The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-10-25

The other woman fiared hercely.
I'm not jealous, not a mite, but can't
have 1t that way"
Now the power was In Rebecca's
hands. She could fay Ida Benjamin's
suffering heart with a detailed account
of how the defunct Jonah had In his
youth wooed her. His doglike devotion.
his obstinate refusal to take mo" for
an answer. had been village Jest.
These facts We're weapons in Rebecca's
hands. With them she might avenge
herself upon this woman who had de-
prived her of the man she loved and
destroyed her happiness through some
long cherished jealousy.
Ida Benjamin was waiting for Re-
becca's answer, hoping 1t would be
denial that she might carry forth to
confound her fellow busybodies, with
whom she waged alternate war and
peace and In whose midst regulations
were won and lost in an hour.
All at once Rebecca seemed to see
down into Ida Benjamin's sordid little
soul. and a reyulsion Of feeling swept
over her. A strange light came into
her eyes as she looked at the woman
standing there so curiously. subdued
and expectant. suffering fortunes of
jealousy, and she was filed with pity.
Then it was that Rebecca Oswald
spoke to her enemy and told her first
lie. Jonah came to see me few
times, Ida. but l guess he got tired of
me. | want you to bear in mind he
never asked me to marry him." Re
becca was quite pale when she con-
cluded.
The other woman sighed relievedly.
Her head went up with her accustomed
insolence. II never believed word of
1t, Rebecca. knew Sarah Quigly was
lying. | suppose you're willing to re-
peat that before herr"
II think | have said enough" re-
piled Rebecca YEARLY. The sunshine
had faded from the pond, and the
shadows seemed reflected in her face
III have TO be going now" Mrs.
Benjamin stood In the doorway looking
fancy In her harsh voice and strange
expression mingled with the triumph
in her hard eyes. 1t was almost as If
she felt sorry for Rebecca Oswald.
When Rebecca was alone she stared
through the lattice of hollyhocks with
strange sense of desolation. 1t had
been a hard day. The pressure of hui
initiation had been strong upon her.
and she had suffered. all at once she
beat her fists upon the window sill
with little fury Of despair. 1T Isn't
fair and just" she sobbed. After
awhile she arose and closed the win
dow. Touching the loom with one
slender hand. she looked down at the
maze of purple warp blurring before
her eyes.
II suppose peoples lives are like rag
carpetS-some's plain, some's striped
and others are Just hit or MISS with
lots of bright colors. Mines been In
stripes. with lots Of gray and black in
between for trouble guess 1t has
stopped now just as was beginning a
beautiful stripe, thinking all the rest
of the carpet was going to be that rosy
color. But I've got to keep on weav-
ing. It'll be drab colored for awhile
until get some sense into me-" She
dashed away the tears and straight.
ened proudly. 1--WE got to weave those
mats for Ida Benjamin. I've got to
make them so as to pay me back for
telling that lie."
The door few open with startling
suddenness. and Myron White stood
there. handsome, black eyed and with
black brows meeting In heavy frown.
His attitude was one of mingled shame
and defiance.
''Rebecea, Maria was down to the
store, and she told me that Ida Benja-
min had brought mats for you to make.
Where are they-hereT At Rebecca's
nod of assent Myron bent down and
swept Mrs. Benjamin's bags OF rag
balls into his arms and deposited them
In wheeIbarrow he had left outside
the door. Then he came back and
faced Rebecca in the gathering gloom
Of the weaving shed
I'm a doggoned fool" he said bitter
ly. 1--WE gone and cut myself off from
the only woman ! ever wanted to mar
ry just because-oh, I've got to tell 1t
SOS to do right by you. Rebecca. You
know | was getting up courage to ask
you to marry me when Ida Benjamin
got after me- | don't know what she
meant by it, but she said Edna. was
dying for love of me. Well. what
could do? When Maria told me you
was going to weave mats for US just
made up my mind I'd be a man. SO I've
been and told little Edna all about it
that If you won't have me don't care
whether anybody else does or not. And
she was just as glad as | was-said she
was planning to elope with Lance Way
land anyway. and she said she hated
me and my old rag mats. l can't trust
myself to talk to Ida Benjamin, but
I'm going to take her rags back. 1
won't have you making mats for her,
l hope you'll forgive me for all the
trouble. guess you never want to see
me again" He turned and walked dis
piritedly toward the door. II don't
suppose l deserve you should forgive
me-" he added.
Rebecca's eyes were heavy with un-
shed tears She who had patiently
taken up the weaving Of her drab fu-
ture suddenly found her welt was rose
and gold. All at once her restored
happiness found utterance In broken
words:
"Myron. | shall neyer--forgiye you