurt oh. Dolly, | knew that h'
was coming, aud read it, Dolly. Surely
but no, rs his name among the fatal,
injured. Oh, Dolly, God help me, it's hi
name
'whose2 Dorothy looked up into the
anguished old eyes. Her heart stood still
when the answer came;
Berthe Miss lanthe dropped the
PAPER aud leaned back white faint agaius
Tryphenie. Dolly, on the hearth rug
bent over the crumpled page. For her i
held only one name. Tryphenie leaned
over and laid tender hand on the girl
shoulder. The wilderness of Dolly's iacs
frightened her There was moment o.
awful stiffness, then a shuddering wall from
Dorothy sounded through the old house.
And he didn know He didn' knov
how | loved him, how poor and foolish thu
quarrel seemed to me. He is dead ant
he didn't knowr
Miss Ianthe sobbed, wringing her hands
IL was cruel TO him and he didn' know
that was sorry aud that my pride alon'
stood between us. And now | can neye
tell him Aunty, read it again. | can
see anything but his name; 1T fills the
whole paper and my heart and all th'
world. Does i. say that BERTHE is dead
Don't you remember how big and stron:
he was; how full Of health and life wher
he went away only one little year ago
Read it again. She held the paper u
with little appealing, childish gesture
her lovely face white, her blue eyes darI
and dry All the pretty color was gon,
from her lips, and they were drawn baei
against her teeth and trembled when sh'
smoke. s.If he could have known, aun
ty-
Miss Ianthe leaned forward and took
the girl in her arms. \ new strength hat
come to the frail little body. dolly, h
did know. Listen, little one. Can yol
hear me, Dolly? When he went away t.
California my heart trembled for you
Dolly, and when he wrote and you sent hi
letter away unopened-oh, he was m.
Robert kinsman, and went to the ofhc'
aud got the letter. | read it, Dolly, ant
| answered it, only to say that you forgay'
him, dear.
:'AuntyI'
aOh, my darling, forgive me. You
were away SO mueh--it was all SO easy
His glad answer came back--and | wrote
again.
''To Berthe, aunty? YOu-you wrot'
to Bertie--for me-?
''He thought it was you, Dolly.
taught YOU to write and my letters locke,
ike yours, and | sent him the pictures o
your dear self, Dolly, that you gave me
and
1.-The quarrel didn' matter, and low
him, and-aunty, he thought that | TOLD
him 50. Is that it?''
eyes. Dolly, and | dreaded so to tel