Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-29

II VILE two women came slowly down the path from
the warden gate to the road. At the last turn
they stopped abruptly if from spoken sug-
gestion and looked back at the prison. The thought
had come the mind of each For the first time since
conviction Hugh seemed to have passed from them
finally into land of utter strangeness gray place of
silence This had been their first visit the prison.
They had him in the livery of disgrace numbered
and yet they lived!
"Of what made, Janet, that can still keep
to the routine of existence after thiso' his mother qua
vered. "Why aren't we dead? Or why aren't we
ming mad through the world!
Janet gray eyes strained and heavily calm in
her marble pale face she stared at the granite walls
"Why? wonder? 4ou his mother; |, his wlfe!' She
turned sweety to the elder casping her hands
round her arm "Perhaps, dear, it has been decreed
that grief shall not kill that shall stay healthy and
sane, to be his comfort.
radiance of the soul overspread the mothers face,
transferring the vague under the lids that seemed
to have sagged from weight of tears. She listened
with craving. "Yes, Janet? Tell me more"
"From today, mother, we begin another life. We
two stand apart The rest of the world will only circle
round We shall be separate soul to SOUL heart to
heart, strapped together-you and l. mother, IN one
worship, one belief
@Hugh. Hugh the mother sighed in minor ecstasy.
@Our beloved is there Janet continued "the State
has taken him. Our for living is the knowledge
that he knows of belief in him. knows we live close
him, wait for him, and that the hours shall be per-
mitted spend with him be the little bridges OF
hope from month to month, year to year"
"The long long years. the mother sighed. "Ten'
"Perhaps not nine, Janet said in thrilling
tone "Hugh will be very wise and very good and they
will reward him.
After this they on in arm, silent, until the
white green shattered cottage about quarter of mile
from the prison reached. This their new home,
as close as might be to their hearts desire
A LMOST year went by in the white cottage. The
\ women lived in their thoughts and in frequent
speech of Hugh The placid, regular days were like
peaceful sea; but with gulf stream beneath it, burn
ing the approach of visiting day at the prison and
the memories left by it when it had passed.
Mrs: Faraday never knew exactly when she first
noticed the change in Janet After she noticed it she
before, vague, disturbing thing, like the senses
knowledge of approaching presence before is
At any rate, when she first said to herself, Janet is
somehow different, 1t If familiar hands had led
her from relit place into the cold and she had been
left standing there alone She and Janet had Eeen
than close to each other. This tragedy to Hugh this
bitter unjust thing this cruelty of life had fairly melted
them together Nothing else had been zeal to them. AS
is the that have looked into the abyss the
world had faded to a blur Its ambition and activity
seeming trivial the industry agitating anthl
So what could have changed Janet? Nothing new had
happened. Suspense was over. There only the
waiting. What then could agi ate Janet to make her
sit, she often did these days, like stone deaf like
stone, but with staring burning eyes If she found she
had been noticed she would herself and smile and
be more comforting than usual; but this did not
alter the tact that her tace was taking on dsquieng
look an iron look She was somehow different.
Mrs Faraday set herself to study the matter. No
could have reached Janet to unsete her faith in
Hughs innocence During the year there had been only
three journeys the city and they had gone together
There they had remained together except for few hours
when she had waited in the paor of hotel while
Janet had visited old pensioner of hers.
Always early riser, she the mail first: no letter
seeming curl Gus had arrived There other positive,
reassurng signs that her devotion to Hugh remained
pure and whole-the small silver that stood before
his photograph was never without its spray of fresh
flowers material symbol of her adorng memory, and,
though Just before the regular visit to the prison
she would draw into herself she pulled the
down upon her soul and shut herself in with something
secret while with Hugh she would become her old SELF
confidential, almost gay in her dominant cheerfuness
and full OF small concerns for his comfort When the
visit was over animation would begin to fade from her,
until gradually she would slip back into her stony calm,