Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-12-16

would be Sunday, a free day for him, be-
cause the local train did not run. He
would start from Hereford and walk along
the line to the cottage, a bare seven
miles, and he would at least see and
speak with this girl face to face. He
could not know the exact nature Of the
catastrophe which had happened to her,
but he understood that, in its grip, she
had stil held to their unspoken friend
ship, and that the taCit bond had emerged
from it, a thing which present calamity
had not been able to break. lie scarcely
knew what he meant to do when he
should meet her, but he felt as If a gate
had opened And through the gate he
would go.
on Sunday morning Joshua rose to find .
Hereford enveloped in the mist Of COM
ing heat and at half-past eight he drop |
ped on to the permanent way beyond the |
signal box on the Worcester line to begin |
his seven mile walk alongside the sleep |
crs. II was almost eleven o'clock when !
Joshua reached his goal and descending |
the embankment slipped through a weak /
place in the hedge and approached the |
cottage door
The smoke still rose from the chimney,
but there was neither sound nor stir |
within, and having knocked unsuccess-
fully the young man went into the or
chard. The row Of beehives was in its
place, and as he stood looking at them
and debating what he should do the
hot air. lie listened, smiling at his own
stupidity. OF course-she was at church,
He FASTENED through the garden, fol-
| lowing the sound, and came out on "A mar
row country road. In front OF him a
stout woman was pressing forward. book
in hand, with conscience stricken haste.
and in the wake Of this unconscious guide
! he soon found himself at the lych gate
| OF a small square lowered church. The
/ woman hustled through the churchyard
and was lost in the deep shadows OF the
! porch The echo Of her creaking boots
/ filed IL as she entered.
! lie followed her to the inner door. step
/ ping Ike thief and pecred in. The
/ prayer had long begun ana his eyes
searched the kneelnE congregation for
/ the figure he wanted and stopped at a
/ row Of cross seats facing the aisle on the
. hither side Of the chanCel arch The girl
/ was there, he could see her attentive pro-
file above her book and her bright hair He
knew her at once. and her unrelieved
black clothes confirmed the recognition.
4 He drew back stealthily and went out
/ into the churchyurd, for there was no
/ vacant seat near the door.
From inside the building came the drone
~ collective voices SAYING the Lords
/ prayer, and soon after Dee heard the
sound OF the congregation rising Sus-
peu~e began TO weigh ou him. So he got
up and wandered about reading epllphs
with half mind that scarcely took iu
their significance. Then the organ began,
and the words OF the hymn carried him
back to the house IN the orchard
Jerusalem the golden sang the
voices. and at these words the two tall
orange lilies by the doorstep rose before
Joshua. who stood stiil. staring at the
. inner vision.
lie awoke from his abstraction to see
"A black figure emerge quickly from the
porch.
She was coming towards him. her eyes
blind with tears No doubt something
In the service had upset her and she had
fed. unable 20 control herself Joshua
was standing In the shade OF tree, but
with the light OF the blazing moon on her
wet eyes she seemed not to see him
lie walked quickly forward and stood
in her path.
It's me-" he said simply
She stopped. drawing a long, quiyering
breath.
I'm here" said Joshua. ITS me. I
saw you from the engine"
Then he took her hand and led her to
the stone bench. she went with him.
uuresisting
She looked up at the young fireman
with the conhding simplicity Of child
1t were the hymn" shr said at LAST
twas about Jerusalem. and thought
remembered the Lights o. Jerusalem by.
the doorstep. I've seen them there ali
my lie, but thercl bee no more o. them
for me. soon"
You be going away them" asked
Joshua.
Fathers dead" She continued. He'd
never left his bed for four years l
minded him. He couldn't see nothing
hut from the window where his bed
We're. but the interest he'd take He'd
c4H me in from the garden ana ask how
II was an looking and how the birds
was building. and about the eurrauts and
the the flowers and the apples He could
tell the shape Of every tree. though ne
hadn't seen them for $50 long. And he
liked tho trains too. lie could just see
You where he VAS living an no more when
the train went hy the white post on the
bank. II made him feel kind of chcery-
like 90 know YOU were coming. Twenty
past eleven Winnie. he'd say 10 me. It's
time for the engine"
She had stopped crying. ana was
smiling as she recalled these things.
Then he knew me-" said the young
man rcncctVelN strange that never
thought of any one else being behind the
windows. l only thought about YOU and
them Lights OF Jerusalem when We came
round the bend
He never missed looking out--not tn
the last day He wouldn't have missed
you for anything"
Inside the church the parsons voice had
stopped, ana general stamping and
rustling proclaimed the end of the SER
, mon.
Il must 60. They'll be coming out.
and don't want to meet Them" said the
girl rising quickly
I'm coming with you" said Joshua
. They walked back hurredy to the cot
tage, for the dispersed congregation was
almost treading on their heels: and she
told him, with primness that was in
odd contrast with their unconventional
attitude. that she did not want the
neighbors to see her with a stranger so
soon after the funeral The road was
empty and they went along side by side
talking as though they had known each
other for years He learned she was to
leave her home a the end of the week
and take service with the wife of a small
innkeeper in Hereford. 1t grieved him to
see how much she dreaded the change
When they came within the sight of the
line he looked at the green embankment
with resentful eyes. Henceforth Il
would bring him four disappointments
daily.
You must be going, or they'll see
you" said she, as they stopped by the
orchard.
They stood for minue without speak
ing.
I'm look for you going by tomorrow"
said the girl; "therell be only few days
more now"
But I'll be near you in Hereford" said
he
Her face frightened.
MY dear" said Joshua suddenly.
mind YOU this I mayn't be the sort
O. Teller that's likely to please a girl. but
| I'm a M