Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-05-21


heavy. angry throbs.
Let Della Priddy accuse her OF steal
ing the supper. She would laugh in
her face!
There was the sound OF a low knock
ut the kitchen door, and Ann strobe
swiftly across the door and threw the
door wide open There stood Della
with her milk pitcher in one hand and
the black cat curling about her skirts
Good evening" hesitated Della. with
one look at AIMS face.
Good evening"" snapped Mrs. Bart.
with questioning brows.
May I come In for a few minutesT'
asked Della II want TO say something
to you, Mrs. Bart"
Come in." said Ann ungraciously,
leading the way into the dining room
and pulling forward a stir rocker.
"Sit down"
But Della stood, tall and slender and
very pale, her pitcher held In the curve
of her long arm. The black cat still
arched fits back against her silken
skirt
Ann watched her and waited, fierce
" expectant of the accusation She
| imagined that Della had seen her dew
astated supper table through the win
dow, or she may have observed Ann
In the very act OF despOiling the ia
BILE.
al want you to come TO my supper
party" blurted forth Della at last Il
know I've never been very friendly to
/ you, Mrs. Bart, but / mean to do bet
ter. and I've put OF asking you every
day because / thought maybe you'd
resent It Now, at the very last mo-
ment, / just made up my mind to rush
I in and have it outI I've got place
all laid for you, and i expect well all
have a real good time together. VIII
| you GOMEZ"
Delia's blue eyes were lifted for an
instant to the crayon portrait of James
| Bart on the wall over the mantel-
! piece; then her glance fell on the
strangely working features of Ann
! Bart
81 can't come" said Ann in chok-
ing voice.
'whyY' asked Della gently.
You'll know why-when you go into
your rooms" retorted Ann bitterly.
al am sorry. / hope you'll change
your mind" said Della. turning to the
door.
When the door had closed Ann
| reached down and took the box out
of her workbasket and thrust 1t In a
small cupboard in the chimneypiece-
1t slipped forward and before Ann
could catch 1t fell to the floor. distrib-
uting its contents over the hearth rug.
/ - Ann lavaf
down to pick up the scattered letters
and photographs AS she placed the
last one in the box her arm stiffened,
and she held the picture before her
eyes with a strange set smile on her
face
1t was a picture of her husband.
James Bart, taken in his handsome
young manhood The bold dark eyes
looked confidently into her own and
seemed to challenge her to criticise the
few words written in his Grabbed writ
ing across the bottom of the card:
TO Della. from James April 2,
1888" That was a year before he had
married Ann
Ann rose stifly to her feet and closed
the box with a snap; then she walked
deliberately to Della Priddy's door and
knocked loudly.
Come inF' said Delia's voice.
Miss Priddy was sitting near the
devastated supper table. her eyes red
from crying. The tail clock in the
corner was slowly ticking away the
minutes toward 6. when the expected
guests would arrive.
Instead OF feeling triumphant at the
downfall Of her enemy's hopes. Ann
Bart felt very small and mean But
she could be as magnanimous-
st was mad at you. Della Priddy. +"
she said In a low, even tone. because
you've always snubbed me and because
! you didn't ask me to your party. 50 |
came In and carted all your food up
into the attic, and it's there now. just
as good as ever. IN go up In minute
and bring 1t down want to ask you
a question, and you needn't be offend
ed You used to know my husband
before / was married. didn't your"
Delia's head lifted proudly, and she
broke the bitter silence Of yeara- Il
was engaged to him once. but he Tilted
me to marry you / never felt that i
wanted to have much to do with either
OF you when you came to Saltwater"
Il didn't know II. Della. but you
needn't have felt resentful. You ought
to be glad you never married James.
He was hateful He was a hard man
to live with i had hard lifeF Two
crimson spots giOwed In AIMS cheeks
as she bent over Della Priddy and kiss
ed her softly. I'm going up to get
that food now. i hope you'll forgive
me-" she added
a'Of course / do. I'm sorry ] acted
mean, but 1 couldn't see much Of him,
and It makes me feel better to know
he wasn't perfect" half laughed Della
as she returned AIMS caress- You'll
go and get ready for supper now.
won't you? And veil all like to see
the night blooming Sereus too"
VERY well. IN come in as soon as
] I've been up In the attic" returned
| Ann, Fastening away.
A little later, as she tied the white
lawn bow at her throat and touched
her soft puffs OF hair. she looked over
at the crayon portrait OF her husband
on the wall.
u