Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-05-08

IL
four watchers started as at loud ex-
plosion. 1t was Mrs. Bareaud and the
old doctor. and they closed the door
again softly and came In to the others.
They had left Crailey alone with Fan
chon and Tom Vanrevel, the two who
loved him best.
The warm day beyond the windows
became like Sunday. No voices sound
ed from without in the noon hush,
though sometimes q little group Of peo-
pie wol ID gather across the street to
eye the house curiously and nod and
whisper. The strong, blue shadows of
the veranda pillars stole slowly across
the white floor Of the porch in less
ening slant and finally lay all in q
line, as the tall clock In corner Of the
! library automatically cOughed the hour
of noon. In this jarring discordance
there was something frightful to Miss
Betty. She rose abruptly, and, imperi-
ously waving back Mrs. Tanberry, who
would have detained her-for there
was in her face and manner the incip-
lent wildness Of control overstrained to
the breaking point-she went hurried.
ly out of the room and out Of the
house to the old bench in the garden.
There she sank down, her face hidden
in her arms; there on the spot where
she had first seen Crailey Gray.
From there, too, had risen the sere-
made of the man she had spurned and
insulted, and there she had come to
worship the stars when Crailey bade
her look to them, and now the strange
young teacher was paying the bitter
price for his foOleries, and who could
doubt that the price was a bitter one?
To have the spirit SO suddenly, cruelty
riven from the sprlghtly body that was,
but few hours ago, hale and alert,
obedlent to every petty wish, could
dance, run and leap; to be forced with
such hideous precipitation to leave the
warm breath Of June and undergo the
lonely change merging with the shad-
ow; to be flung from the exquisite and
commonplace day Of sunshine into the
appalling adventure that should not
have been his for years, and hurled Into
1t by what hand-ah, bitter, bitter price
Cor harlequinade! And, alas. alas, for
the brave harlequin!
A gentle touch fell upon her shoulder
and Miss Betty sprang to her feet and
screamed. 1t was Nelson who stood
before her, hat In hand. his head deep
ly bowed.
"Is he with youT she cried, clutching
at the bench for support.
"No'm," answered the old man hum
bly,. II reckon we all ain goin' see dat
man no mo-"
where Is hep
"On de way. honey; on de way"
"The way--to Rouen" she gasped.
Nom; he goin' cross de big water.'
He stretched out his hand ard pointed
solemnly to the east. Him an me we
cotch de 3oat. an yo' pa mex 'em taken
de hosses on bode. Den we git off at
Leeville. five mile down de rivuh. an
yo' pa ho' de boat whiles I ride back
alone an git de news, an what de tale
Is you all Is tole, FUN ole Mist Chen
eth. an Mist Chen'eth, he rid back
wild me an see yo' pa at Leeville, an
dey talk In de shed by de landin', an
yo' pa tell Mist Chen'eth what range
ments he goin' make wild de property.
Den he git on de boat ag'ln an dey
sto't her agoin', an he ain wave no
goodby, ner say no mo- wu'ds.
mist Chen'eth rid back whens de
light come. but he res de hosses an
come back slow. case ponduh on de
worr. an mighty sorry fer yo' pa,
missy. He ain comm back no mo-,
honey, an Miz Tanberry an me an
Mamie we goin' take keer er yo'. Yo'
pa gone back dab to de F'enchmun,
whuh he 'uz young man. He mighty |
sick, an he scairt, honey; an he ain
goin' git ovah dat, neider. 'Peah to
me, missy, like he done had vizhum er
he own soul when he come an look
down at dat young man layin' on de
grass las night"
The old fellow Jent his back before
her in q solemn bow, as feudal re- |
tainer in allegiance to the heir, but |
more in Difference to the sorrow writ |
ten upon her and respecting its magni- |
tude. With no words Of comfort, for
he knew she wanted only to be alone,
he moved away. with infirm steps and
shaking head. toward the rear Of the
house.
Miss Betty threw herself upon the
bench again, face downward In her
arms. And still the house lay in 81
Ience under the sunshine.
An hour had passed, and the shad- |
ows slanted strongly to the east, when |
the stiffness was broken by a sound,
low and small ut first, then rising fear
fully, a long. quaverlng wall Of su-
preme anguish that clutched and shook |
the listeners heart. No one could have |
recognized the voice as Fanchon's, yet
every one who heard 1t knew that 1t
was hers and that the soul of Crailey
Gray had gono out upon the quest for |
the Holy Grail.
Miss Betty's hands cllnched convul-
sively round the arm of the bench, and
a fit of shuddering seized her as II
with the grip Of violent chill, though |
her eyes were dry. Then she lay |
quiet
A long time afterward she became
aware Of a step that paced the garden
path behind her, and turned her face
upon her arm 80 that she saw, but
made no other motion. 1t was Tom
vanrevel, walking slowly up and down,
his hands behind his back and bis hat
pulled far down over his eyes. He had
not seen her.
She rose and spoke his name.
"He turned and came to her. AL
most at the very last" he said, "Crailey
whispered to me that he knew you
thought him a great scamp, but to tell
you to be sure to remember that 1t was
all true about the stars"
CHAPTER Xxx.
mYT was between twilight and
IXI candlelight, the gentle half
n