Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-04-28

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 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. We'll" 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. "Never thought of it," he
said. THAT child has a head"' 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 it
because Mr.. Lansing had drawn a GER
tain account in full. He would not
say how much.
There" said the judge with a 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 Alx had never
given themselves to each other. There
had been no warfare between them
but equally there had never been I'M
derstanding. To Mrs. Lansing's in
herent calm, Alix' scintillation had
been repellent and AliX before Gerrys
mother had felt much the same re-
straint as before GerTys 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
WordIess into arms that were more
than ready and had then poured out
her heart in a broken tale that would
have COMPOUNDED any court of justice
but which between women was clearer
than logic.
At the end Mrs. Lansing said moth
ing. Instead she petted AliX, 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 II wonders" that specuated
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. l believe every woman
at the actual moment of surrender
| feels an impulse of shame and fear.
of her. It's the last chance that fate
| holds out. The women who fail to
take the chance-it seems to me they
fail through weakness of spirit and
not of flesh.
More women are ruined by circum.
stance than by desire. Women decide
to burn their bridges hebnd 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, "what is it?"
Allx told her amid sobs. ooh, 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 AIix, family
"Oh, 1t isn't that. I'm just thinking
and thinking how terrible it would
have been if I had run away-really
run away. I keep imagining how
awful it would have been. 1t is night
mare"
"Call 1t nightmare If you like, sweet
heart, but just remember that you are
awake"
Eyes" said Alix softly. 'T am
awake now. | want to watch the Hill
come to life and dress up for the sum
mer. 1t will amuse me. It's long
since have watched for the first buds
and the first swallows. | won't mind
the melting snow and the mud. It's
so long since I've seen clean country
mud. | 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.
Mrs. Lansing came over to her and
kissed her. mo, DEAR" she said.