The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-09-02
CHAPTER XVIII.
Aaron's Rod.


nowhere, and then suddenly to have a
companion by ones side, the very
sight Of whom enchanted the eye. the
very touch of whom delighted the
senses-what JOY unspcakable! Who
could sleep soundly when wakeful-
ness brought a train OF such blissful
thoughts?
Ivory! Ivory
He was fully awake now, for he
knew his mothers voice. In all the
years. ever thoughtful OF his comfort
and OF the constant strain upon his
strength. Lois had never wakened her
son at night.
"Coming. mother. comingr' he said.
when he realized she was calling him.
And. hastily drawing on some cloth
ing. for the night was bitterly cold, ne
came out of his room and saw MS
mother standing at the foot OF the
stairway with lighted candle In her
hand.
"Can you come down Ivory? 1t Is
strange hour TO call you. but | have
something to tell you-something l
have been piecing together for weeks,
something have just clearly remem-
bered"
eff it's something that won't keep
till morning. mother, you creep back
into bed and well hear 1t comforta-
bly," he said. coming downstairs and
leading her to her room. I'll smooth
the covers, so; beat up the pillows
there!-and throw another log on the
sitting room fire. Now. what's the
matter? Couldn't you sleep?"
"All summer long | have been trying
to remember something-something
untrue that you have been believing.
some falsehood for which i was re-
sponsible. / have pursued and pur-
sued II, but 1t has always escaped me.
Once II was clear as daylight, for Rod
man read me from the Bible plain
answer to all the questions that tor
tured me-"
THAT must have been the night that
she tainted" thought Ivory.
"when / awoke next morning from
my long sleep the old puzzle had come
back a thousand times worse than be-
fore, for then knew that had held
the clew in my own hand and had lost
II. Now, praise know the truth.
and you, the only one to whom l can
tell 1t, are close at hand!
Ivory looked at his mother and saw
that the veil that had separated them
mentally seemed TO have vanished In
the night that had passed. Often and
often 1t had blown away. as 1t were
for the fraction of a moment and then
blown back again. Now her eyes met
his with an altogether new clearness
that startled him, while her breath
came with ease and she seemed strong
er than for many days.
"You remember the winter ! was
here at the farm alone when you were
at the academy"
"Yes. II was then that l came home
and found you so terribly Ill. Do you
think we need go back to that old time
now, mother dear?
"Yes, must. ! must. One morning
received a strange letter, bearing no
signature, in which the writer said that
II wished TO see my husband | had
only to go to a certain address in
Brentville, n. ii. The letter went on
to say that Mr.. Aaron Boynton was III
and longed for nothing so much as to
speak with me, but there We're reasons
why he did not wish to return to Edge
wood. Would | come to him without
delayT
Ivory now sat straight in his chair
and listened keenly. feeling that this
was to he no vague, uncertain and mis-
leading memory, but something true
and tangible.
"The letter excited me greatly after
your fathers long absence and silence.
l knew II could mean nothing but sor'
row; but, although was half Ill at
the time. my plain duty was to go, so
thought 10 20 without making any
explanation in the village"
All this was new to Ivory. and he
hung upon his mothers words, dread
ing yet hoping for the light that they
might shed upon the past
81 arrived AT Brentville quite ex
hausted with the journey and weighed
down by anxiety and dread. ! found
the house mentioned in the letter at :
o'clock in the evening and knocked al
the door A common. hard featured
woman answered the knock and seem
Ing to expect me. ushered me In. | dc
not remember the room; ! remember
only a child leaning patiently against
the window sill looking out into the
dark and that the place was bare aud
eheerless.
- came TO call upon Mr.. Aaron
Boynton,' said. with my heart sink
ing lower and lower as ! spoke. The
woman opened door into the next
room, and when | walked in, instead
Of seeing your father confronted
haggard. death stricken young woman
sitting up In bed. her great eyes brigh
with pain. her lips as white as bel
hollow cheeks aud her long black hal