Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-13


given to herr to knock at the Deem
ster's door between q and every
morning, and II she got no answer, to
60 into the room. She would do so
tomorrow.
After Janet had gone to bed the
Deemster sat at his desk in the library
and wrote for n long time in his leather
bound book. When he rose the clock
on the landing was striking twelve.
He closed the book. but instead of
| putting it under lock and key. as he
had always done before, he left It open
on the desk. merely shutting the lid on
! 1t. Then with Il long look around the
room he put out the lamps and turned
to go upstairs.
The reaction had begun by this time.
and he staggered a little and laid hold
OF the handrail. lie paused three times
on the stairs, but his weakness did not
frighten him. Lighting his candle on
the landing. he wound the clock, ex-
tinguished the lamp, that stood by it
ana faced the last flight with smile.
All was silent in the house now,
! On reaching his own bedroom he
the corridor to Victor's. The door was
ajar. He pushed it open. took a step
into the empty room and looked around
at the cOconut mating. the rugs. the
bed In the shadow. the discOlOred school
trunk in the corner. And then he smiled
again. But he was breathing deeply at
intervals and had the look of man
who knew that he was doing famil liar
things for the last time.
! The window In his own room was
open. and the smell of tropical plants
Especially the magnolia. with It's sleep
| inducing odOr) was coming up from
~ Ia ,at,,h haf lie
own father had brought them from the
| East long ago, when he was himself Il
boy.
The sky was dark. but the hidden
moon broke through silvery clouds for
n moment. and. looking through the
surrounding blackness. he saw the bald
crown Of Snaefell. far beyond the trees
and above the glen. lie remembered
that he had seen il so all the way up
since he WAS a child.
lie closed the curtains slowly and
taking, his candle again he walked
around the room and looked long ut
the pictures on the walls. They were
chiefly portraits or miniatures Of Vic
tor. at various periods Of childhood
and youth--the latest being photo
graph sent home to him from abroad.
That was the last oscillation Of the
pendulum. When he Was about to pre-
pare for bed he found his strength "x-
hausted: and he was compelled to sit
several times while he undrrsSed. But
he continued to smile. and when he
lay down at length and put his head
ON the pillow he did it with will.
Then he closed his eyes and drew
Il deep breath as one who has gone
through II long days labor but has seen
it finish up well at the end And then
he closed his eyes and the surge Of
sleep passed over him.
Outside the house everything seemed
to slumber. 1t was II night strangely
ralm and dark. The tall elms stood
like soundless ,sentinels in the dark
ness. Not Il leaf stirred. The rivers
flowed without noise. as IL Il super
natural hand had been laid ON them to o,
silence them. The only sound was the
slow boom Of the sea. which seemed !
TO come up on, of the ground and to be
the pulse of the earth itself. The deep !
mystery of night was over all.
Toward morning there was n faint
watt of wind in the trees and along |
the grass. Was it the movement in |
tho carth's bosom Of the new day about !
to be born: Or some invisible presence ,
striding along with noiselrss footsteps: !
Within the house everything seemed |
to sleep. But the DecmSter lay dead. !
Mr.. Victor. Sir. Mr.. Nirtor!"
1t was Robbie Greer, who, after ,
Knocking in vain at Stowclrs door IN I
thr gray hours of morning, was shout :
ing up at his window. lie had driven
into town in the dogcar and the little ,
mare was streaming with pcrspira'ion.
Stowell threw up the window and
heard the dread news. After moment
he answered in Il voice that sounded
strange in Robble'S "ars ~ ~,
YOU"
When he was ready T." 60 h" wrot"
message to Frnella. and left ii for Mrs.
Ouaylp to send of as soon AS the tele-
graph Office opened
He has gone. heaven forgive mo.
| am going home now.
1t was Sunday morning. and the
sleeping streets echoed to tn" rattle of
I he flying wheels, When they got into
the country uhe ~-"r" taking the
shortest cuts) the tn. rs were lying idle
and quiet. Slowcll sat with folded
arms while they raced pasl the white
washed cottages with thatched roofs.
and scattered focks of geese that went
off with screams and stretched necks.
On arriving II, Rnllamoar he paused
before entering the house. Th" pastoral
tranquility of the place was heart
breaking. The sun had risen. the rocks
were cawing, the linnct. were twittcring
in the caves. a kitten was playing with
II butterfly in the porch it was just ~
il nothing had Happened during the
night. .,
Janet was in his fathers room, with
red eyes and handkerchief in her
hand. She did not speak, but her 81
rnce seemed to say, "Why didn I YOU
come befOrr:'
Stowcll advanced to the side of the
bed. Tho august face on the pillow.
in the majesty and tranquility OF death,
had never before looked 50 calm and
noble, hut that also seemed to say
WHY didn't YOU come boforc:' He
reached over and put his lips to the cold
And then. with head down,
he hurried from the room.
Hc could never nflcrwnrd remember
what he did Juring the rest of that
lay--only thai 10 escape from the
vague cheerfulness, the hushcd hustle.
thc half smothered hysteria. which
spma- ehaass AZ .dAtAs-As hAA