The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-02

at the expense of DR.. Gordon; in fact,
such course never occurred to him.
He had very simple straightforward
ness in matters Of honor, and this
seemed to him a matte1 of honor. No
question with regard to it arose in his
mind. Obviously it was better that he
should bear the brunt than Gordon,
but he did ask himself if it would ever
be possible for Clemency to dissociate
him from the thought of the tragedy
entirely, and if she could not, would it
be possible for her to be happy as his
wlfeY That very day Clemency had
avoided him, and once when he had
approach she had visibly. shrunk and
paled. Evidently the child could not
: help it. She looked miserably unhap-
Ply, She had grown thin lately, and
had lost almost entirely her sense of
fun. which had always been so ready.
James went to sleep, wondering how
she would treat him the next day. He
never knew, for the girl shifted like a
her love and terror like. two winds.
The next day, however, solved the prob
lem in an entirely unexpected fashion
James, that morning after breakfast,
during which Clemency had sat pale
and stern behind the coffeeurn, and
round Of calls. DR.. Gordon, to his sur
PRISE, announced his intention of max
ing some. calls himself; he said that he
would take the team, and James must
drive the balky mare, as the bay was
to be taken to the blacksmith s. Cor
don that morning looked worse than
energy. He trembled like a very old =.
man. He ate scarcely anything, and
his mouth was set hard with desper-
ate expression. James wished to urge
him to remain at home, but he did not
dare. Gordon, when he left the break
take Clemency with him, but the girl
replied CURLY that she was too busy.
Gordon started on his long circuit and
James set off to make the rounds Of
Alton and Westover. The mare seemed
IN very favorable mood that morning.
She did not balk, and went at good
pace. 1t was not until James was on
his homeward road that the trouble be-
gan. Then the mare planted her four
feet at angles in her fayorite fashion,
and became as immovable as horse of
bronze: :, James. touched, her with the
: morning. Finally he dashed her. He
might as well have dashed stone, for
all the effect his blows had Then he
got out and tried coaxing. She did
not seem to even see him. Her great
eyes had curious interpretive ex-
{. buggy and sat still. A sense Of obsti-
macy as great as the animals came
d-d!' he said. eco without your
dinner if you want to- He leaned
. back in corner Of the buggy, and be-
gan rejecting.
His reflections were at once angry
and gloomy. He was, he told himself,
Wonder r if he ought not, for the sake se
Of self-respect, to leave Alton and
Clemency. He wondered if a man
ought to submit to be so treated, and
yet he recognized Clemency's own view
of the situation, and great wave of
over him. The mare had halted in a
part Of the road where there were no
houses, and Towering alders filled the
air with their faint sweetness Under
that sweetness, like the bass in har-
mony, he could smell the pines in the
woods on either hand He also heard
their voices, like the waves of the sea.
days in which spring makes leaps to-
ward summer. James felt uncomforta-
bly, heated, for the buggy was in the
full glare of sunlight. All his solace
came from the fact that he himself. sit
ting there so quietly, was outwitting
the mare by showing as great obstinacy
as her own. He knew that she inward
l.
That tickle, even the lash of whip,
would delight her. He sat still, lean
ing his head back. He was almost asleep
when he heard a rumble of heavy
wheels, and looking ahead languidly
perceived wagon laden with house
hold goods Of some spring filters ap-
preaching. He sat still and watched
the great wagon drawn by two lean,
white horses, and piled high with the
poor household belongings miserable
wooden chairs and feather beds, and a
child IS cradle rocking imminently on
the top. A lank' Jerseyman was driving.
BY his side on the high seat was his
stout wife holding a baby. The weak
wall Of the child filed the air. James
looked to make sure that there was
room for the team to pass. He thought
there was, and sat idly. watching them.
The woman looked at him, made some
remark to the man, and then both
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