The midland journal., 1916-02-11

in the city-he had telephoned to those
outside. At night he returned to Aiix
but it was Mrs. Lansing that received
him in the library.
The Judge was tired and his buoy
ancy, had deserted him. He told her
Of his failure. Mrs. Lansing was
thoughtful but not greatly troubled.
Gerry" she said, ''has a level head
He can take care Of himself" She
went to tell Alix that there was no
news. When she came back the judge
turned to her. "Well," he asked, what
did she say?"
Nothing, except that she wanted to
know if you had tried the bank'
The judge struck his fist into his
left hand. "Neyer thought of it, he
said. "That child has a headr He
went to the telephone. From the presi-
dent of the bank he traced the man
ager, from the manager, the cashier.
Yes, Gerry had been at the bank on
Saturday. The cashier remembered 1t
because Mr.. Lansing had drawn Ger
tain account In full. He would not
say how much.
There" said the Judge with sigh
of relief, ''that's something. 1t takes
a steady nerve to draw a bank ac-
count in full. You must take the news
upstairs. I'm Off. I'll follow up the
clue tomorrow
Mrs. Lansing and Alix had never
given themselves to each other. There
had been no warfare between them
but equally there had never been un-
derstanding. To Mrs. Lansing's In
herent calm, Allx' scintillation had
been repellent and Alix before Gerry's
mother had felt much the same re-
straint as before Gerry's old butter.
There had been strength In Mrs.
Lansing's calm. She had been waiting
and now The waiting was over. Alix
had given herself fearful and almost
wordless into arms that were more
than ready and had then poured out
her heart in a broken tale that would
have confOunded any court of justice
but which between women was clearer
than logic.
At the end Mrs. Lansing said moth
ing. Instead she petted AIix, carried
her off to bed and kept her there for
three days. In her waking hours Alix
added spasmodic bits to her confess
sion-sage reflections after the event,
dreamy 81 wonders" that speculated
in the past and in the measure Of her
emotions.
Mrs. Lansing sat and listened and
sewed. Her soft brown hair just
touched with gray, her calm face with
it's half-hidden strength, her steady
eyes, turned now on Alix, now on her
work, brought peace into the room and
held it there in spite of the disquieting
lack Of news of Gerry
When she spoke at last it was to
say half-shyly, "You are stronger than
had thought believe every woman
at the actual moment of surrender
feels an impulse of shame and fear.
During that moment desire lets go
of her. It's the last chance that fate
holds out. The women who fall to
take the chance-it seems to me they
fail through weakness of spirit and
not of flesh.
"AIore women are ruined by circum-
stance than by desire. Women decide
to burn their bridges ,hebind them and
then they think they've burned them.
All the circumstances were against
you. There wasn't loophole in the
net. Fate gave you your moment and
you tore your way out"
On the fourth day Alix got up but
on the fifth she stayed in bed. Mrs
Lansing found her pale and fright
ened. She had been crying.
"Alix," she whispered. kneeling be-
side the bed. s'what is it?"
Alix told her amid sobs. '-Oh, my
DEAR" said Mrs. Lansing. throwing her
arms around her, ''don't cry. Don't
worry. The strength will come with
the need. In the end you'll be glad.
SO will Gerry. So will all of u.s."
at isn't that" said Alix, family.
"Oh. it isn't that I'm just thinking
and thinking how terrible it would
have been If I had run away-really
run away. keep imagining how
awful it would have been. 1t is night
mare"
sCall it nightmare If you like. sweet
heart, but just remember that you are
awake"
Eyes" said Alix softly. 'I am
awake now. want to watch the Hill
come to life and dress up for the sum-
mer. 1t viii amuse me. It's long
since have. watched for the first buds
and the first swallows. I won't mind
the melting snow and the mud. It's
so long since I've seen clean country
mud. 1 want to smell It."
"You don't know how bleak the Hill
can be before the spring comes" OBJ
jected Mrs. Lansing.
"Will 1t be, any bleaker with me
there than when you were aloneT'
asked Alix.
AIRS. Lansing came over to her and
kissed her @No, DEAR" she said