The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1909-05-26

room. Indoors or out, he 1Ounu no
rest He threw himself In the arm
chair near the table and sat buried in
thought.
Mandy came softly into the room.
She was followed by Hasty, who car
rled tray laden with things that
ought TO have tempted any man. She
motIoned for Hasty to put the tray
on the table and then began arranging
the dishes. Hasty stole TO the window
and peeped out at the tempting flare
of red fire.
When Douglas discovered the pres
enee Of his two .'faithfuls" he was
touched with momentary contrition.
'Have you had hard day with the
new gravel waikiki" he asked Hasty,
remembering that he had been laying
fresh path to the Sunday school
room.
"Jes' yo' come eat yo supper" Man
dy called to Douglas. Don yo' worry
your head bout dat lazy husban' OBJ
mine. He amt goin' ter work nun
to hurt hisself." For an instant she
had been tempted to let the pastor
know how Hasty had gone to the cir
Gus and seen nothing of Polly. but her
motherly instinct won the day, and
she urged him to eat before disturbing
him with her own anxieties. 1t was
no use. He only toyed with his food; ,
he was clearly Ill at ease and eager to
be alone. She gave up trying to tempt
his appetite and began to lead up In
Il roundabout way TO the things which
she wished to ask.
.Dars quite some racket out dar In
lie lot tonight" she said. Douglas did
not answer. After moment she went
on, '1iaaty didn't work ON no walk
today" Douglas looked at her quiz
ideally, While Hasty, convinced that
for reasons Of her own she was going
To get him into trouble, was making
frantic motions. "He done gone ter dc
circus" She blurted out. Douglas face
became suddenly grave. Mandy saw
that ahc had touched an open wound.
Il jes' couldn't stan 1t, Massa John.
| had ter find out bout dat angel chile
There WIS pause. She felt that he
was waiting for her to go on.
"She didn't done ride today"
He looked up with the eyes Of II
dumb, prosecuted animal. And de
gemmen in dc show didn't tell nobody
why-jes' speaked bout de udder gal
takin' her place"
"Why didn't she ride?" cried Doug
las, In an agony Of suspense.
Oats what | don know, sah.'
Mandy began to cry. 1t was the first
time In his experience that Douglas
had ever known her to give way to
any such weakness.
Hasty came down from the window
and tried to put one arm about Man
dy's shoulders.
Leah me alone, yo' niger" she ex-
claimed, trying to cover her tears with
n show of anger that she did not feel;
then she rushed from the room. fol
lowed by Hasty.
The band was playing loudly. The
din of the night performance was
increasing. Douglas nerves were
strained 10 the point of breaking. He
would not let himself go near the win
dow lie stood by the side Of the TIA
Bile, his fists clinched, and tried to
beat back the Impulse that was pulling
him toward the door. Again and again
he set his teeth.
1t WAS uncertainty that gnawed ut
him so Was she III? Could she need
him! Was she sorry for having left
him. Would she be glad II lie went
for her and brought her back with
him? He recalled the hysterical note
In her behavior the day that she went
away how she had pleaded, only u
few moments before Jim came, never
to be separated from him. Had she
really cared for Jim and for the old
life; Why had she never writtenf
! Was she ashamed? Was she sorry for
what she had done? What could 1t
meant He threw his hands above his
head with gesture Of despair. A mo-
ment later he passed out into the night.