Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-08-29

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You know wouldn't dare open
them IL was not telling you the truth.
II was hot in the woods. and l stopped
at Curney's as l passed for drink
Elvira's bedridden old mother heard
me. and she was SO crazy for some one
to talk with stepped in minute.
saw Robert come down the path. Ell
vira saw him, too. and she ran out OF
the house to head him of. He brought
her his violin and told her to get ready
and meet him in the woods with 1t that
night and they would go to dance.
She took It and hid il in the little loft
TO the wellhouse and promised she'd
co."
care YOU done?" demanded Mrs.
Coustock.
NO. nm going to tell you the whole
story. You don't spare ElnOra any
thing. I shan't spare you. l went to
Elviru, told her what knew and made
her give me Comstock's violin for FL
nora over three years ago She's been
playing it ever since. won't see her
sighted and abused another day Oh
account Of II man who would have bro
ken your heart If he had lived. He was
one OF those men who couldn't trust
himself, and SO no woman was safe
with him. Now. will you drop griev-
ing over him and do Elnora justice?"
Mrs. Comstock gripped the hoe tight
er, ana, turning. she went down the
walk and started across the woods to
the home of Elvira Carney. With
averted bead she passed the pool, stead
lily pursuing her way. Elvira Carney,
hanging towels across the back fence,
saw her coming and went toward the
gate to meet her. Twenty years she
had dreaded that visit Mrs. Comstock's
face and hair were so white that her
dark eyes seemed burned into their
setting Silently she stared at the wo-
man before her long time.
II might have saved myself the trou-
bic of coming" she said at last. II see
you are guilty ms sin
What has Mag Sinton been telling
your" painted the miserable woman,
gripping the fence.
1.-The truth" answered Mrs. Com
stock succinctly. Guilt Is IN every
line Of your face, In your eyes, all over
your wrctched body"
IF you knew what I've suffered"
"Suffered?' jeered Mrs. Comstock.
That's interesting. And pray. what
have you suffered?"
"All the neighbors have suspected
and been down on me. l amt had a
friend. I've always felt guilty Of his
death! I've seen him go down thou
| sand times, plain as ever you did.
Many's the night I've stood on the
other bank of that pool and listened
to you. and l tried to throw myself In
to keep from hearing you, but l didn't
dare. I knew God would send me to
burn forever. but I'd better done 1t,
for now he has set the burning on my
body. and every hour it is slowly eat
ing the life out Of me. The doctor
says it's n cancer
Mrs. Comstock exhaled long breath
Her grip on the hoe relaxed, and her
stature lifted to towering height.
81 didn't know or care when l came
here just what did" she said. But
my way Is beginning to clear II the
guilt Of your soul has come to head
in cancer on your body. It looks as
II the Almighty didn't need any OF m!
help in melting out his punishments
really couldn't fix up anything tC
come anywhere near that. If you ART
going to burn until your life goes ou
with that sort Of FIRE, you don't owe
me anything.
'If you will gather lot Of red clove
bloom and make a tea strong as I've o
it and drink quarts / think likely 4
will help you. II you are not too faI
gone. Anyway, 1t will cool your blood
and make the burning easier to bear.
Then she swiftly walked home. En-
ter the lonely cabin she could not
neither could she sit outside and think
She attacked bed of beets and hoet
until the perspration ran from he
face and body. then she began on th'
potatoes. When she was too tired t
take another stroke she bathed anc
put on dry clothing. In securing he
dress she noticed her husbands care
fully preserved clothing lining ONT
wall. She gathered it in Il great arm
load and carried 1t out to the swamp
Piece by piece she pitched into tn,
green nav of the quagmire ali thos,
articles she had busted carefully ant
fought moths from for years and stoo'
watching as it slowly sucked then
down. She went back to her room
and gathered every scrap that had II
any way belonged to Robert Com
stock, excepting his gun and revolver
and threw 1t isto the swamp. The
for the first tine she set her doc
wide open.
She was too weary now to do more
but an urging unrest drove her. Sh
wanted Elnora. 1t seemed to her sh
never could wait until the girl cam
and delivered her Judgment. At las
in an effort to get nearer to her, Mrs
Colnstock climbed the stairs and stoo
looking around Elnora's room. 1t wa
very unfamiliar. The pictures wer
strange to her. Commencement ha
filed it with packages and bundles
The walls We're covered with cocoOns
moths and dragon flies were pinne
about.
Under the bed she could see a hal
dozen large white boxes. She did nc
know what they contained. She pulle
ont one and lifted the lid. The bOttor
was covered with sheet Of thin corl
nd tx.l.t In,