The Irish standard., 1909-06-05
CHAPTER XIV.
Daybreak,

Daybreak.
At midnight Gillespie and discussed
the days affairs on the terrace at
Glenarm. There were long pauses IN
our talk. Such things as we had seen
and heard that night, in the canoe
makers shop on the little creek, were
beyond our poor range Of words. And
in the silences my own reflections
were not wholly happy. If Miss Pat
and Rosalind had not followed me to
the canoe-maker's I might have spared
Helen; but looking back, would not
change it now if I could. Helen had
returned to st. Agatha's with her aunt.
who would have it so; and we had
parted at the school door, Miss Pat
and Helen, Gillespie and I, with re-
straint heavy upon us all. Miss Pat
had, 1t seemed, summoned her lawyer
from New York several days before, to
discuss the final settlement of her IA
theirs estate; and he was expected the
next morning. I had asked them all
to Glenarm for breakfast; and Arthur
Holbrook and Rosalind, and Henry,
who had broken down at the end, had
agreed to come.
AS we talked on, Gillespie and I,
there under the stars, he disclosed,
all unconsciously, new and surprising
traits, and felt my heart warming to
him.
Hes good deal of man, that
Arthur Holbrook," he remarked after
long pause. Hes beyond me- The
man who runs the enemys lines to
bring relief to the garrison, or the
leader Of forlorn hope, is tame after
this. i suppose the world would call
him fool"
Undoubtedly" answered. "But
he didn't do it for the world; he did
1t for himself. We can't applaud a
thing like that in the usual phrases"
NO. Gillespie added; "only get
down on our knuees and bow our
heads in the dust before it,
: He rose and paced the long terrace.
In his boat-shoes and white flannels
he glided noiselessly back and forth,
like ghost in the star dusk. He
paused at the western balustrade and
looked off at st. Agatha's. Then he
passed me and paused again, gazing
lakeward through the wood as though
turning from Helen to Rosalind; and
knew that it was with her, far over
the water, in the little cottage at Red
Gate, that his thoughts fingered. But
when he came and stood beside me
and rested his hand on my shoulder
knew that he wished to speak Of Hell
en- and took his hand, and spoke to
him to make it easier.
=, "Well, old mani"
IT was thinking Of Helen" he said.
$50 was I, Buttons"
They are different, the two. They
are very different"
"They are as like as God ever made
two people; and yet they are differ
ent."
IT think you understand Helen. I
never did," he declared, mournfully
"You don't have to-" replied; and
laughed, and rose and stood behind
him. "And now there's something I
want to speak to you about tonight
Helen borrowed some money of you a
q
fathers demands. I expect a draft for
that money by the morning mail, and I
want you to accept 1t with my thanks,
and hers. And the incident shall pass
as though 1t had never been"
About one o'clock the wind fresh.
ened and the trees flung out their
arms like runners rushing before it;
and from the west marched storm
with banners of lightning. It was a
splendid spectacle, and we went in.
doors only when the rain began to
wash across the terrace. We still
watched 1t from our windows after
We went upstairs, the lightning now
blazing out blinding1y, like sheets of
dame from a furnace door, and again
cracking about the house like fiery
whip.
I'VE ought to have brought Henry
here tonight" remarked Gillespie.
'He's alone over there on the island
with that dago and they're likely cele.
brating by getting drunk"
"The lightning's getting on your
nerves; go to bed" called back.
The storm left peace behind and
was abroad early, eager to have the
first shock of the mornings meetings
over. Gillespie greeted me cheerily
and told him to- follow when he was