The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-04-28

without, cut the sunlight from the win dow. He looked. then turned back aghast
 ''Tis Mile. Marguerite!" he cried eff she finds out that I've been here''-
 Father O'Mara indicated another door.
 60 out that way. then.' he said.
 Mile. de Valette came with the oth- CTS going. Father O'Mara greeted her.
 She said crisply:
 "We suspect Lemaitre of having been here''
 ''That is.'' observed Father O'Mara, "you suspect one member of your household of having good heart"
 ''It is a question of obedience. Our household obeys my brother" "Even when he is wrongr" There was trace of bitterness in the priests tone.
 She said coldly:
 "In what touches the honor of his family my brother cannot be wrong.''
 els it your heart that speaks" que Fied O'Mara slowly. ''or your head?'
 The color rose to her cheeks.
 ''I cannot Hsten," she declared quick ly. And then, ''I came here to dis cover''-
 'You came to find out" he inter- rupted. eff that old servant of yours had a heart. so that your brother could punish him for it Well. you shall not go until you have seen what your brothers kind .of honor has done to the most honorable of all the De Va lettes.''
 'I'li not stayi' she cried
 $sYou wilIi'
 f. $r Hn thist'' she expostulated agitatedly. s'And if what they say of her in the village is true''-
 ssWhat is that2 2''
 ''That her mind." she began hesitat- ingly: then. .'I'm afrafdr'
 s'Afraidp' he said slowly. 'sIt is only little white butterfly that has broken it's wings
 He might have said more. But then she came-tfle little figure that they had tortured the soul from She came slowly into the room. and calmly. and the great emptiness might have been great peace had one not known.
 Under her breath her aunt cried, ssAIy niecer' And then. as she came nearer this slender figure with the empty eyes. she said:
 .tYou know me?"
 Empty eyes turned to her. Empty voice answered.:
 "Yes: you re Aunt Marguerite''
 "tYou looked at me as though were 8 stranger An. to think you brought this suffering on yourself"
 Empty voice said slowly. evenlys
 'Sufering?"
 sShe does not suffer,'' declared O'Mara Her very incapacity for pain is her disease If only she could feel. even to suffer! The day that again you see tears in her eyes she will be saved"
 Mile. de valette spoke quickly. SC verely:
 s.she ought to feel! She ought to think!'
 .sI do think" said the empty voice. "I think all the time. keep wonder fng-wondering-I wonder why Gill bert died. That was curious.''
 You ought not to think of him! 1 You ought to shudder at the thoughtI'' ss1 think-and l remember" the emp | ty voice continued "I remember that I Raoul said it came to you all at once: I 1t absorbed you so that not fear nor shame nor death could stop. you. And I I remember that it did come to me l just as he said You see how we'll remember that. That was just the way 1t was then.' si
 "You ought to think of your punish ment.''
 fought I ?'' Empty eyes were raised 1 '.Was that a punishment when ! lost l my soul? don't see how it can be- Furnishing is hurting. isn't it7 How gan be punished when nothing hurts me?''
 .But 1t ought to. You must feel itr'
  dead. The candles are lighted for me- | don't know where my soul is. lost it when died. If you do that you can never find it again. There was the forest, and I followed him and found f him there. And I loved him very much That is why I died. think all the time. you see. and have found out that if you love any one very much you must lose your soul for it and die.''
 Mile. de Valette shook her head slow I. Tears came to her eyes.
 Broken wfngs!" murmured the priest
 e'Why do you cry9'' the empty voice lsked. That's only one of Gods ways. sn't it?''
 Gods ways!'' cried Mile. de valette Gods punishment of sin!'
 The priest turned upon her.
 Gods way!" he cried vehement1y. Do you think a worm in the dust can understand why a man rides by? Do Eou think that because we can see the | of one of Gods thoughts our title minds can follow to the end of what he is thinking? Down here in the lust we call them Gods ways, but hey are only mans mistakes. Down he river there were men-God's crea-, ures, brothers they should have been killing each otheri And they killed his boy! There's one old man over Eonder so filled with phantorns and obwebs and the ghosts of things that houldn't have been that he lets his ride murder the father in him. And he two crimes together are destroy ng this child You call that Gods