The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-23
CHAPTER XXI.

- ~ AhOoSN VI duttts
THE day which had dawned so still
and gloomy was Weakening to
something like wildness, threat
ening. Frightening. gusty, when they
stepped out of the train upon the plat
form of the San Mateo station.
There upon the narrow platform Mrs.
Herrick hesitated a moment, looking
at Flora. What train do you want
to meet" she asked.
Flora stood perplexed. Il hardly
know. You see l can't tell how soon
my letter would reach-would be re-
ceived."
Then We would better meet them
an the elder woman decided.
They drove away into the face of the
wet fresh wind and flying drops of
rain.
The house. when finally it doomed up
on them. with its irregular roofs topped
by curious square turrets, with it's ire
mendous ground floor rambling away in
wings on every side. with its deep up
per and lower verandas, looked out up
on by a multitude of long French win
dows, seemed too large, too strangely
imposing for a structure of wood.
For a moment after they had left the
carriage they stood together in the
porte-ccchere. looking around them.
Then, half wistfully. half humorously,
Mrs. Herrick turned to Flora. Il dc
hope o won't want to buy it,"
"oh, I'm afraid I SHALL" Flora muir
INJURED, that is, if" She left her
sentence hanging, as n who would
have said. IF | come out of this alive
Mrs. Herrick, with a quick start OF
protection, laid her hand on F1ora's
arm.
IF you must" she said lightly, III
you do buy it. then, at. least, 1 shall
know it is in good hands"
1t was plain to Flora fromNthe mo,
ment she set foot over the threshold
that the house was to be no mean ally
of theirs. but Mrs. Herrick was making
it help them doubiy in their hard inter.
val of waiting. And later, when they
made the tour of the house. she begar
unwinding from her memory incident!
of its early beginnings, pieces of it's In,
innate personal history, as one would
make a friend familiar to another
friend. And these past histories ant
the rooms themselves were leadin,
iOid away out VI HtG diIhlOuS sell
We're soothing her prying apprehen.
sions, were giving her a detachment II
the present, till what she so anticipate,
lay quiescent at the back of her brain
Yet. 1t came to Flora all at once tina
here. for the first time, she was wit
one to whom she could have reveale,
the sapphire on her neck and yet re
main unchallenged.
"Ah, you're too lovely!" she burst on
at last. at is more than / deserv
that you should take 1t all like this, a
If there really wasn't anything" TIL
the plain words.
I'm too deeply doubtful Of it to TAX
it any other way" she said.
THAT is why l feel most guilty,
: Flora explained. For dragging yo
/ into 1t and then-bringing it into you
house She glanced around at tn
t high, quiet, dsmasked room. Such
thing to happen here!"
"Ah. my dsar."-Mrs. Herrick's laug
was uncertain-"the things hat hay
: happened here--the things that HAY
happened and been endured and bee
) forgotten! and see" she said, layin
+ her hand on one of the walls, 9TH
, peace of 1t now.'
! Flora wondered. She seemed to fee
, such distances of life extending yet be
, yond her sight as dwindled her. tin
and innocent.
1T isn't what happens, but the wa