Evening star., 1908-01-12
CHAPTER XXI.

Helena stood breathing quickly; 1t was
as II she had been smothering and sud-
1Dnly felt free air. She was alone. The
y~ople-the terrible. persistently friendly,
suf1ocating people. were gone! She could
draw a full breath; she could face her
own blazing fact; Frederick was
dead.
She was walking back and forth, star
ing with unseeing eyes at the confusion
OF the roomr-chairs pulled out from their
accustomed places: two card tables with
Q litter of cards and counters: the astral
lamp burning low on the rosewood table.
that was cluttered with old daguerreo-
types belonging to the house. The dining
room door was ajar, and as she pass ed
1t she had a glimpse of the empty dis
order Of the room. and could hear her two
women moving about. carrying off plates
and glasses and talking to each other.
We'll. I like company" she heard
Sarah say. II wish she'd have somebody
In every day
And Maggies harsh murmur: You
amt got to cook for EN- Then the clat-
ter OF forks and spoons in the pantry.
Seemed to me like If she wasn't real
glad to see EN- Sarah commented. MY.
look at all this here good cake crumbled
up on somebody's plate"
We'll widow woman don't enjoy COM
pany." Maggie explained.
minute later Sarah came bustling in
to close the parlor windows for the night
and started to find the room still occu-
pied Il thought you had gone upstairs
ma'am." the girl stammered. wondering
nervously If she had said anything that
she would not care to have overheard
IT am going now" Mrs. Richie said,
drawing a long breath. and opening and
shutting her eyes in a dazed way-''like
as IL she'd been asleep and was woke up
sudden" Sarah told Maggie later
In her own room, the door locked. she
sank down in a chair. her clasped hands
falling between her knees, her eyes star
ing At the floor.
How long he had been about dying
Thirteen years ago Lloyd had said He'll
drink himself to death in six months.
and then" Well. at least part of the
program was carried out-he drank. But
he did not die. No. he went on living.
living living! That first year they were
constantly asking each other for news of
him: Have you heard anythingg" Yes,
an awful debauch. Oh, he can't stand it.
Hell be in his grave before Christmas" "
But Christmas came and Frederick was
still living. Then 1t was before spring
before falf'-'before Christmas" again.
And yet he went on living. And she had
gone on living, too. At first 1oyously.
except when she brooded over the baby>.s
Death: then impatiently-for Frederick
would not die! Then. gradually. gradu-
ally. with weary acceptance Of the situa-
tion. Only in the last two or three years
had she begun to live anxiously. she
realized how easily Lloyd was accepting
Fredericks lease of life. Less and less
often he inquired whether Mr.. RaynoI
had mentioned Fredericks health in the
letter that came with her quarterly state
ment. By and by IL was she, not Lloyd
who asked. Have you heard anything
OF Frederick"
The house was quite silent now, except
when Sarah trudged up the back stairs
Sith the clanking silver basket on hel
arm. The lamp on the corner of her bu
reau fiickered and a spark wavered ur
the chimney. the oil was gone and the
wick charring. She got up and blew the
smoldering flame out; then sat dowI
again in the darkness. Yes, LloyC
was no longer vitality interested in Fred
erick's health. She must make up hel
mind 10 that. But after all, what dif
ference did tRat make? He loved he
Just the same; only men are not lik,
women, they don't keep saying So
for that matter. she herself did not sa,
so as often as in those first days But
OF course, she loved him just much
She had grown little dull, she sup
posed No. she would not distrust him
She was sure he loved her. Yet benin,
her most emphatic assertions coweret
that dumb apprehension which ha
struck its cold talons into her heart tn
day that David had hurt his hand.
Suppose Frederick's death should be a.
embarrassment to Lloyd!
In the darkness, with the brush OF tn
locust branches against the closed shut