Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-13

her faithful loyalt.- rose to make the as
surance doubtful. As she had closed the
door upon Mick. she closed her heart to
the knowledge.
There were certain hours in every life,
she told herself, when the soul judged the
body. Judged and forgave, or judged and
condemned. Her shaken mind drove her
feet faster along the rugged track-faster-
faster as though Nemesis pursued her.
Terrible visions rose from the sea, creeping
over the cliffs excursions of Larry, stin
and dead as she had seen her father; as
she had seen Administrations OF the cot
tage at Carrigmore; of her aunt's dark
room, filed with the sound of lamentation.
Before she was aware of it she passed
round curve of the path and came full
upon the scene of her fathers accident.
She paused, gave faint gasp, and involun-
tarily put her hand to her throat. Her
destination was nearer than she had
thought.
In vague. startled way her eyes scanned
the place, rowing from the chasm In the cliff
to the sweep of short grass, with its tufting
of hardy flowers that throve in the strong,
salt air. 1t was also still-so extraordina-
rily still. Fifty yards away goat browsed
on the cliff. and the quiet, cropping sound
of its eating came to her distinctly; over
head in the pale-blue sky hawk was
her, three hundred feet away. the sea made
curious sucking noise. as 1t filled and re-
ceded from some invisible assure in the
rocks.
toed forward to the edge of the chasm
Then suddenly she drew back, trembling
and giddy. Beneath her, at what looked an
incredible distance, the clear green waters
formed narrow estuary, Swallowed by the
towering rocks. They were like a grave,
those waters-so secret, so full of mystery.
Again she forced herself to look, compelling
her unwilling eyes to travel up and down
the great sweep of red sandstone, from the
grass at the edge of the abyss to the dark
water, from the water back again to the
grass.
She would not be a coward in this last
coward.
She stepped back; she took one dazed
look at the world that until yesterday, had
been SO very fair; she drew one long, shud-
forward
But at her first step, something or some
one came rushing down the cliff behind her.
She gave terrified cry, opened her eyes,
and recoiled from the chasm. A moment
later she had turned. trembling, crying, ut
terly unnerved, to find Mick leaping round
her.
'Mick!' she said, TREMENDOUSLY "Mick!"
Then voice called to her, and looking up,
she saw Hannah. her hair disheveled, her
eyes still streaming. the yellow envelope of
telegram held in the corner of her apron
1.-The fright you gave me, Miss Clodagh"
only for the dog"
Then she stopped, looking sharply at her
mistress.
Miss Clodagh, what is it all? Come
nome; come home, my lamb!' Her voice,
husky from tears, dropped suddenly.
But Clodagh still stood white and shak-
ing, she had been too near the verge to be
easily recalled.
Sure Gods ways are quare but 'tisn't
for US to be judgin'; maybe he's saved
worse, Miss Clodagh! Keep thnkin' that.
Maybe he's saved worse"
Clodagh covered her eyes.
But here's somethin' for you God help
us, | was forgettin'! VIII you be seem
what is in it?' She came slowly forward.
extending her arm
Clodagh took the telegram Without
thought or interest she tore it open, and
her eyes passed mechanically over the writ
ten words. Then suddenly it slipped from
between her fingers, blew little way across
the close grass, and fiuttered down over the
edge of the cliff
AS 1t disappeared she turned. Her face
was entirely without color; her eyes had
the dazed look of one who is confronted
with a great light.
Hannah she cried. Hannah! There
is God. after all! There is a Godr' She
swayed suddenly, and the old servant, rush
ing forward, caught her in her arms
THE ENn