The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-08-24
I

control that she was able 10 hand
the photograph TO Hester across the
tea table and say without a tremor
in her voice, Il picked this up on the
floor, Hester, after you were gone
this morning"
The girl took IL from her eagerly;
she had been in trouble about il all
day, wondering where she had lost il,
and, in futter of relief and embar-
rassment, slipped it into her pocket
now without word; but Miss Cur
ney noticed that her cheeks blushed,
and then roster red surged back
and oyer1owed them.
The silence between them became
too strained not TO be broken.
You did not tell me, Hester, that
you know" Miss Gurney hesi-
tated us he-a friend of yours,
dear?"
Yes, aunt"
How long have you known him?"
'Not very long. Not more than
three months"
This explained to Miss Gurney the
change it had puzzled her to observe
in Hester lately; her placid, subdued
habit of mind had seemed altogether
disturbed, so that sometimes she
sang for very happiness, with a
strange, new light in her eyes, and
sometimes she was saddened and pre-
occupied with pensiye dreamings.
Il hope, Hester" Miss Gurney
forced herself to say in her prim, de-
Cf- 70
no talk of love betwiXt you and this
gentleman"
Hester flashed an answering glance
on her and looked down, without
speaking, but the answer was so clear
10 Miss Quincy as if it had been put
into actual words.
MY dear" she went on, striving
against her increasing agitation, Il
am very, very sorry. / wish it had
been any other mani"
But, aunt" Hester interrupted,
astonished, you do not know him!"
Il know" Miss Gurney faltered-
"I knew a man so like him-so eX-
actly like him, that the moment | saw
his photograph l was afraid for you,
dear. 1t is impossible for that man
to bring you anything but misery.
Hard, and false, and cruel"
"Oh, but, aunt" cried Hester, tear
fully indignant, "he is not! If you
knew him you could never say that
again"
But why have you never told me
about him?'
Il have been wanting to-" Hes
ter flushed again with a pretty shy
ness that appealed irresistibly to all
the tenderness and affection of the
gentle, little old ladys nature. Il
meant to- aunt, but II did not quite
know how to. / meant to show YOU
his photographic only gave it to
me yesterday-and tell you then
And of course"-Miss Gurney as
sumed a severity of manner she
found it difficult to maintaiu-"he
tells you that he loves you?"
"He has asked me to marry him,
aunt"
And you fancy that you love
him?"
With this question and her earnest,
passionate reply, Hester broke down
utterly. She flung herself on her
knees, and, covering her face with
her hands, laid it in Miss Gurney's
lap, and sobbed all her heart out
thus, as she had done years ago
when it had been laden with more
childish griefs.
Miss Gurney herself was scarcely
less agitated.
There, dearie, you mustn't cry so.
] did not mean TO be unkind," she
said. her eyes dimmed and her thin
hands shaking as she passed them
caressingly over the fair, bowed head
But / have seen more of the world
than you have, dear, and-I have
never told you yet-the man l loved
spoilt my life, and made me the poor,
broken-spirited creature | am; and
this portrait is so like what he used
to be-so exactly like. that ever since
! saw il have been dreading-oh, I
don't know what, I believe ! could
kill him, Hester, IL l thought he
would cause you half the suffering l
have endured through his. But
there, it is too late for me to say
anything now. IL you love him, !
know whatever.I can say would make
no difference" She added presently,
in the calm, even tones that were
habitual TO her: You have not told
me his name, Hester. What is his
name?"
She had to wait and ask a second
time before Hester had regained suf-
fcient composure TO reply.
Richard Harwood,' Miss Gurney
repeated mechanically, nodding
thoughtfully, as If she had only been
confirmed in what she knew already
"And where does he liver"
Hester mentioned an address at
Kensington.
He is a gentleman-and eh?"
pursued Miss Gurney.
Yes: his father is rich"