The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-02-17

no one, perhaps, in the whole village,
to whom the loss of Sylvia came as
such a horrible shock as to Mary.
Algy was still very i'll The fear that
the child would yet die, in spite of her
fight for his life, grew thousand
times larger now that Sylvia's death
had brought the Valley of the Shadow
SO close to her.
Mary did not close her eyes, nor stir
from her little brothers side for three
days and nights. And all that time,
beside the actuality of the stricken
child that she saw there, she visual
lied the picture of Sylvia and one
little baby-of Austin and the other.
And she thought--involunta but
constantly-of Lady Blanche's dying
curse and its reiterating fulfillment.
Whom would it strike next? She
thought of Blanche, seemingly SO Sc
cure in her radiant happiness, and
trembled until her teeth chartered
The first time that Paul saw her again
after the night of the double tragedy
that long night through which they
had fought for the sick child together
The felt that he would gladly have
given ten years of his life If he had
not thrown away his right to take her
in his arms and kiss away the tears
and bring little color into her white
cheeks and smile to her drawn lips
AS it was, he could only venture to lay
one of his hands on the two that lay
so tightly clenched in her lap, and put
the other gently on her shoulder.
don't" was ALI he could think of
to say. all, that is, that he dared to
say, his own lips quivering. Don't
Mary and was thankful when she did
not repulse him, but chung to him,
sobbing, while he stroked her soft
hair.
Paul was suffering. too, suffering
with the revelation of truths that he
had never sensed, with the facing OF
problems he had never solved nor
tried to solve. The way that Austin
loved Sylvia-was that the way men
cared for women? The way that
Mary loved Algy-was that the way
women cared for children? Passion
that was all love, love that was all
self-sacrifice- what had that to do
with careless sensuality, or equally
careless affection? When, for the sec
ond time, David Noble sought him out,
he found that the boy had already
started to find him.
'What can do to help?" Paul asked
abruptly.
"There isn't much. Your Cousin
Jane is proving a tower Of strength to
Mary by relieving her Of the burden
of ordinary daily grind. We men
never stop to think that meals have
to be cooked and dishes washed and
fires built. no matter who lives or
dies, do we? Everyone is trying to
help Mary now. And no one in Gods
world can help Austin"
"Then what were you looking for me
for?"
81 wanted to tell you that thought
you did darned well the night that
kid almost slipped through Mary's fin
gers. He would have, If you hadn't
been there. And also-to give you a
message from Sylvia. She seemed to
have a good deal Of faith in you.
had a rather long talk with her about
a week before she-went-and one of
the things she said to me was, Tell
Paul Manning not to stop fighting to
get Mary back, If he has to die do
ing it,"
"How-how am to go about it?"
II should think it might be rather
difficult" said David dryly. 1T con-
fess it's hard for me to see the justice
of a Divine Providence that snatches
Sylvia from Austin who worshiped the
ground she walked on, and lets you
treat Mary like"
Something in Paul's face stopped
him abruptly ''Well, suppose Provi-
dence sees good many things we
ignorant mortals don't" he ended.
"Yes." said Paul slowly. 81 guess
it does Do you remember saying to
me while ago that as long as a man
had a woman like Sylvia, of course
he'd make her his first consideration
as long as he could? Maybe the time
had come for Austin to make some
thing else his first consideration May
be he's needed a lot more in France
than he realized Perhaps 1t took a
a tragedy like that to show him how
much he was needed"
For moment David stared silently
at the boy. He was too surprised at
such conclusions reached from such
source to give utterance to speech.
81 think you're right" he said at
last. "But Austin isn't the only one
you know, who's needed in France
just now"
81 know" said Paul. 1--WE been
thinking that over. too--what you said
about the Foreign legion. I'll be up
tomorrow night to have you look me
over
Good for you About eight?
shall be off myself pretty soon. now
waited before signing up until-aftef
Sylvia's time, because Austin begged
me to do so. Well. I'll see you to-
morrow NIGHT Meanwhile there are