Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-28
CHAPTER XVIII-Continued.

CHAPTER XVIII-Continued
- HE tapped the door lightly. Facing
east as it did. the room was
darker than when one stood in the
- open.
With a glad exclamation. which
coming through her habitual sedateness
showed how much she loved the young girl
Sister Ruth started to her feet. There was
something of such truth in the note she
had sounded, something so earnest. so
genuine that all the poor loneiE gin
heart went out to her in abandoned tuii-
ness She held out her arms. ana. as sue
came close to the other. fell rather IMAM
tank at her feet. The older woman mao
no effort to restrain her. but sinking PACK
into her own seat laid the girls head III
her lap. and held her hands clcs" against
her DUN breast where the other could reel
the auickened beating of her heart
Tell me-" she whispered. Wont you
tell me dear child what troubles you:
Tell me, dear. II may bring peace"
Neither of them noticed row In the in
tensity OF her feeling the Quaker form or
speech. which though she lad exercised
II for forty years was not her own. hao
failed her when her heart went back TO
the days of it's own trouble
ooh. am miserable. miserable. miser-
abler' moaned Stephen. in low voice.
whose despair made the others heart
grow cold Tire Silver Lady knew that
here golden silence was the best OF help:
holding close the others hands she
waited Stephens breast began TO heave:
with an impulsive motion she drew away
her hands and put them before her burn
inf, face which she pressed lower sin on
the OF hers lap. Sister Ruth knew that ire
trouble whatever it was. was about 10
find voice. and the emotion with Which
the feeling came to her almost oVercaIne
her. It was her own hands which she
pressed now-and pressed hard-upon her
breast.
The shadows Of the twilight seemed 10
fall ghostlke. wave after wave: the stone
pillars Of the windows began to stand out
dark and hard-edged And then came IN
a low. shuddering whisper. voice mui-
fied in the folds of the dress:
II killed man.
been so startled or so shocked. She had
grown so to love the bright. brilliant
young girl, and her love had come naloea
with such trust. that the whispered con-
fession cut through the silence of the
dusk as shrek of murder does through
the silent gloom of night. Her handS
few Wild from her breast. and the CON
vulsive shudder which shook her all IN
an instant woke Stephen through all her
own deep emotion 10 the instinct OF pro-
lection of the other. The girl looked up.
shaking her head. and said with sadness
which stilled all the others fear:
"Ah. Don't be frightened! 1t is not
murder that l tell you Of Perhaps II IL
were. the thought would be easier to
bear, He would have been hurt less If 1t
had been only his body that slew. Wen
I know now that his life would have been
freely given if l wished 1t: If II mad p zee.
that / killed; his very soul. His noble.
loving. trusting unselfish soul. The brav-
est and truest soul that ever had place
In a mans breast! Her speaking
ended with a sob: her body sank lower
Sister Ruth's heart began to beat more
freely. She understood now. and all the
wor11anhood, all the wifehood. mot er-
hood suppressed for lifetime. awoke 70
the wonan's need Gently sne stroh 81,
her lap: and as the girl sobbed with but
little appearance of abatement. she said
to her softly:
"Tell me. dear child Tell me all about
II. SEE, we are all alone together. Thou
and I. and God. In Gods dusk. with
only the silent land and sea before us!
Won't thou trust me-. dear ONE ana
speak," The habitual Quaker speech had
returned to her with the consciousness
Of self-command.
And then. as the shadows fell. and the
dusk Of the room grew into dark, ana
far-off lights at sea began to twinkle over
the waste of waters: stephen 1ouno d
voice and told her without reserve all the
secret Of her shame and her remorse.
And the quick sympathy of her nearer
understood what lay behind them both,
her love.
At last. when her broken voice had
trailed away into gentle catchinGs Of the
breath the older woman, knowing tndt
the time had come for comfort, took her
In her strong arms. raised her and laid
her on her breast; holding hef We we. iace
Cry on dear heart. she SAID, IN
sweet whisper. as she kissed her. Cry
on. 1t will do thee good! She was
startled once again as the other seemed
for an instant to grow rigid in her arms.
and raising her hands cried out In ourst
of almost hysterical passion:
Cry. cry. Oh. my God! my COD.
Then becoming conscious or her Wet
ell limp. and sank on her knees again
There was go different note In ner
voice that the others heart leaped as she
heard her say: -
God be thanked for these tears. On a
thank God. Thank God. Looking up
she saw through the gloom the surprise
in her companions eyes and answered
their query in words:
ION! YOU don't know, You can't know
what 1t Is 10 me, 1 have not cried since
last saw him pass from me In the
wood,
That time of confession seemed to have
in some way cleared. purified and satis-
fed Stephens soul. Life was now easier
to bear Little things and big took once
again their due perspective in the outlook
of her life She was able TO adapt her-
self, justifiably to the needs OF her posi-
ton and all around her ana oePeii9ehl
ON fer began to realize that among them
was a controlling force.
And so In the east the passing of the
two years of silence and gloom seemeo
to be the winning of something prlghter
to follow.
CHAPTER xxx.