Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-04-20
Benny's Shadow
Pictures.

BY HAZEL SMITH

comes back, drawn irresiStibly to the
scene of his offense against the human
law. Everyone who has done wrong,
| everyone who has been unfortunate,
everyone who has suffered, even, re-
turns some day to the place where the
event occurred which marked black
bar in the spectroscope of his life. 1t
was so with Arthur Kane.
Five years before he had stood in
the same spot, at the same time of
day, on just such an evening, outside
| Evelyn's house, at the foot of her
garden. Then he had been poor; now
he was weather. than he had ever
| expected to be; but then he had been
happy, and now, of all men, he was
| the most miserable.
1t was summer then and it was sum-
mer now; the same rose bushes were
| blooming, the same moon was rising
over the house-tops; nothing had
changed except his heart.
Five years before Kane had been an
underpaid clerk in the Fourth Ma
tional bank, seven blocks away, in the
| heart of the business section. And
Evelyn had been stenographer in the
same town. She lived with her
widowed mother and her little brother
| Benny. Arthur had always known
| Evelyn, but their engagement had
come about quite suddenly and simply.
He had discovered unsupported depths
of tenderness in her nature when his
| mother died. She had cared for her
all through her lingering illness. The
| night before she breathed her last she
| said to Arthur:
Il want you to marry Evelyn"
The thought had not occurred to
him. He had not known that Evelyn
| loved him. The day after the funeral
he asked Evelyn to marry him. And
when she laid her head upon his Shout
| der and began to cry softly, from
sheer happinessy Kane suddenly dis
covered the world of love in his own
heart.
said.
| Il never cared for Martson," she an
| swered, looking at him with a wonder
| full light in her eyes.
/ Then came the fatal evening when
Kane, approaching Eyelyn's house
| later than usual, after the shades were
| drawn, stopped suddenly as he saw
| MarSton's face upon the blind, and
| Evelyn's. They drew near to each
other and their lips met. Then the
! shadows danced away and the lamp
light Illuminated the blind again.
Kane went home and wrote a brieI
letter to Evelyn, explaining that he
| had unexpectedly discovered proof of
her faithlessness, and took the train
west next morning. In five years he
| had made comfortable fortune. Now
he had come back.
AS he stood by the gate of Evelyn's
home tall boy suddenly came in from
the street, saw him, stopped short,
| and accosted him.
"Mr. Kane 7" he exclaimed
| Kane turned. "Why, Benny!" he
said taken aback. "How you have
grown! ~ he added lamely 81 would
never have known you"
II heard you were back said Ben
ny shyly. 1--WE been looking for. you
all over the town. Won't you come
| in?"
mo, thanks" said Kane, beginning
| to lose his self-control 81 have to be
leaving again this evening""
Mother and Evelyn won't be home
till late" said Benny. "Say," he con-
| tinued. 81 want to show you some
thing. I'm awfully sorry it was my
| fault Evelyn and you had that trou-
ble.'
Your fault" exclaimed the other.
"Yes, Mr.. Kane. 1t was an awful
| blow ito her when you went away
She Just cried and cried for days, but
she wouldn't let anyone write and tell
ysss. lsss4 s. vas g.. ...y SauHt."
Kane's feet almost dragged him
| against his will into the little parlor.
Nothing was changed-only his heart
| Benny put out the gas and stood the
] lamp in the middle of the table.
"You thought she was kissing Mar
ston," said Benny, awkwardly. "Look
| 1t was this way-just fun. She was
| amusing me-
And, passing behind the lamp, he
twisted his hands until shadow like
| Marston's head appeared upon the
| wall.
| THAT'S Marston," said Benny. "You
can tell him by his big nose. Now
| this is Evelyn-see? That's her hair
done like they used to wear it five
| years back. Now, when 1 bring my
! hands together they kiss-see?'
was q very crerlitable kiss. 1t
was just the same kiss that Kane had
| seen five years before upon the shade
| Kane staggered out of his seat.
| Benny I've been a fool!" he NUT
tered, and caught the boy by the arm
"See here, tell me if there's any
chance for me-" he shouted. "Where
is she? I've got to see her. She's
| got to forgive me at once. She's got
to, because I'm going to make her,
| SGi4Il lsSS4t.-S5- 80 Won't DC al
CRY with me, Mr.. kane?" he asked.
| "She is in the house. ! had to bring
you in somehow" He pulled the other
| by the arm and drew him into the hall.
| ''She'S-she'S-" he stammered.
She was standing under the hall
lamp. She was trembling. She was
| looking at Kane, but neither saw the
| other because of the sudden dimming
| - -'~'~-~ e-Ar- ros- *~it zach ether
"varr ~ ::vurt ::I,o &c lips.