Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-05-26
CHAPTER XXI.

An Interlude.

ger along their barred length-not a
pain, but as fear-inspiring as the
sound of the stealthy creep of the
assassin moving up behind to stvGa
| sudden ana mortal blow G.s
missed business and politics al
went cruising on the lakes with res
full, non-political Fred 6andys
After we had been hnocking al
perhaps week, we landed one nee.
at the private pier OF the Iiscomh
| to lunch with them AS Saudys
| strolled toward the front OF
house, several people, also gu S
for lunch, were just descending lrcg
long blackboard. At sight of o.
of them | stopped short irsid
though | mechanically continued to
walk toward her. | recognized hcr
instantly-the curve of her shoulder
the poise of Ter head and her wa.
! jet-black haif to confirm. And wi
| out the slightest warning there &C
| tumbling and roaring up to me a &
rent of longinss, regrets; and | s3i
denly had a clear understanding
my absorption in this wretchod %
l had been playing year in and y
out, with hardly a glance from ~.
table That wretched game WITH Is
counterfeit stakes; and the more d
man wins, the poorer he is
She seemed calm enough as Sc
faced me. Indeed | was not SUI
when she had first caught sight
me- or whether she had recognize
me, until Mrs Liscomhe began to in.
troduce US ooh, yes" she then in
! terrupted, Il RENE mber Senator Say
Ter very we'll We used to live in
the same town We went to the same
school" And with a friendly smile
she gave me her hand.
What did ! say? l do not know
! But l am sure | gave no sign of the
! clamor within. | had not cultivated
surface-calm all those years in vain
| talked, and she talked--but ! saw
only her face splendid fulfllment of
the promise of girlhood; l hardly
heard her words, so greatly was her
voice moving me. 1t was an unusual
ly deep voice for a woman sweet and
with a curious carrying quality that
made it seem stronger than il was. In
figure she was delicate, and radiant
of life and health-aglow, not ablaze.
She was neither tall nor short, and
was dressed simply, but in the fash
ion-I heard the other women dis
cussing her clothes after she left
And she still had the mannerism that
was most fascinating to me-she kept
her eyes down while she was talk
ing or listening, and raised them now
and then with full SLOW look at
you.
When Mrs. Liscombe asked her to
come to dinner the next evening with
the people she was visiting, she said:
Unfortunately, l must start for
Washington in the morning | am
overhaullng my school and building
an addition"
1t had not occurred to me to think
where she had come from or how
she happened to be there, or of any
thing In the years since | was last
with her. The reminder that she had
school came as a shock-she was
so utterly unlike my notion of the
head of a school. | think she saw
or felt what was in my mind for she
went on to me: I've had it six
years now-the next will be the sew
enth."
"Do you like it?" | asked.
Don't | look like d happy woman?"
"You do said l, after our eyes had
met You are"
There were 60 girls last year
SO" she went On. Next year there
will be more-about a hundred. It's
like a garden, and I'm the gardener,
busy from morning till night, with
no time to think of anything but my
plants and flowers"
She had conjured a picture that
made my heart ache. l suddenly felt
old and sad and lonely-a forlorn
failure. Il, too, am gardener" said
|. But it's sorry lot of weeds and
thistles that keeps me occupied And
in the midst Of the garden is a plum
tree that bears Dead Sea fruit"
She was silent
You don't care for politics?"
said l.
No" she replied, and lifted and
lowered her eyes in a slow glance
that made me wish | had not asked.
1T is, | think, gardening with weeds
and thistles, as you say" Then, after
a pause: do you like it?"
Don't ask me" | said with a bit
terness that made us both silent
thereafter.
That evening / got Fred to land me
at the nearest town. The train she
must have been on had just gone In
the morning | took the express for
the east. Arrived at Washington,
drove straight to her school
high iron fence. not obstructlng
the view from the country road a
long drive under arching naples and
beeches; rambling, fascinating old
house upon the crest of a hill; many
windows, a pillared porch a low,
very wide doorway Ii seemed like