Middletown transcript., 1910-09-24
BY FANNIE MEDBURY PENDLEToN

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had room but for one thought
that the man for whom she haG
ever cared, the one whom she hai
unjustly sent away was there il
Roseboro. She felt dizzy al
though tho solid ground were
reeling beneath her feet.
Miss Maynard Oh, Miss May
nard !?
1t was a woman's voice. Peace
turned and waited until the OBJ
jectionable Mrs. Ellison overtooh
her.
She was alone, and quite out Of
breath, while a deep flush had
submerged her fat face with a
tide of crimson.
Miss Maynard, I want to ask
a favor of you'll really don't
known how to put it, but I'm
not exactly pleased with the pew
assigned me. I thought that
you-as I contribute so much to
the support of the church, and
would even be willing to increase
my straightforward, would al
low me to exchange pews with
you.
Peace gasped. The effron-
terry of the woman left her
speeches.. No request could
have seemed more brazen than
this, The Judges pew had al
ways seemed q part of her life,
and she had never questioned
her right to it. Had not her
family built the little stone
STRAIGHTFORWARD the very town
itself?
Why, it is the Judges pew, she
stammered. It has always been
in my family.
Yes, / know, assented Mrs.
Ellison. OF course, you will al.
ways be welcome to sit in it-at
least when I have no guests-but
l really feel that, as the largest
contributor, I should have schoice
of pews.
She removed her glasses and
polished them upon her lace
handkerchief. Her hands trem-
bled a little, for she was not sure
Of her ground. Nothing but the
longing for the Judges pew
would have induced her to face
Peace and ask a favor. Mrs.
Ellison had never felt at ease
with gentle Miss Peace.
Poor Peace +! Her narrow world
reeled. Following so closely up
on the encounter of the morning,
this was almost the last straw.
No one realized better than her.
self the difficulties of the church
to make both ends meet-how
much this woman g money meant |
and in the midst of her bewil-
lered misery, she knew that
here was but one thing for her
% do: But she could not bring
herself to look at the woman.
Through her mind fitted the
memory Of the stately, white
haired, old Judge. Would he not
rise from the grave?
She drew sharp breath.
Very well, Mrs. Ellison, she
said III a voice that did not sound
1t all like her own, you may con-
iider the pew yours.
She hurried away toward the
prick house that lay behind the
stone wall. Her unsteady steps
rod the gravel path between the
inc Of damask roses; the door
swung open. Directly opposite,
he portrait of the Judge gazed
Iternly down at her, from the
vail; and, seized with a sickening
ceiling that she had for the first
md only time in her life betrayed
he family traditions, she low
red her eyes and crept guiltily |
y into the next room.
She thought it all over as she
;at that warm afternoon on her
ihady porch; and, although her
conscience acquitted her, there
'emained q great lump in her
hroat. A dreadful loneliness,
'efore unreslized seemed to have
descended Suddenly and wrapped
Ter in its dresry folds: and the
Unexpected presence OF the
tranger in Roseboro tended to
ccentuate this sense of solitude.
The would not allow herself to
hink about him. nor be disturbed
" his coming. Perhaps, she
DID herself he had not recognized
be girl he had loved years before,
erhaps- but deep down in her
cart Peace Maynard knew that
9 was the only man who had
over to disturb her quiet life in
1ch fushion; a sense of fatality
as upon her, and her eyes .