The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-07-19
He shook his head.

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five years could heal such wounds.
Have you forgotten?" he asked.
Il never knew" she said, steadily.
II saw that you grew cold. knew
you had ceased 10 love me. Could
the reason why have comforted mes"
Il thought you must have guessed"
he murmured.
"Oh, guessed and guessed. And
/ decided that you had considered
yourself entitled to read my
diary"
"Alison!"
And TO be offended by its con-
tents. But that, you say. was a
wrong guess"
Yes"
Then"
Allison. did You never treat me
10 my face as though you liked me
when you were alone-and behind
my back make fun of me, caricature
me, criticise my clothes, my walk.
my way of speaking and laughing?"
He spoke with quiet bitterness.
She nodded emphatically. often.
Most of it's in the diary"
"I-heard."
you heard?" Her look was cues
tioning. Il think you ought TO tell
me something, if only one thing, that
you heard"
He was silent.
"lts only fair" she urged.
He looked up desperately. We'll,
| didn't you, for instance, say that l
reminded you Of Matthew Arnold's
definition of the Athanasian Creed
Learned science, with a strong dash
of temper'!"
She laughed a little. I'D fLrgot-
ten, but i do believe ! did" She
turned the leaves of the diary rapid
| ly. Yes, here IL is: March IS
Emily resumed cross-examination
Wanted to know II didn't consider
his scientific learning colossal, un-
paralleled, etc. Quoted Arnold on
the Athanasian Greed to her. Shock
satisfactory
He was looking at her with startled
eyes. THE date" he breathed;
what date did you say?"
She referred to the diary. March
49,"
"But-that was before we were
engaged"
"Oh, yes"
| "But-Emily-"
| "Ah, ] sometimes thought--"
Their eyes met. Don't" she said
breathlessly. - see, see."
He began to see, 100.
Il have always wondered" she
unused, why you didn't understand,
even if you had read every word of
the diary. ] felt so sure you would
see ii was all in self-defense. Could
a girl bear to let people think she
cared for man before he had spok-
en-? There were girls who did it,
her momentary hesitation revealed
to him as clearly as words that Emily
had been one of them, and he red
| dened-"but-but that only sent me
flying to the other extreme. When
| people tried to-to pump me about
you. l said anything-laughed
Knocked, mimicked, caricatured-in
sheer terror lest any one should dis
cover how much / cared"
He nodded Il never knew" he
said slowly. II was told thought
all the things that came to my ears
were said by you after we were en-
gagged"
Mark" she said; and her voice
quivered.
He was walking restlessly up and
down. Our insane pride!" he
groaned. IF only we had spoken
asked questions"
Yes" she agreed tremulously;
and through both their minds passed
fash of wonder that Emily could
have proved so good Judge of char
acter, should have calculated on just
that proud silence with which they
had met catastrophe. And yet-she
must have been In some doubt, or
why had she removed Allison's only
proof, the diary?
Suddenly Alison arose. II must
go. Mark. acted on a sudden i'm
pulse In coming, and my impulses
are always wrong" Her smile was
very sad
Not this one" he urged, eagerly.
Allison, not this one! You are in
town? ] shall see you again."
/ She answered his unspoken
thought. "Ah, Mark, has life led
you to expect such miracles?"
"Alison!" he implored, you'll for
give me-some day."
Forgiven" She turned away with
a sigh. 1T would have been hard.
wouldn't it," she mused, III had
married five years ago?"
He caught his breath. Allison :
You didn't"
She shook her head. mo, I didn't;
that would have been only hard. 3"
She turned toward the door. Really,
] must go, or I shall miss the train. q"
His voice was heavy with disap-
pointment. Then you aren't on a
visit in town."
T. .