The San Francisco call., 1909-09-12

away in wings on every side, with its
deep upper and lower verandas, looked
out upon by multitude of long
strangely imposing for structure of
wood. But whatever of original ugli-
ness had been there was hidden now
under a splendid tapestry of vines, and
Flora, looking up at the rose and
honeysuckle that panoplied its front.
felt her throat swell Tor sheer delight.
For moment after they had left the
carriage they stood together in the
porte cochere. looking around them.
Then half wistfully. half humorously.
Mrs. Herrick turned to Flora. Il do
hope you won't want to buy IT."
"Oh, I'm afraid SHALL" Flora MUIR
INJURED. that is, if She left her
sentence hanging, as one who would
have said, ''if l come out of this alive"
and Mrs. Herrick, with quick start
of protection, laid her hand on Flora's
arm.
IF you must" she said lightly, "if
you do buy it, then at least I shall
know 1t is in good hands"
Flora gave her a look of gratitude,
not so much for the slight kindness of
her words as for the great kindness OF
ing the first assumption on which her
presence there had been invited. That
was the house itself.
It was plain to Flora from the 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 doubly in
their hard interval of waiting.
Alone together with unspoken,
unspeakable things between them
things that for mere decency or honor
could not be uttered-wfth nothing but
these to think of, nothing but each
other to look at. they must yet. in sheer
desperation and suspense, have fnevf-
tably burst out with question or con-
fession. had not the great house been
there to interpose its personality. And
the way Mrs Herrick was making the
most of that! The way Immediately.
even before she had shown anything.
she began to revivify the spirit offthe
place, as the two women stood with
their hats not yet off in the room that
was to be Flora's, talking and looking
out upon the lawn!
With her silences, with her express
sive self as we'll as with her words,
Mrs. Herrick was terminating it all
the while they lunched and rested. still
in the upper rooms overlooking the
garden And later. when they made
the tour of the house, she began un
winding from her memory incidents of
its early beginnings, pieces of its in
innate, personal history, as one would
make a friend familiar to another
friend. And these past histories and
the rooms themselves were leading
Flora away out of her anxious self,
were soothing her prying apprehen-
sions, were giving her detachment in
the present, till what she so anticipated
lay quiescent at the back of her brain.
But 1t was there. And now and then,
when in gust of wind the lights and
shadows danced on the dim. polished
floors, 1t stirred. and at the sound OF
wheels on the drive below 1t leaped.
and all her fears again were in her
face. At such moments the two
women did look deeply at each other.
and the suspense, the premonition, how
cred in Mrs. Herrick's eyes. 1t was as
unconscious, as involuntary. as Flora's
start at the swinging of door; but no
question crossed her lips. She let the
matter as severely alone as II 1t had
been a jewel not her own. Yet, 1t
came to Flora all at once that here,
for the first time. she was with one
to whom she could have revealed the
sapphire on her neck and yet remain
unchallenged.
"Ah, you're too lovelyw she burst out
at last. 1T is more than deserve
that you should take 1t all like
this, as If there really wasn't any
thing" The elder 1ady's eyes wavered
a little at the plain words.
"Im too deeply doubtful of 1t to take
1t any other way, she said.
THAT is why / feel most guilty"
Flora explained. For dragging you
into 1t and then-bringing 1t into your
house. She glanced around at the high.
quiet. damasked room. "Such thing
to happen here!'
s.Ah. my dear,"-Mrs. Herrick's laugh
was uncertain-"the things that have
happened here-the things that have
happened and been endured and been
forgotten! and see,' she said, laying her
hand on one of the walls, sthe peace
of it now!'
Flora wondered. She seemed to feel
such distances OF life extending yet
beyond her sight as dwindled her, tiny
and innocent.
1T isn't what happens. but the way
we take 1t that makes the afterward,"
Mrs. Herrick added
The thought Of an afterward had