Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-10-02
CHAPTER w.

The churchyard gate was opened
and closed nOisily. They both glanced
up. Stephen Strangewey was coming
slowly toward them along the flinty
path. Louise, suddenly herself again,
rose briskly to her feet. Stephen had
apparently lost none Of his dourness
of the previous night. AS he looked
toward Louise, there was no mistaking
the slow dislike in his steely eyes.
"Your chauffeur, madam, has just
returned" he announced. "He sent
word that he will be ready to start at
one o'clock"
Louise, inspired to battle by the al
most provocative hostility Of her elder
host, smiled sweetly upon him.
"You can't imagine how sorry I am
to hear it, she said. 81 don't know
when, in the whole course Of my life,
I have mer with such a delightful ad-
venture or spent such perfect morn
ing!"
Stephen looked at her with level, dis
approving eyes-at her slender form in
it's perfectly fitting tailored gown; at
her patent shoes, so obviously insult
able for her surroundings, and at the
faint vision of silk stockings.
eff I might say so without appear
ing inhospitable," he remarked, with
faint sarcasm, "this would seem to be
the fitting moment for your departure.
A closer examination Of our rough life
up here might alter your views. If
do not have the pleasure of seeing you
again, permit me to wish you fare
WELL"
He turned and walked away. Louise
watched him with very real interest.
"Do you know" she said to John,
there is something about your brother
little like the prophets in the Old
Testament, in the way he sees only
one issue and clings to it. Are you,
too, of his way of thinking?"
Cup to a certain point, 1 believe I
am" he confessed.
"Do you never feel cramped-in your
mind, I mean?-feel that you want to
push your way through the clouds
into some other life?"
81 feel nearer the clouds here" he
answered simply.
They were leaving the churchyard
now. She paused abruptly, pointing
to single grave in a part of the
churchyard which seemed detached
from the rest.
"Whose grave is that?" he inquired.
He hesitated.
cit is the grave of young girl he
told her quietly. "She was the daugh-
ter of one of cur shepherds. She went
into service at Carlisle, and returned
here with a child. They are both
buried here"
because of that her grave is apart
from the othersT
YES" he answered. 'It is very sell
dom. I am glad to say, that anything
of the sort happens among u.s."
For the second time that morning
Louise was conscious of an unexpected
upheaval of emotion. She felt that the
sunshine had gone, that the whole
sweetness Of the place had suddenly
passed away. The charm of It's simple
auSterity had persisted.
"And 1 thought 1 had found para
disc !" she cried.
She moved quickly from John
Strangewey's side. Before he could
realize her intention, she had stepped
over the low dividing wall and was on
her knees by the side of the plain, neg
lected grave. She tore out the spray
Of orNyN1a klnccav1, ;oI, IL.
into the bosom of her gown, and placed
it reverently at the head of the little
mound. For a moment her eyes
dropped and her lips moved-she her
self scarcely knew whether it was in
prayer. Then she turned and came
slowly back to her companion.
Something had gone, too, from his
charm. She saw in him now nothing
but the coming dourness of his broth
er. Her heart was still heavy. She
shivered a little. 1t was he at last
who spoke.
''Will you tell me, please, what is the
matter with you, and why you placed
that sprig of apple blossom where you
didT
His tone woke her from her lethargy.
She vas a little surprised at its
poignant. almost challenging note.
Certainly" she replied. 81 placed
it there IS a woman's protest against
the injustice of that isolation"
Il deny that 1t is unjust"
She turned around and waved her
hand toward the little gray building.
''The Savior to whom your church is
dedicated thought otherwise" she re-
minded him. do you play at being
lords paramount here over the souls
and bodies of your serfs?"
you fudge without knowledge of the
facts" he assured her calmly.
Louise's footsteps slackened.
'You men," she sighed, "are all
alike! You judge only by what hap
pens. You never look inside. That is
why your justice is so different from
q woman's. / do not wish to argue
with you; but what I so passionately
object to is the sweeping judgment you
make-the sheep ON one side and the
goats on the other. That is how man
judges; God looks further. Every case
is different. The law by which one
should be judged may be poor justice
for another"