The Holly chieftain., 1911-12-01

Mrs. Brinkley came over with q
,atch of bread for Stephen Strong.
Il should think you'd get married"
she said. daringly
Stephen smiled al her. How many
times have you said that to me, Mrs.
Brinkley?"
81 shall say 1t until you give me
an answer"
"All that Is over for me-" bitterly
Mrs. Brinkley turned and faced
him. you've never forgotten Mary
Dean?"
Nobody had spoken to Stephen Of
Mary Dean since. ten years ago. she
had Tilted him.
His head went up but he smiled
sadly. as Mrs. Brinkley laid her
wrinkled hand over his big brown
one. Il want to see you happy" she
said softly.
"oh. ! am happy. and I'm getting
to be very good housekeeper."
He carried the situation of SO
lightly that she had nothing else to
say. but when she reached the door
she turned and asked sharply. III
Mary should come back, what them"
Stephen stared at her. He had
never thought of that He had
planned his future with reference
only to his bachelor needs.
He walked to the gate with Mrs.
Brinkley. and when he came back the
loneliness of his big double house
struck him with a chill Stephens
mother had been with him until her
death. and she and her son had lived
III the newer part. The older wing.
furnished quantity in the style OF
early Victorian days. was open only
once year when Mrs Brinkley
supervised the cleaning and airing.
It was Mrs. Brinkley's neighborli-
ness which had made 1t possible for
Stephen to live alone. He loved her
not only for herself but because she
had always been friend of Mary
Dean.
Yet she had never dared speak to
him as she had spoken today. He
went about his tasks furiously, try.
ing to put out uf his head the thought
of his humiliation and consequent suf-
fering
Outside, It was night of wind
and Of storm. Wfthin. fire burned
on the hearth. and cat purred in
the warmth and glow. Stephen made
cup of coffee for himself and gave
the cat some meat and dish Of milk
| In younoo, ,narhnnd Ctapbop bod pot
cared fol cats. but now there was
something Of comfort in the presence
of this gentle. white creature
He sat long over the fire that night
dreaming. The door was shut be.
tween his portion of the house and
the empty rooms. Suddenly he sat
up startled 1t seemed to him that
somewhere family. he heard the
rustic OF wnman's dress.
He rubbed his hands across his
eyes. He must have fallen asleep.
and the swish of the rain on the win
dows had caused the illusion.
He rose. lighted lamp and went
to bed He left the cat on a cushion
on the hearth He thought he heard
the click of latch. 1T is the wind"
he said to himself. and fell asleep.
In the morning when he went
down the cat was still on the cushion
on the hearth rug. but there was
something else on the rug-a little
fine square Of white linen
Stephen picked up the handker.
chief and stared at It: then he looked
at the cat If only she could speak
what would she tell?
1t was while he was still standing
there that Mrs. Brinkley came rum
ming over We're you in the other
part Of your house last night7" she
demanded breathlessly.
mo" Instinctively Stephen hid
the little handkerchief in his big
hands
There was faint fickering
light" Mrs. Brinkley said. ''in one Of
the upper rooms"
"You must have been dreaming"
81 couldn't have been" Mrs. Brink.
ley Insisted for called Mr.. Brinkley
up to look at It,"
Dear Mrs. Brinkley." Stephen
asked, who would come into that
unheated place on such a night?"
We'll" Mrs. Brinkley said. de-
cidedly. 'if believed in ghost I
| should say that 1t was a ghost, and.