The Irish standard., 1914-03-14

themselves together and thouxht too.
that abe seemed strangely pale. The
swift and tragic sequel to that meet.
Ing was the hardest to tell, and a she
ended she put up her hand to her
shoulder, holding it hard. 1T VA
horrtble!" she said. Yet now she did
not 'shudder. Strangely enough. the
sense Of loathing which had been
surging over her at recurrent inter.
walls ever since that hour In the wood.
had vanished utterly!
She read the Newspaper article
aloud and her mother listened with an
expression that puzzled her. When
she finished. both were silent for a
moment, then she asked, You must
have known his father. dearest: didn't
| you?"
YES" said Mrs. cambridge after {.
pause. "I-knew his father"
Shirley said no more. and facing
each other In the candle-glow, across
the spotless damask. they talked. as
with common consent, of other things.
She thought she had never seen he,
mother more brilliant. An odd excite
ment was flooding her cheek with rec
and she chatted and laughed as she
had not done for years.
But after dinner the gaiety and eff
fervescence faded quickly and Mrs.
cambridge went early to her room
She mounted the stair with her arm
thrown about Shirley's plant waist
At her door she kissed her, looking a,
her with a strange smile. How Gu.
rious." she said, as II to herself, that
1t should have happened today"
The reading-lamp had been lighted
on her table. She drew a slim golG
chain from the bosom of her dress
and held to the light q little locket
brooch 1t carried. 1t was of black en-.
amel, with tiny laurel-wreath Of
pearls on one side encircling a single
diamond. The other side was of crys
tai and covered q baby's russet.col
ored curl. In her fingers 1t opened
and disclosed miniature at which
she looked closely for q moment.
Her eyes turned restlessly about the
room. 1t had been hers as q girl, TO.
| Rosewood had been the old Garland
homestead. 1t seemed now all at once
to be full Of calling memories Of hel
youth.
How strange that it should have
been today" It had been on Shirley's
lips to question, but the door had
closed, and she went slowly down.
stairs. She sat q while thinking, but
at IL 9Th grew restless and began tc
walk to and fro across the floor, her
hands clasped behind her head SO that
the cool air filled her flowing sleeves
In the hall she could hear the leisure
~ kon-kon-kon.kon of the tall clock
The evening outside was exquisitely
stin and the metallic monotone was
threaded with the airy flddle-f1ddle OF
crickets in the grass and punctuated
with the rain-glad cloap Of frog.
Shirley stepped lightly down to the
wet grass. Looking back, she could
see her mothers lighted blind. All
around the ground was splotched with
rose-petals. looking in the squares of
light like bloody rain. She skinned
the lawn and ran little way down
the lane. A shutting sound presently
fell on her ear.
rs that you, Unc' Jeferson?" she
called softly.
"Yas'm!" The footsteps came near
O. cts me. Miss Shirley" He ii,
cred noiselessly. and she could SET
his bent form vibrating in the gloom.
'Yo' reck'n All done fergit?"
NO, indeed. knew you wouldn't
do that. How is he?"
He right much bettah," he replied
In the same guarded tone. "Doctah
he say he be all right in er few days,
on'y he gotter lay up er while. Dat
was er ugly nip he got f'om dat 'spis.
able reptyle."
DO you think there can be any
others about the grounds?"
Nom. Dey mostly keeps ter de
ma'sh-lan' en- on'y runs whah de I'M.
dah.bresh ez thick. l gwineter fix dat
ter-morrow. Mars Valiant he tell me
ter grub ct all out en- make er bon.
fab oh it."
That's right, Unc' Jefferson. Good
night, and thank you for coming"
She started back to the house, when
his voice stopped her.
Mis- Shirley, yo' dom keer ef de
ole man geddahs two er three OBJ dem
roses? Seems LAX young mars
moughty fon' OBJ dem. He got one In
er glass but cts mos daid now"
wait a minute" she said, and dis
appeared In the darkness, returning
HI}s ByXAl