The Washington herald., 1914-03-06
DAILY SHORT STORY.
THE SIX YEARS.
By LAURA KIRKMAN.

\
of tea for the girl from home, the girl
who had seen her in her hour of deepest
humiliation
"And how Is George?" she asked
frankly. striving to pronounce her hus-
bands name as though 1t were that of
any friend.
| Maud Radway started.
'T believe he's well." she said guarded
ly, though I seldom see him. He stays
on his farm most of the time"
And your cousin Amy?" went on the
older woman swiftly. seeing the girls en-
| Ibarrassment rs she well, too?"
At the mention Of this name Maud's
eyes snapped.
Yes, she's WELL" she answered ex-
citedly. but she's going to marry that
Frank Collier-that drunkard, She's silly
enough to think, she can reform him."
The words froze on her lips. She had for
gotten. for the instant. that Mrs. Ban
croft had married "drunkard."
But Edna Bancroft was neither hurt
nor angry. She smiled kindly into the
girls horror-struck face
Let her marry him." she said, frankly.
He'll never reform without her help;
perhaps with II. he can. Just because
my trial failed, there Is no reason to
believe that hers will"
Maud was speechless. She marveled at
the woman's frankness. But she was
yet to marvel still more
What is, is," went on Edna Bancroft.
And IL might as well be brought out
into the daylight Anyway. 1t will do me
good to talk. The reason couldn't re-
| form George was that got hold of him
too late; he was beyond reform. He al
| ways made me think of a piece of cloth
which once must have been fine and deli
| cately colored. but which had fallen into
the hands Of unskiIled dress-makers who
marred, and soiled. and miscut him.
When I married hin,>he was a garment
bungied beyond repair"
She got up now. With reminiscent eyes,
she wandered TO the window.
And yet" she went on. staring down
,, ur- ceingly at the street. I'D do II all
over again. I'd marry him again, know
ing this, for those first six years when
he was trying
Swiftly Maud Radway rose Tears stung
her eyes. She hoped Mrs Bancroft would
understand that her train left in fifteen
minutes; that she simply had to go: but
whether she did or not. Maud had no
voice to tell her. She was thankful when
she was out In the hall with the door
closed between them.
On the other side of the closed door
Edna stood a moment with clenched
hands; then, bending wearily, picked up
her sewing. She sat down beside her
work table. Desperately she tried to
focus her thoughts on her work. on the
dance dress she was making for Miss
Evans, and the evening wrap for Mrs
Perrin-on the triumph of having SUCCESS
fully transplanted a business from Green
dale to New York.
Rut she failed mis- 80 ,o,-o., hoz
mind. All she could do was 10 hold the
coft dance-frock material in her hands
and stare at 1t viciously. She sank her
head into the soft fabric and vried. In
its whiteness she seemed to find George
George as he was in the years when he
was trying.
And Maud. on a train flying back to
Greendale, was crying too.
George Bancroft shall know Just how
big a monster he is" she vowed dazedly.
TIL tell him-in a round about way, Of
course; but I'll tell him just how she
feels about things. He shall know how
helpless a thing he has crushed"
When she reached Greendale, instead
or going to MIN, she took a hack to
George Bancroft's farm.
Reform work: not a social call,' she
explained to the hack driver. whose wife
belonged to Maud's sewing club. and who
was, therefore. a person worth explain
ing TO.
George Bancroft was eating dinner
when she arrived.
Il won't keep you a minute" she said
with feigned :riendliness. Il Just drove
out TO ask YOU = question: Would YOU
be so kind as to let me hire the young
man on your place who, / hear, is able
to tune pianos? My piano is frightfully
out OF tune and the travelling tuner
"Of course!' said tie man cordially.
I'D be only too glad to. Miss Radway.
You shall have him tonight
Tonight she cried. "Oh, how lovely,
Then / can try my new music over to-
night. You see, I've been in New York
all day buying music-for a church per-
formance-and I'm simply crazy to
try it,
AS she hoped. at the mention OF New
YORK a change passed over the mans
face. A keener look came into his eyes
Sit down." he begged hastily. Don't
be in hurry! I'd like to hear about
New fork-if IL has changed since 1
saw it, and all that
Gladly she sat down. With a feigned
carelessness she passed her hand wearily
over her head G1d said:
I'm afraid / can't tell you much about
the city; / didn't have any time TO
waste admiring it I was too busy rush
ing around. doing shopping and seeing
my friends-by the way. 1 saw your
wife,
The effect upon him was electric. He
half started from his chair.
Edna" escaped him involuntarily-
She nodded lightly. And Miss Trevors,
and Mrs. Bourke. too. You remember
Mrs. Bourke-"
But she got no further
Yes, yes. but. Edna" said Bancroft
sharply. Tell me about her."
In his excitement he rose from his
chair and began pacing the floor His
hands clinched and unclinched them
selves as he went on.
rs she wel?' he threw out testify. as
though commanding a child.
Maud took her cue of stupidity She
stared at him in a bovine, half-startled
way.
Yes and she asked after you. too. But
1 think I'll better go. Good night, Mr..
Bancroft" She made a quick motion as
IL to 60.
Bancroft intercepted her. He barred
the door calmly.
You're going to tell me what Edna
said about me. first he said sternly.
sit right down there. Maud Radway,
and tell me every word.
But she-she wouldn't like it. She
dion't think I'd tell any one"
He stared at her sternly.
go on" he prompted.
TITS perfectly dreadful Mother al
ways says I can't keep anything Well,
she just asked after you. and said-that
is, when I told her that Amy was going
to marry Frank Collicr-she said. Let
her do 1t. Perhaps she can help him.
T. n a.