Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-05-05
She said crisply:

/
Il CHANGED WHEN GILBERT
I'VE suspect Lemaltre of having been
here"
"That is" observed Father ONIara,
you suspect one member Of your
household Of having good heart"
at II question " obedience. Our
household obeys my brother"
Even when he is wrong!' There
was a trace Of bitterness in the priests
tone
She said codly:
"In wha, touches the honor Of his
family my brother cannot be wrong"
as it your heart that speaks" que
ried O'Mara slowly. "or your head|'
The color rose to her cheeks.
81 cannot listen" she declared quick
ly. And then. 81 came here to dis
cover
You came TO find out" he inter
rupted. 'if 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'l not stay!" she cried.
"You will"
you're wrong to compel me 10 do
this" she eXpOstulated agitatedly.
And if what they say of her in the
village is true
What is that?"
"That her mind" she began hesltat-
ingly; then. I'm afraid
Afraid" he said slowly. ut is
only little white butterfly that has
broken its wings"
He might have said more But then
she came-the 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,
"NIy niece" And then as she came
nearer. this slender figure with the
empty eyes, she said
You know mef"
Empty eyes turned to her. Empty
voice answered:
eyes; you're Aunt Marguerite"
"You looked at me as though | were
stranger All, to think you brought
this suffering on yourself"
Empty voice said slowly, evenly:
"Suffering?"
"She does not suffer" declared
O'Mara. Her very incapacity for
/ Tn, - hnr ch
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:
"She ought to feel. She ought to
Think
81 do think" said the empty voice.
81 think all the time. | keep wonder
ng-wondeiing-I wonder why Gill
bert died. That was curious
you ought not to think Of himl
You ought to shudder at the thoughtw
81 think-and remember" the emp
ty voice continued. Il remember that
Raoul said 1t came to you all at once:
1t absorbed you. so that not fear nor
shame nor death could stop you. And
/ remember that 1t did come to me
just as he said. You see how we'll
remember that That was just the
way it was then"
You ought to think Of your punish
ment!"
Ought IL" Empty eyes were raised.
"was that punishment when lost
INV soul? I don't see how II can be.
Furnishing Is hurting. isn't TT How
can I be punished when nothing hurts
me?'
But It ought to! You must feel IT,"
But 1 can't. Don't you see? l am
dead. The candles are lighted for me.
l don't know where my soul is. | lost
1t wher l died. II you do that you
can never find 1t again. There was the
forest. and l followed him and found
him there. And l loved him very
much. That Is why l died think
all the time. you see, and l have
found out that IL you love any one
very much you must lose your soul
for 1t and die"
Mile. de valette shook her head slow
ly. Tears came to her eyes.
Broken wingsl' murmured the
priest.
"why do you cryr" the empty voice
asked. That's only one Of Gods ways,