Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1935-03-28
CHAPTER VII-Continued

Janet and Arthur are staying?"
Yes, luckily"
He saw Arthur next day. The young
men discussed the situation at the
academy. HE hates you, Wilton, as
l suppose a disappointed and by no
means noble lover can hate his rival.
Remember, this man had known Ber-
enice all her life; you come in and
sweep away his little air castle in a
moment"
"Thank God!"
Don't tempt fate! Leave this re-
gion-leave Berenice for time. You
can write to each other. He would
not surely intercept your letters"
"Oh, wouldn't he!"
"Send them under cover to me-"
"That's good idea! If 1 ever need
to do that
Take my advice and get out.
never yet went unlimited into a yard
where there were bulldogs" Arthur
said philosophically. "Balder's
mean, sulky fellow-and that's the best
can be said of him. l think he would
do anything for Haskell, though
whether in rage or devotion it's hard
to tell"
What harm could Balder do mel"
Don't get in his way-that'S all"
After that the days became a wait
ing for Berenice in the farmhouse over
which the blue-black clouds of winter
were now driving. Wilton kept at bay
his fears and doubts by as hard man.
ual labor as Jerry was willing to let
him do. Every day he went to the
oak, and at last his hand closed on
the promised letter. He shut himself
In his bedroom to read it:
Dear Wilton:
II haven't written before because I
have been nursing Mother Martha.
She refused to go to bed. poor dear,
and died very quietly in her chair this
morning. The servants are very much
afraid. Janet will move up to Mother
Martha's room soon, and even Gordon
Haskell approves Of this. He is
afraid l will be nervous, though how
he could expect us to be very lively
In that huge place don't know.
have not mourned for dear Mother
Martha. She was old and tired and
wanted to go. Cook has her usual
story-of her waking up in the night
and seeing a boat with children in
the notwithstanding Mother Martha.
How can a place prosper under such
a reign of superstition?"
Arthur, arriving later, told him the
hour of the funeral, and the next day
but one he watched the procession
from a nearby hill winding a black
course through the bleak air. Jerry
had gone to be one of the mourners,
and spent the rest of the day rather
grandly in black, square-looking
clothes. "The old place will breathe
its last some time, just as Martha
did," he said comfortably. "And, oh,
Berenice asked me to give you this"
1t was another little note, saying
that she had gone down to see If the
figures were safe, and to tend them a
little as Mother Martha had.
q. though l did it more in men,
ory of her than to satisfy any feeling
of my own-those poor symbols are
nothing now! Maybe poor Mother
Martha has found her charges In that
other world. / like to think Of them
holding out their hands to her. The
cook, Of course, was dreaming and
ri hIrf
their rowing her across the lake. She
went so quietly-almost as If some one
had stopped at the door and beckoned
her."
Wilton poured out his heart in a
long letter-wondering at the made
quacy of words, their nimble, elusive
ways of refusing to carry burdens of
emotion. On his way to the oak he
met Sally Wexford, who had been to
the funeral.
She nodded brightly to him. "You
are still around these parts, Mr..
PayneT
"Yes, Sally. You left the academy
Of your own accord. But I didn't. You
see, am engaged to be married to
Miss Bracebridge."
$50 I've heard, sir. We're all glad.
We wish 1t could be soon. He might
as well give her up first as last"
81 agree with you"
She went on a few paces-turned
back. "Mr. Wilton, wouldn't stay up
here too long"
"Why do you say that?"
"Oh-I feel trouble" she answered.
Wilton looked after her wonderingly
until the dip of the hill hid her from
his sight.
CHAPTER VIII