Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-07-27
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V. II. FREDLAENDER.

hOI AVlp IHluhluS us ne opened JlG
drawers, that she was to be killed
in a railway accident, she could
hardly have made his task easier
Neat little bundles, tied up with pink
tape and clearly labeled, proclaimed
her various activities. Mothers
Union" Soup Kitchen" Sunday
School" Book Club"-how the
names recalled Emily herself A
swift pang of conjunction seized
him. Was it possible, then, that
after only a month her image was
Sa.sI-.s r. 81 ms niinu! ne CUnLInueu
absently to empty drawers and
pigeonholes. More neat packages,
half dozen unanswered letters and
a few notebooks-that was all
Yes, undoubtedly Emily
was already becoming to him some
thing shadOwy and vague. How was
it? Rather guiltily he tried to avoid
the unexplored deeps of his mind,
but the moment of self-revelation
was no longer to be postponed. He
had been shocked, unnerved, horri-
fled by the sudden tragedy; but I'M
derneath all that could he deny the
existence of a shameful undercurrent
of feeling, persistent, ever growing
JOY in freedom regained? And yet,
what a good wife she had been; how
practical, careful of his interests, I'M
eXacting. In thousand ways, large
and small, he would be the loser. A
good wife, but-yes, that was surely
ha
even entered the kingdom of his
mind. And where she had never en-
tered could she ever be missed?
Once in that kingdom there had
had dwelt indeed a woman, but she
was not Emily.
He turned with an impatient sigh.
In the doorway stood Alison.
OF course, it was a dream, but he
Tas Conscious of a certain admira-
ton of himself as dreamer. He had
remembered to make her look older
oh, quite five years older.
Poor Mark" she said softly.
He started. Then it was not
dream.
II have only just heard" she ex-
planned gently. We've been in town
for day or two, and Mrs. Herlotson
has just told me about-Emily. |
asked her for your address, and came
straight on" She held out her hands
in eager sympathy. He felt her fin
gers cold beneath her gloves. Quite
naturally he unbuttoned and drew
them off, as though they had never
parted in bitter silence more than
five years ago.
You must get warm" he said,
gently, and led her to the fire.
DO you think" Alison asked,
TREMENDOUSLY, that - she suffered
much?"
He shook his head. mot at all;
the doctors said it must have been
instantaneous"
Alison nodded in swift relief. "Ah,
I'm glad. Butch, it's hard to real
ize! We were just the same age,
and twenty-four is so young to die,
and we used to be-to see so much
of each other"
Why had she stopped short of the
word friends" he wondered.
"And to die like that" she MUIR
INJURED.
He thought he could guess what
she meant There was nothing
nothing" he began. He wanted
to explain that death had spared
Emily the last indignity of being
revolving in its form, but he could
find no words.
She nodded in swift comprehen-
sion. Yes, yes, l know what you
mean. 1t would have been awful
that"
He looked up with a grateful thrill.
Emily had never understood a half
finished sentence.
you were going through her pa
pers!" Alison asked, glancing at the
open desk.
Yes"
She leaned forward with sudden
eagerness. What is that?"
which,"
She rose and picked up one of the
notebooks. "Ah, it isl" she said,
and began to turn the pages.
"Alison!"
She looked up in quick defiance.
tits my own" she said.
Your OWN"
Eyes; my diary that l lost FIVE and
a half years ago."
The bewilderment in his face was
not to be mistaken.
"You didn't take it," she asked,
slowly.
81? Alison. you cannot seriously
think did that?"
She was. silent, but they read the
same thought in each others eyes.
Then it must have been" He
stopped. Why say what was obvious!
And Alison's gesture was eloquent.
Emily was dead.
She frowned thoughtfully. "Then
you haven't known, Mark, all these
years, what was in my daryl"
He shook his head.
She looked at him in grave wonder.
"Then what made you change to
me?"
He bit his lip. Did she think that
Eve years could heal such wounds.
Have you forgotten?" he asked.
81 never knew" she said, steadily.
II saw that you grew cold. / knew
you had ceased to love me. Could
the reason why have comforted me?"
II thought you must have guessed"
he murmured
"oh, I guessed and guessed. And
1 decided that you had considered
yourself entitled to read my
diary"
"Alison!"
"And to DO offended by its con-
tents. But that, you say, was a
wrong guess"
"Yes."
"Then-----"
ALLISON, did you never .treat me
to 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,