Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-26

AT turner Hill, VINO L thought was dying SIX
months ago, being up and around again, IS
an instance. 1 tell you mortal man has no
right TO thrust his hand between the AL
mighty and fate. You know nothing, and
know nothing
Il do know"
You don't know. and you don't. even
know that you don't know. There is no use
talking about this any longer. When I am
on with my practice"
James considered when he was In his
own room that the event OF his succeeding
to the practice might not be so very re-
mote, but as to his marrying Clemency he
doubted. He darednot hint OF the matter
to Gordon, for he knew 1t would disturb
him. but Clemency. as the days went on.
became more and more variable. At times
she was loving, at times IL was quite evil
dent that she shrunk from him with sort
of involuntary horror. James began to
wonder II they ever could marry. He was
fully resolved not to clear himself at the
expence OF DR.. Gordon; In fact, such
course never occurred to him. He had q
very simple NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. In matters
of honor, and this seemed to him q matter
of honor. No question with regard to It
arose in his mind Obviously II was better
that he should bear the brunt than Cor
don, but he did ask himself if IL would ever
be possible for Clemency to dfsassociate
| him from the thought OF the tragedy en-
tirely, and IL she could not, would 1t be
possible for her to be happy as his wifef
That very day Clemency had avoided him,
and once when he had approached she had
visibly shrunk and paled. Evidently the
child could not help It she loo se m Ia,sir
| and had lost almost entirely her sense Oh
| 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 weather.
| cock, driven hither and yon by her love and
terror like two Winds. The next day. how
ever solved the problem in an entirely I'M
expected fashion. James, that morning
after breakfast, during which Clemency
| had sat pale and stern behind the coffee
| urn, and scarcely had noticed him. set OF
on round of calls. Doctor Gordon, to
his surprise, announced his intention or
| making 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 blacksmiths. Gordon that
morning looked worse than usual, although
| he evinced such unwonted energy. He
trembled like a very old man. He ate
scarcely anything and his mouth was set
! hard with desperate expression. James
| wished to urge him to remain at home,
but he did not dare. Gordon, when he left
| the breakfast table, proposed that James
| should 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. IL Was
not until James was on his homeward road
that, the trouble began. Then the marc
planted her four feet at angles, IN her
favorite fashion, and became as immovable
as horse of bronze James touched her
! with the whip. He was in no patient
mood that 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 a
curious interpretive expression. Then he
got again into the buggy and sat still. A
sense of obstinacy as great as the animal Is
came over him. Stand there and be dr.
he said. Go without your dinner IL you
want to-" He leaned back in a corner OF
| the buggy. and began rejecting.
His reflections were at once angry ana
gloomy. He was, he told himself, tired OF
the situation. He began to wonder II he
ought not, for the sake of self-respect 10
leave Alton and Clemency. He wondered II
a man ought to submit to be so treated,
and yet he recognized Clemency's own view
of the situation, and a great wave or love
and pity for the poor child swept over him.
| The mare had baked In part OF the ROAD
where there were no houses, and Towering
alders filled the air with their faint sweet
ness Under that sweetness, like the bass
| In a harmony, he could smell the pines in
| the woods either hand. He also heard
| their voices, like the waves of the sea. IL
was a very warm day, one of those days
| In which spring makes leaps toward sum-
rner James felt uncomfortably heated. for
the buggy was in the full glare of sunlight.
All his soace came from the fact that ne
himself, sitting there so quietly, was OUT
| whiting the mare by showing as great OBJ
stinacy as her own. He knew that she in
wardly fretted at not arousing irritation.
| That tickle. even lash of the whip,
| would delight her. He sat still leaning ms
head back. He was almost asleep when he
heard a rumble of heavy wheels, and look
| ing ahead languidly perceived a wagon
| laden with household goods of some spring.
filters approaching. He sat still ana
| watched the great wagon drawn by two
| lean white horses. and piled high with
| the poor household belongings-miserabl
| wooden chairs and feather beds. and a
| m
| 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 filled 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 az
him. made some remark to the man. ana
| then both grinned weakly, recognizing the
situation. The man on the team drove
| carefully, but stone on the outer side
| caused his team to swerve trihe. The
wheels hit the wheels of the buggy, and the
cradle tilted swiftly on to the back OF the
| balky mare, and she bolted. In all her
experience Of long balky life, a cradle as
a means Of breaking her spirit had not been
encountered. James had not time to clutch
| the lines which had fallen to the floor Of
| the buggy before he was thrown out. He
felt the buggy fitting to its fab, he heard
| a crashing sound and a fierce kicking, and
then he knew no more.
When he came to himself he was on the
| lounge in Doctor Gordons office. Emma
was just disappearing with pitcher in the
direction of the kitchen, and he felt some
| thing cool on his forehead. He smelled
aromatic salts, and heard a piteous little
voice. like the bleat of a wounded lamb. In
| his ears and kisses on his cheeks, and a
soft hand rubbing his own. oh darling"
the little voice was saying, 'oh, darling,
are you much hurt? Are you? Please speak
to me. It is Clemency. Oh, he Is deadl
He is deadl' Then came wild sobs. and
Emma rushed into the room, and he heard
her say, Here, put this ice on his head,
quick!'
James was still so faint that he could only
gasp weakly. And he could open his eyes to
nothing but darkness and a marvellous spin
ming and whir as of shadows in a wind.
Hes comm to-" said Emma. Her voice
sounded as If she felt moved. Don't take
on So Miss Clemency," she said; The amt
dead.
Again James felt the soft kisses and
tears on his face, and again came the poor
little voice, 'Oh, darling, please listen,
please don't do so. will marry you. 1 will.
I know you did just right. 1 read one of
Uncle Toms books this morning, and
found out what awful suffering she might
have had hours longer. You did right.