Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-01-23
CHAPTER XVIII.

Grandma Markham was dead, and the
covered sleigh, which late In the after
noon plowed its way heavily back to
Aikenside, carried only Mrs. Noah, who,
with her forehead tied up in knots, sat
back among the cushions, thinking not
of the peaceful dead, gone forever to the
rest which remains for the people of
God but of the wayward Guy, who had
resisted all her efforts to persuade him
to return with her, instead OF staying
where he was not needed, and where his
presence was a restraint to all save one,
and that one Maddy, for whose sake he
stayed.
Shed be vummed," the indignant old
lady said, "if she would not write to Lucy
herself if Guy did not quit such doins,'
and thus resolving she kept on her way,
while the subject of her wrath was, it
may be- more than half repenting OF MS
decision to stay, inasmuch as he began to
have an unpleasant consciousness Of him
self being in everybodys way.
In the first hour of Maddy's bereave-
ment he had not spoken to her, but had
kept himself aloof from the room where,
with her grandfather and Uncle Joseph,
she sat. holding the poor aching head OF
the latter in her lap and trying to speak
a word of consolation to the old. broken
hearted man, whose hand was grasped in
hers. But Maddy knew he was there.
She could hear his voice each time he
spoke to Mrs Noah, and that made the
desolation easier to bear. She did not
look forward to the time when he would
be gone and when at last he told her he
was going, she started quickly, and with
a gush of tears exclaimed NO, no. oh,
no"
"Maddy," Guy whispered. bending over
the strange trio. would you rather
should stay? Will it be pleasanter for
you. if I do?"
''Yes-I don't know. guess it would
not be SO lonely. Oh, it's terrible to have
grandmother dead :" was Maddy's re-
Spouse; after which Guy would have
stayed if a whole regiment OF Mrs
Noahs had confronted him instead Of one
Maddy wished it; that was reason
enough for him and giving a few direc-
tions to John, he stayed thereby discon-
certing the neighboring women who came
in to perform the last Offices for the dead
and who wished the young man from Ak
ensde was anywhere but there, watching
them all in their movements, as they
vainly fancied he did But Guy thought
only OF Maddy, watching her so carefully
that more than one meaning glance was
exchanged between the women, who, even
over the inanimate form of the dead
spoke together Of what might possibly oc-
cur. wondering what would be the effect
on Grandpa Markham and Uncle Joseph
Who would take care of them? And then
10 case Maddy should feel it her duty to
stay there, as they half hoped she would
they fell TO plying the young girl, who
seemed now 50 wholly untitled for the
burden.
To Maddy there came no definite idea
of the future during the two days that
white, rigid form lay in the darkened
cottage; but when, at last, the deep grave
made for Grandma Markham was occu-
pied, and the lounge in the little front
room was empty-when the Aikenside
carriage, which had been sent down for
the use Of the mourners, had been driven
away, taking both Guy and Mrs. Noah
when the neighbors, too had gone, leav-
ins ooly herssH and thA little hired girl