Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-04-07
CHAPTER VI.

IN Rrpert Dunstan's poor little widow
w. no has shown his compassion in a
thousand ways since the sad funeral day,
lily a month ago, when she broke down
nno1,rieteIv. and he carried her upstairs
eohb;ng and moaning in incipient de-
60 Gerald is admitted, and though at
est her tears fall faster, and she can
bardly control her sobs sufficiently TO
tbapt him for his quietly expressed sym
natby. the interview does her no harm.
when JEANNE comes in with the tea
..o,, after leaving them to themselves for
as long as she deems advisable her patient
= Wing back in the freight looking pitt
fuIiv small and fragile in the big chair
viii a tinge of color to her white cheeks,
and tremulous smile about her lips She
sycn mods her prettily cropped head at
her friend with a little air of triumph.
,.You see am better, not worse" she
SAYS. in her sweet, weak voice. Il knew
MI Barclay would do me good-and see
what he has brought
She is caressing in her thin fingers a
cluster of fragrant autumn violets, and
holds them up for JEANNE to inhaic their
scent.
From this time forth her bodily health
rapidlv improves, until at last Jeannie
can safely leave her and go back to her
own house, where she has not slept q
night since Rupert died. But Cissy re-
fuses to come with her, and steadily re-
sists all pleadings.
Please don't ask me- she says tear
fully. i may some day, but | cannot
leave here yet. Mr.. Barclay says | need
not. unless | like: we have the rooms for
six months, and the rent is paid"
But dear, don't you think tnat fresh
scenes-"
"No. they would be worse than any
thing" says the young widow quickly.
u would live here always" she goes on
looking longingly round the pretty little
room. IF | could. 1t is wrong perhaps
but anything fresh, any new plan, seems
like leaving him further behind"
JEANNE looking at the desolate little
figure in its heavy new Grape, cannot find
it in her heart to ehide the girl.
1t is Il mistake perhaps, but | cannot
force her" she says to Gerald. and YOU
encourage her in it. How was it that
poor Rupert took the place for so long,
He did not" Gerald says guilty., the
arrangement has been made since"
And what is Cissy to live upon ?"
""Oh, there is little money!" he tells
her vaguely. There has been no final
settlement with Macnab & Co., you
know"
Il know. but one book of poems. and
those of no value do not produce run
ming account with the publishers"
Not always" he adds eravely.
Everyone OF those reviews was adj
verse" she proceeds, cycling him narrow
". The best that any of them said was
that some of the lyrics were graceful or
tender"
What became of them?" he interrupts
uncercmoniously.
Il burnt them all, eXccpt-that one"
and that?"
"Cissy took it. She was reading and
crying over it, half that terrible night be-
fore the funera. l should hke"-her
cheeks flush and her eyes dilate with sud
den, vehement passion-''to tell that man
that mrderer-what he has done!"
Gerald glances momentarily at her,
then turns his eyes away.
That is hard word, Sister Jean. He
may have thought he was doing his
duty"
Nothing of the kind" she returns hot
w. 1t was not his duty to make per-
sonal attack on the poor dying boy. Be
cause he thought, and Cissy thought. that
he could write poetry, was he to be called
maudlin and conceited? l wish"-her
voice breaks as she passionately repeats
herself-"that that ignorant brute who
called him names could have come in that
night and seen his handiwork."
Who is calling names now" asks Ger
aid, with would-be lightness.
N course" she says bitterly, "you de-
tend your own profession"
1T Is not my profession" he says
gently. Il am too busy now with my
own work to sit in judgment on other
peoples"
i am glad to hear it," she returns
ehortly But an instant later she holds
out her hand with a winning smile.
| Deg your pardon Gerald, ! have no
quarrel with you at least; you have been
me truest friend all through, butt am
Tired, L think. / get cross and snappish
with every one"
l was afraid So" he says gravelv, tax
ing the outstretched hand in both his own
as ne studies her face with eloquent, visit
mi eyes. Even you must be over done
with all you have gone through lately.
10 you know, you have actually grown
thin this last month";"
1 know" she says, withdrawing her
hand with an embarrassed little laugh,
mat l hate to be watched and weighed
is you nave trick of DOING
Nevertheless her conscience stabs her
IS she speaks. She does not hate it
sne has grown so accustomed to having
him always to care for her, always on
me alert to serve her and anticipate her
wishes, that it is pleasant rather than
otherWise to feel that his eyes are upon
her, to know that she has only to turn
her own in that direction to meet with
instant sympathy and comprehension.
That last night" she begins in quite
a different tone, you and Rupert must
nave had some talk while Cts ard were
out OF the room, before the pos aman
came"
lie mods.
pigeons Of Pacific Coast.