Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-10
CHAPTER XXIV
The Bitter Truth

Tea time came, but no Mark.
You're not eating. missile Mr.. Al
berry said with kindly anxiety.
started; I had been straining my
ears for the sound of a step on the road
outside.
'I'm not hungry" I said.
'You haven't got a chill?" his wife
asked, her shrewd eyes scanning my
face. You look flushed. Miss Sally"
felt flushed. My face was burning,
but not for any reason that she under
stood, and there was gnawing anx-
iety at my heart.
went up to my room and stared out
into the darkness. could see the
and ! longed to go over and see for
myself what he was doing.
Was it Nina who was keeping him?
I felt hated her. went downstairs
and out to the wood house, where the
boy Ned seemed TO spend his life chop
ping wood.
But he was not there tonight. and ]
was just turn ing away when l heard
his voice in the dark yard outside
and the heavy sound OF his step.
! waited, and presently he came into
the shed. He. had an old sack over
his head and shoulders. and 1t was
wet through with the steadily falling
rain. When he saw me he grlnned
and produced a note from an inside
pocket.
From Mr.. Anderson. he said.
almost snatched 1t from him. The
feeling Of relief was too grcat for
words; I sat down on the old chop
ming bench with the absurd desire to
burst into tears.
Presently found my voice.
"Ncd. who gave it to youT'
He shook his head and solemnly
shook the rain from 1t before he an.
swercd.
"Mr. Anderson himself. for sure.
"Mr. Anderson :" I gasped. HAS
he been here. then? When did he come ?
Whv didn't you tell me?'
He stared at me with Owlish eyes.
'It was only Just this minute" he
objected "He was in the yard there
talking to me minute afore came
In here. He gave me the note to give
YER. miss. Give 1t her YOURSELF he
SAYS, And here's two shilling for
YOU.
I moiStened my lips.
"Is that all he said?' l asked.
"And did he he's all right,
isn't hc?" 7 asked painfully.
Ned considered. ,,,
"Wcll now come to think Of it, he
did look mighty bad he said. with a
slowncss for which | could have killed
him. "Nis face was all gray, now
come to think of it, or perhaps It was
Mr. Alberry shouted from the house
NJ Tint moment and he nmh'ed oil. .
leaving me alone In the chopnlnH shed,
tho rain nattering down overhead with
mournful sound 49,, =,
I was afraid to omen Mar ks letter.. ]
unrnsr inSt'n"t told mo what " cow
toined. for am sure I sat there a
long time before Nt last J t"nna th'
courage TO read what he had written
Though I burnt the letter the same
niebt every word of 1t Is still unfor-
rcttably printed on my brain.
~ nm writing to you because am
zoo much ~ n coward TO say what must
bc soid, Sally. I had no right to have
ever told you loved YOU, ana ! mus'
ask Won TO forget II, cannot ASK you
to forgive me, neither can ! explain
whnt is inexplicable, The kindest thlnc
vom can wish for either OF us Is that we
may never meet again.
' "AIARK ANDERSON"
T don't know how long, l sat there
IN ,Ic old chopping shed, the letter
clutched In my hand.
''G'I ! fclt ley cold from head to foot oven
NV iIps seemed to be frozen.
w One of the farm dogs came and looked
oromnd the open door at me, and ther
] trotted shyly forward. thrusting thu
mWzzle Of his soft nose against my hands
asking for notice .h;,L - -,
madness / struck him, for ne crept on
with n little whine of reproach'
! CONTINUED MONDAY