Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-05-22
CHAPTER Iv-contInued.


parents.
CHAPTER lv-Continued.
Beside Sara Wrandall, on the small.
pink divan, sat q stranger in this SON.
Der company: q young woman IN
black. whose pale face was uncovered.
and whose lashes were lifted 30 rarely
that one could not know Of the deep.
real pain that lay behind them. In her
Irish blue eyes.
She had arrived at the house an
hour or two before the time set for
the ceremony, in company with the
widow. True to her resolution, the
widow Of Challis Wrandall had re-
NAMED away from the home OF his
people until the last hour. She had
been consulted, to be sure. In regard
to the final arrangements. but the
meetings had taken place In her own
apartment, many blocks distant from
the house in lower Fifth avenue. The
afternoon before she had received
Redmond Wrandall and Leslie. his
son. She had not sent for them. They
came perfunctorily and not through
any sense of obligation. These two
at least knew that sympathy was not
what she wanted. but peace. Twice
during the two trying days. Leslie had
come to see her, Vivian telephoned.
On the occasion of his first visit.
Leslie had met the guest in the house.
The second time he called. he made
It q point to ask Sara all about her.
1t was he who gently closed the
door after the two women when. on
the morning of the funeral. they en-
tered the dark. nower-laden room In
which stood the casket containing the
body of his brother. He left them
alone together In that room for half
IN hour or more. and 1t was he who
went forward to meet them when they
came forth. Sara leaned on his arm
- she ascended the stairs to the room
where the others were waiting. The
ashen-faced girl followed.
Mrs. Wrandall, the elder. kissed
Sara and drew her down beside her
on the couch. To her own surprise. a
well a. that Of the others, Sara broke
down and wept bitterly. After all.
she was sorry for Challis' mother. II
was the human instinct. she could not
hold out against It And the older
woman put away the ancient grudge
she held against this mortal enemy
and dissolved into tears of real com.
passion.
A little later she whispered broken.
ly in Sara's ear: my dear, my dear
this has brought ~ together. hope
you will learn to love me-"
Sara caught her breath. but uttered
no word. She looked into her mother
in-law's eyes. and smiled through hel
tears. The Wrandalls. looking on In
amaze, saw the smile reflected In the
face Of the older woman. Then 1t wal
that Vivian crossed quickly and put
her arms about the shoulders Of heI
sister-in-law. The white nag on botf
sides.
Hetty Castleton stood alone and wa
vering. Just inside the door. Nc
stranger situation could be imagined
than the one in which this unfortunate
girl found herself at the present mo
ment She was virtually in the hands
Of those who would destroy her; she
was In the house of those who mos
deeply were affected by her act OF
that fatal night Among them all sh;
stood. facing them. listening to tn,
means and sobs. and yet her limbs die
not give way beneath her.
Some one gently touched her arm
II was Leslie. She shrank back. Z
fearful look In her eyes. In the semi
darkness he failed to note the expires
sion.
Wont you sit here?" he asked, in
dicating the little pink divan against
the wall. Forgive me for letting YOU
stand % long"
She looked about her. the wild light
still In her eyes. She was like a raj
In q trap.
Her lips parted. but the word Of
thanks did not come forth. A strange
inarticulate sound. almost q gasp
came instead. Pallid az a ghost. sht
dropped Imply to the divan. and dut
her fingers into the satiny seat. A,
II fascinated. she stared over tn,
black heads Of the three women imme
diately In front of her at the full
length portrait hanging where tn,
light from the hall fell upon It: tn,
portrait of dashing youth in riding
toys.
A moment later Sara wrandall cam,
over and sat beside her. The cir
shivered as with q mighty chill whel
the warm hand Of her friend fell upoI
hers and enveloped 1t in a firm clasp
His mother kissed me-" whispered
Sara. Did you see!"
The girl could not reply. She coult
only stare at the open door. A small
hatchet-faced man had come up from
below and was holding his head b
Leslie Wrandall-a man with shor
side whiskers, and a sepulchral lool
In his eyes. Then, having received ,
sign from Leslie. he tptoed away. AL
most instantly the voices of peopl,
singing softly came from some distan
remote part of the house.
And then. little later, the per
fectly modulated voice of a man II
prayer.
Back of her. Wrandalls: beside her
Wrandalls: beneath her. friends of tn,
Wrandalls; outside. the rabble, thos'
Who would Join with these black