Evening star., 1908-01-13
CHAPTER XXI.

CHAPTER XXI.
The next few days were intolerable. But,
of course, after the first passion OF disap-
pointment. she began to hope; he would
write fully in few days. She kept cal
culating how soon she might expect this
fuller letter. She did not write, to him.
for as he had given no address 1t was evil
dent that he did not wish to hear from
her.
That week passed. and then another.
and though he wrote, he did not write
fully" In fact. he made no allusion
whatever to Frederick or the future.
Helena was instant with explanation-he
was absorbed with business; Alice was
with him.: he had no time. That these
were absurd excuses she knew. But they
were the best she could find. and she had
to have excuses It was at this time that
she saw herself age. When still another
week passed the tension lessened: indeed,
she would have broken down under the
strain If she bad not fallen into sort OF
apathy. She told herself that after all
there was no reason why she should leave
Old Chester Immediately. Mr.. Benjamin
Wright's insolence had been outra geous
and he was horrible old, man. but he
Ddu Sdiu lHht lc WOulu IOLr SpcdA VI iICl
affairs. So as far as he was concerned
she could perfectly we'll wait until that
western trip was over; she would just try
not to think OF him. So she played with
David. and talked to him. and listened to
his condolences about the journey to
Philadelphia which DR.. Lavendar planned.
1t was more than two months of. but
that did not trouble David. He and DR..
Lavendar had long talks on the subject.
of which. occasionally. the little boy
dr0nnnd Onpdoocondin0 hfntC
Maybe I'll take you to Philadelphia. :"
Helena said once. jealously; will you
like that?"
"Yes'm." said David. without en-
thusiasm.
At which she reproached him; IT
should think you, would like to go with
me to see liberty bell?"
Silence.
And maybe Mr.. Pryor will take you to
ride on a steamboat" she lured him.
with alarm.
1t was only David with whom Helena
talked in these days of waiting; Old
Chester found her still unsociable. and
his party had not accomplished much.
However. he insisted upon being sociable
himself. and continued to come frequently
to see her on the ground that she was not
very well. Before she knew 1t she yielded
again to the temptation Of friendliness,
and was glad to see the big, kind figure
trudging up the garden path. He told
her all the news Old Chester afforded
which was not extensive, and she replied
with that listening silence which Is so
opportunities valued by US all-of hear
Ing himself talk; an opportunity not often
allowed him in his own house. The silence
covered bleak anxiety and often an en-
tire absence of nina; but William. ram
bling on. could not know that. He was
perfectly happy to look at her. although
sometimes his face sobered, for hers had
changed. 1t was paler; the delicate oval
Of her cheek had followed: the charming
Incidence had gone; the eyes had lost
their sweet shallowness. something cow
cred In their depths that he could not
clearly see-fear. perhaps. or pain. Or
perhaps 1t was her soul. Sometimes when
the body relaxes Its grip little. the con-
frightened bewilderment out Of the win
dows of its prison. DR.. King. watching
the. childlike droop of Helena's lip. ad-
| mitted reluctantly that she had changed
Depressed" he told himself. SO he did
his best to cheer her with Old Chester's
harmless gossip: and one day-it was In
September-she did show a quick and even
anxious interest.
Sam Wright's Sam has come back
| the doctor said: 1.-THE young man arrived
on the noon stage. l wonder what mon
key-shines he'll be up to next!'
"Ohr' she said, and he saw her hands
clasp In her lap; Il wonder II his grand
| father knows?'
The color was hot in her face. and Will
| liam said to himself that the cub ought
| to be thrashed! Maybe he's got some
sense by this journey in search Of a
publisher" he announced, comfortingly.
In her consciousness Of old Mr. Wright s
dismay she hardly heard what the doctor
| said. but she asked vaguely II Sam had
| found a publisher.
| "Perhaps: 1 don't know. There are
fools in every profession-except medi-
| cine, of course! But l believe he has not
impaired any information on that point.
| His father merely told me he had come
back" In spite of himself. William 8
face fell into its own kind lines. His
father is hard on him. he said; and then
he began to tell her stories of the three
! generations of Wrights ending with the
Samuel loved his son like the apple of his
| eye. But he has always taken hold of
him the wrong way" William said.
Certainly the Doctors opinion was borne
| out by the way In which Sam senior took
hold of his son on his return. Re-
| proaches were perhaps to be expected
| but. alas. the poor. sore-hearted father
| tried sneers as we'll. A sneer is like a
fiame-it may occasionally be curative be-
| cause Il cauteriZeS, but 1t leaves a bitter
scar. OF his dreadful anxiety in these
seven pr eight weeks OF absence. of his
| sleepless nights. of his self-accusings. Of
mis- anguiShed anecttOn, the senior warden
| could find nothing to say: but for anger
and disappointment and contempt he had
| fluent and soaring words. Such words
| were only the recoil from anxiety; but
Sam could not know that; he only knew
| that he was disgrace to his family. The
Information left him apparently unmoved.
He did not betray-very likely he really
did not recognize In himself-the moral
let-down that Is almost always the result
| of such upbraiding. He was silent under
his fathers reproaches. and patient under
his mothers embraces. He vouchsafed
no information beyond, II had to come
back" which was really no information
| at all. Mr.. Wright sneered dt 1t. but Mrs
Wright was moved; she said. her mild
| eyes swimming in tears. "Of course
| Sammy. dear. Mother Understands
knew you couldn't stay away from U.S.
Sam sighed. submitting to be kissed
and turned to go upstairs: but something
| made him hesitate-perhaps his mother s
worn face. He came back and. bending
down. kissed her cheek. Mrs. Wright
caught her breath with astonishment, but
the boy made no explanation. He went
on up to his own room and, standing list
lessly at the window. said again to him
| self. II had to come back After a
while he added, But won't bother her. .
He had already. forgotten the two sore
hearts downstairs.
The next morning he hurried to church;
lyvt Df~I~f ID ~ = -