The Washington times., 1913-06-16

were the same high cheekbones. the
heavy eyebrows, the mouth of IRON.
! The blood of many generations OF stern
yeomen was in her veins.
'Tis well for you, Cicely, she SAID,
and her voice, metallic enough at al
to bite the close air like q rasp. us
| well enough for you, Cicely. who had
but little to do with him. but do yo.
forget that / was his affianced wife!
have stood dp in the meeting.n4eSnse eSss
for grace. The hypocrite. The aoan.
| doned wastreL That he, who migh'
have been the pastor Of Feldwtck. aye,
| and have been chosen to serve IN the
| towns even. should have wandered 10
miserably."
The young girl was watching q
smoke-begrimed sparrow on the sill
with eyes at once vacant ana tenoer.
| She was slighter and smaller than nei
sister, of different complexion, with
soft, gray eyes. and a broad. numerous
kindly. She had delicate prettness
of coloring. and a vivacity which seem
| ed to place her among different oroef
of beings. Never were sisters more
alike and unlike in this world.
Sometimes" she said renectively.
| not very hard upon Douglas. He was
| SO different from everybody else there,
| SO fond of books and pictures, clever
people and busy places. There was nc
one in Feldwick with whom he could
have had any tastes at all In common
not a scholar among the lot Of US"
Joan frowned heavily. Her dark
brows contracted. the black eyes fash
pictures and books" she muttered.
do with these? Douglas Guest had
chosen his path in life"
Nay" Cicely interrupted eagerly. 1T
was chosen for him. He was so young.
and father was very stern and obsti-
nate, as who should know better than
ourselves. Joan? Douglas never scanned
happy after he came back from college.
His life was not suitable for him."
joan was slowly getting angry.
Mot suitable for him?" she retorted:
choose? 1t was rare fortune for him
| that father should have brought him up
| as he did. You'll say next that I was
forced on him, that he didn't ask me to
be his wife-aye, and stand hand In
hand with me before all Of them.
You've forgotten 1t. maybe"
But Cicely. to whom that day had
been one of agony, marked with black
stone. never to be forgotten, shook her
head with a little shudder
I'm sure / never hinted at It, Joan"
she said; but for all you can say. be-
Maybe" Joan answered coldly. but
/ am not yet believing 1t. It's led astray
I believe he was. and heavy's the PEN
atty he'll have to pay. It's my notion
I'm here. tn be day Of reckoning
when we meet him; but it'll come. Cice-
ly. I've dreamed Of 1t, and it'll come.
I'll never bend my knee at meeting till
I've found him.
It'll never bring poor father back to
he Yy,f,rrnnrad hou
back to Feldwick. Joan. There's the
farm-you and Reuben Smith could
work II well enough. Folks there will
think you're out Of your mind staying
on here in London"
Folks may think what they will" !"
she answered savagely. I'll not 60
back till Douglas Guest hangs"
Then may you never see Feldwick
again." Cicely prayed.
YOU'RE but a poor creature yourselfr'
Joan cried. turning upon her with a
sudden passion. You would have him 60
unpunished-the robber. murderer, de-
ceiver, Oh. don't think that I never
saw what was in your mind! I know
very well what brings you here now
You want to save him: I saw It all many
time at Feldwick. but you've none so
much to hatter yourself about. He took
little enough notice of me. and none at
all of you. He deceived us all and as
I'm a living woman he shall suffer for
it."
Cicely rose up with pale face
JOAN" she said, you are talking Of
the dead"
But Joan only scoffed. She was
woman whose beliefs. once allowed to
take root in the mind. were unassailable
argument Douglas Guest was alive,
and 1t was her mission to bid him stand
forth before the world. She was the
avenger-she believed in herself The
spirit of the prophecies was In her
veins. She grew more tolerant toward
her younger sister. After all. she was
of weaker mold. How should she see
what had come even to her only as an
Inspiration?
Come. Cicely." she said. I'm not
for bandying words with you. The
world is wide enough for both Of US.
Let us live at peace toward one another.
at any rate. There's tea coming-poor
stuff enough, but it's city water and city
milk You shall sit down and tell me
what has brought you here; for it's not
only to see me, / guess"
The tea was brought: they sat and
discussed their plans. Cicely had fol-
lowed her sister to London. utterly un-
able to live any longer in a place so
full of horrible memories. They had
a little money-Cicely. almost enough to
live on. but she wanted work. Joan
listened, but for her part she had little
to say. Only as the clock drew near Z
o'clock she grew restless. Her atten.
ton wandered. She looked often to-
ward the window.
you'll stay the night here. anyhow.
sister?' she said at last.
why, I'd counted on it." Cicely ad-
mitted.
We'll, that's settled. then. This is
mostly the time i go out. Are you 60
ing with me, or will you rest bit?"
Cicely rose up briskly.
"I'U come along" she said. "A walk
will do me good. The airs so cruel
close up here.
Joan hesitated.
I'm a fast walker" she said. ''and l
go far
But Cicely, who OWNED something to
the truth. hesitated no longer. not even
for a second.
II will come" she said.