produced by alicia williams , jeannie howse and the online distributed proofreading team at @url@

lucy maud montgomery short stories , @number@ to @number@

lucy maud montgomery was born at clifton ( now new london ) , prince edward island , canada , on @date@ .

she achieved international fame in her lifetime , putting prince edward island and canada on the world literary map .

best known for her " anne of green gables " books , she was also a prolific writer of short stories and poetry .

she published some @number@ short stories and poems and twenty novels before her death in @number@

the project gutenberg collection of her short stories was gathered from numerous sources and is presented in chronological publishing order :

short stories @number@ to @number@

a patent medicine testimonial

murray is like dear old dad ; he gets discouraged rather easily .

now , i 'm not like that ; i 'm more like mother 's folks .

as uncle abimelech has never failed to tell me when i have annoyed him , i 'm " all foster . "

uncle abimelech doesn't like the fosters .

but i 'm glad i take after them .

only i wouldn't have minded that very much .

i just wanted to go to college because murray did .

i couldn't be separated from him .

we were twins and had always been together .

as for uncle abimelech 's mind , i knew that he never had been known to change it .

i knew i would have to depend on my own thinkers .

" i 'm going up to the garret to think this out , murray , " i said solemnly .

" don't let anybody disturb me , and if uncle abimelech comes over don't tell him where i am .

if i don't come down in time to get tea , get it yourself .

i shall not leave the garret until i have thought of some way to change uncle abimelech 's mind . "

" then you 'll be a prisoner there for the term of your natural life , dear sis , " said murray sceptically .

" you 're a clever girl , prue and you 've got enough decision for two but you 'll never get the better of uncle abimelech . "

" we 'll see , " i said resolutely , and up to the garret i went .

i shut the door and bolted it good and fast to make sure .

one roly-poly little sparrow blew or flew to the sill and sat there for a minute , looking at me with knowing eyes .

down below i could see murray in a corner of the yard , pottering over a sick duck .

he had set its broken leg and was nursing it back to health .

from the garret windows i could see all over the farm , for the house is on the hill end of it .

i could see all the dear old fields and the spring meadow and the beech woods in the southwest corner .

and it wasn't our own , anyhow .

it all belonged to uncle abimelech .

father and murray and i had always lived here together .

father 's health broke down during his college course .

anybody with foster in him would be that .

to go back to father .

mother died before we could remember , so murray and dad and i were everything to each other .

we were very happy too , although we were bossed by uncle abimelech more or less .

but he meant it well and father didn't mind .

then father died oh , that was a dreadful time !

i hurried over it in my thinking-out .

we were literally as poor as church mice and even poorer , for at least they get churches rent-free .

murray 's heart was set on going to college and studying medicine .

uncle abimelech is rich , and murray and i are his nearest relatives .

but he simply wouldn't listen to murray 's plan .

" i put my foot firmly down on such nonsense , " he said .

" and you know that when i put my foot down something squashes . "

it was not that uncle abimelech was miserly or that he grudged us assistance .

not at all .

he was ready to deal generously by us , but it must be in his own way .

his way was this .

" it 's a good farm , murray , " he said .

but you are strong enough and ambitious enough to do well . "

but murray couldn't be a farmer , that was all there was to it .

i told uncle abimelech so , firmly , and i talked to him for days about it , but uncle abimelech never wavered .

and in the end he said ,

" you ought to be the one to go to college if either of you did , prue .

you would make a capital lawyer , if i believed in the higher education of women , but i don't .

murray can take or leave the farm as he chooses .

if he prefers the latter alternative , well and good .

but he gets no help from me .

you 're a foolish little girl , prue , to back him up in this nonsense of his . "

it makes me angry to be called a little girl when i put up my hair a year ago , and uncle abimelech knows it .

i gave up arguing with him .

i knew it was no use anyway .

i thought it all over in the garret .

but no way out of the dilemma could i see .

i had eaten up all the apples i had brought with me and i felt flabby and disconsolate .

the sight of uncle abimelech stalking up the lane , as erect and lordly as usual , served to deepen my gloom .

i picked up the paper my apples had been wrapped in and looked it over gloomily .

then i saw something , and uncle abimelech was delivered into my hand .

when uncle abimelech had gone i went down to murray .

" buddy , " i said , " i 've thought of a plan .

i 'm not going to tell you what it is , but you are to consent to it without knowing .

i think it will quench uncle abimelech , but you must have perfect confidence in me .

you must back me up no matter what i do and let me have my own way in it all . "

" all right , sis , " said murray .

" that isn't solemn enough , " i protested .

" i 'm serious .

promise solemnly . "

" i promise solemnly , ' cross my heart , ' " said murray , looking like an owl .

" very well .

remember that your role is to lie low and say nothing , like brer rabbit .

alloway 's anodyne liniment is pretty good stuff , isn't it , murray ?

it cured your sprain after you had tried everything else , didn't it ? "

" yes .

but i don't see the connection . "

" it isn't necessary that you should .

well , what with your sprain and my rheumatics i think i can manage it . "

" look here , prue .

are you sure that long brooding over our troubles up in the garret hasn't turned your brain ? "

" my brain is all right .

now leave me , minion .

there is that which i would do . "

murray grinned and went .

i wrote a letter , took it down to the office , and mailed it .

for a week there was nothing more to do .

the melvilles are a very old family .

i don't think the melvilles ever did anything worth recording in history since .

to be sure , as far back as we can trace , none of them has ever done anything bad either .

they have been honest , respectable folks and i think that is something worth being proud of .

but uncle abimelech pinned his family pride to roger de melville .

at the end of a week i got an answer to my letter .

it was what i wanted .

i wrote again and sent a parcel .

in three weeks ' time the storm burst .

one day i saw uncle abimelech striding up the lane .

he had a big newspaper clutched in his hand .

i turned to murray , who was poring over a book of anatomy in the corner .

" murray , uncle abimelech is coming .

there is going to be a battle royal between us .

allow me to remind you of your promise . "

" to lie low and say nothing ?

that 's the cue , isn't it , sis ? "

" unless uncle abimelech appeals to you .

in that case you are to back me up . "

then uncle abimelech stalked in .

he was purple with rage .

old roger de melville himself never could have looked fiercer .

i did feel a quake or two , but i faced uncle abimelech undauntedly .

no use in having your name on the roll of battle abbey if you can't stand your ground .

" prudence , what does this mean ? " thundered uncle abimelech , as he flung the newspaper down on the table .

murray got up and peered over .

then he whistled .

he started to say something but remembered just in time and stopped .

but he did give me a black look .

murray has a sneaking pride of name too , although he won't own up to it and laughs at uncle abimelech .

i looked at the paper and began to laugh .

we did look so funny , murray and i , in that advertisement .

it took up the whole page .

at the top were our photos , half life-size , and underneath our names and addresses printed out in full .

below was the letter i had written to the alloway anodyne liniment folks .

it was a florid testimonial to the virtues of their liniment .

it was all true enough , although i dare say old aunt sarah-from-the-hollow 's rubbing had as much to do with the cures as the liniment .

but that is neither here nor there .

" what does this mean , prudence ? " said uncle abimelech again .

he was quivering with wrath , but i was as cool as a cucumber , and murray stood like a graven image .

that liniment company pays for those testimonials and photos , you know .

they gave me fifty dollars for the privilege of publishing them .

i rattled all this off glibly before uncle abimelech could get in a word .

" it 's disgraceful ! " he stormed .

" disgraceful !

think of sir roger de melville and a patent medicine advertisement !

i quaked a bit .

if murray should fail me !

but murray was true-blue .

" i gave prue a free hand , sir .

it 's an honest business transaction enough and the family name alone won't send us to college , you know , sir . "

uncle abimelech glared at us .

" this must be put an end to , " he said .

" this advertisement must not appear again .

i won't have it ! "

" but i 've signed a contract that it is to run for six months , " i said sturdily .

" and i 've others in view .

you remember the herb cure you recommended one spring and that it did me so much good !

i 'm negotiating with the makers of that and "

" the girl 's mad ! " said uncle abimelech .

" stark , staring mad ! "

" oh , no , i 'm not , uncle abimelech .

i 'm merely a pretty good businesswoman .

you won't help murray to go to college , so i must .

this is the only way i have , and i 'm going to see it through . "

after uncle abimelech had gone , still in a towering rage , murray remonstrated .

but i reminded him of his promise and he had to succumb .

next day uncle abimelech returned a subdued and chastened uncle abimelech .

" see here , prue , " he said sternly .

" this thing must be stopped .

i say it must .

i am not going to have the name of melville dragged all over the country in a patent medicine advertisement .

something will have to be done with you , that 's certain .

is this satisfactory ? "

" perfectly , " i said promptly .

" if you will add thereto your promise that you will forget and forgive , uncle abimelech .

there are to be no hard feelings . "

uncle abimelech shrugged his shoulders .

" in for a penny , in for a pound , " he said .

" very well , prue .

we wipe off all scores and begin afresh .

but there must be no more such doings .

you 've worked your little scheme through trust a foster for that !

but in future you 've got to remember that in law you 're a melville whatever you are in fact . "

i nodded dutifully .

" i 'll remember , uncle abimelech , " i promised .

after everything had been arranged and uncle abimelech had gone i looked at murray .

" well ? "

i said .

murray twinkled .

" you 've accomplished the impossible , sis .

but , as uncle abimelech intimated don't you try it again . "

a sandshore wooing

fir cottage , plover sands .

july sixth .

we arrived here late last night , and all day aunt martha has kept her room to rest .

so i had to keep mine also , although i felt as fresh as a morning lark , and just in the mood for enjoyment .

my name is marguerite forrester an absurdly long name for so small a girl .

aunt martha always calls me marguer ite , with an accent of strong disapproval .

she does not like my name , but she gives me the full benefit of it .

connie shelmardine used to call me rita .

connie was my roommate last year at the seminary .

we correspond occasionally , but aunt martha frowns on it .

i have always lived with aunt martha my parents died when i was a baby .

aunt is a determined and inveterate man-hater .

she has no particular love for women , indeed , and trusts nobody but mrs saxby , her maid .

i rather like mrs saxby .

she is not quite so far gone in petrifaction as aunt , although she gets a little stonier every year .

i expect the process will soon begin on me , but it hasn't yet .

my flesh and blood are still unreasonably warm and pulsing and rebellious .

aunt martha would be in danger of taking a fit if she ever saw me talking to a man .

we have come down to spend a few weeks at fir cottage .

our good landlady is a capacious , kindly-souled creature , and i think she has rather a liking for me .

i have been chattering to her all day , for there are times when i absolutely must talk to someone or go mad .

july tenth .

this sort of life is decidedly dull .

the program of every day is the same .

mrs blake has lent me , for shore use , a very fine spyglass which she owns .

she says her " man " brought it home from " furrin ' parts " before he died .

we see few people , although there is a large summer hotel about a mile up the beach .

our shore haunts do not seem to be popular with its guests .

they prefer the rocks .

this suits aunt martha admirably .

i may also add that it doesn't suit her niece but that is a matter of small importance .

the first morning i noticed a white object on the rocks , about half a mile away , and turned my glass on it .

there apparently within a stone 's throw of me was a young man .

he was lounging on a rock , looking dreamily out to sea .

there was something about his face that reminded me of someone i know , but i cannot remember whom .

every morning he has reappeared on the same spot .

he seems to be a solitary individual , given to prowling by himself .

i wonder what aunt would say if she knew what i am so earnestly watching through my glass at times .

july eleventh .

i shall have to cease looking at the unknown , i am afraid .

this morning i turned my glass , as usual , on his pet haunt .

i nearly fell over in my astonishment , for he was also looking through a spyglass straight at me , too , it seemed .

how foolish i felt !

and yet my curiosity was so strong that a few minutes afterward i peeped back again , just to see what he was doing .

i dropped my glass and smiled in a mixture of dismay and amusement .

then i remembered that he was probably watching me again , and might imagine my smile was meant for him .

i banished it immediately , shut my glass up and did not touch it again .

soon after we came home .

july twelfth .

something has happened at last .

today i went to the shore as usual , fully resolved not even to glance in the forbidden direction .

but in the end i had to take a peep , and saw him on the rocks with his glass levelled at me .

now , i know that same alphabet .

connie taught it to me last year , so that we might hold communication across the schoolroom .

i gave one frantic glance at aunt martha 's rigid back , and then watched him while he deftly spelled : " i am francis shelmardine .

are you not miss forrester , my sister 's friend ? "

francis shelmardine !

now i knew whom he resembled .

it was too wonderful .

i could only stare dazedly back through my glass .

" may we know each other ? " he went on .

" may i come over and introduce myself ?

right hand , yes ; left , no . "

i gasped !

suppose he were to come ?

what would happen ?

i waved my left hand sorrowfully .

he looked quite crestfallen and disappointed as he spelled out : " why not ?

would your friends disapprove ? "

i signalled : " yes . "

" are you displeased at my boldness ? " was his next question .

where had all aunt martha 's precepts flown to then ?

so i picked myself meekly up , shook the sand from my dress , and followed my good aunt dutifully home .

july thirteenth .

then i reached for my glass .

mr shelmardine and i had quite a conversation .

under the circumstances there could be no useless circumlocution in our exchange of ideas .

it was religiously " boiled down , " and ran something like this :

" you are not displeased with me ? "

" no but i should be . "

" why ? "

" it is wrong to deceive aunt . "

" i am quite respectable . "

" that is not the question . "

" cannot her prejudices be overcome ? "

" absolutely no . "

" mrs allardyce , who is staying at the hotel , knows her well .

shall i bring her over to vouch for my character ? "

" it would not do a bit of good . "

" then it is hopeless . "

" yes . "

" would you object to knowing me on your own account ? "

" no . "

" do you ever come to the shore alone ? "

" no .

aunt would not permit me . "

" must she know ? "

" yes .

i would not come without her permission . "

" you will not refuse to chat with me thus now and then ? "

" i don't know .

perhaps not . "

i had to go home then .

as we went mrs saxby complimented me on my good colour .

aunt martha looked her disapproval .

july seventeenth .

i have " talked " a good deal with mr shelmardine these past four days .

he is to be at the beach for some weeks longer .

this morning he signalled across from the rocks : " i mean to see you at last .

tomorrow i will walk over and pass you . "

" you must not .

aunt will suspect . "

" no danger .

don't be alarmed .

i will do nothing rash . "

i suppose he will .

he seems to be very determined .

of course , i cannot prevent him from promenading on our beach all day if he chooses .

but then if he did , aunt would speedily leave him in sole possession of it .

i wonder what i had better wear tomorrow .

july nineteenth .

yesterday morning aunt martha was serene and unsuspicious .

it is dreadful of me to be deceiving her and i do feel guilty .

presently aunt said , majestically : " marguer ite , there is a man coming this way .

we will move further down . "

and we moved .

poor aunt !

mr shelmardine came bravely on .

i felt my heart beating to my very finger tips .

he halted by the fragment of an old stranded boat .

aunt had turned her back on him .

i ventured on a look .

he lifted his hat with a twinkle in his eye .

just then aunt said , icily : " we will go home , marguer ite .

that creature evidently intends to persist in his intrusion . "

home we came accordingly .

this morning he signalled across : " letter from connie .

message for you .

i mean to deliver it personally .

do you ever go to church ? "

now , i do go regularly to church at home .

needless to say , i am not allowed to go either .

but it was impossible to make this long explanation , so i merely replied : " not here . "

" will you not go tomorrow morning ? "

" aunt will not let me . "

" coax her . "

" coaxing never has any effect on her . "

" would she relent if mrs allardyce were to call for you ? "

now , i have been cautiously sounding aunt about mrs allardyce , and i have discovered that she disapproves of her .

so i said : " it would be useless .

i will ask aunt if i may go , but i feel almost sure that she will not consent . "

this evening , when aunt was in an unusually genial mood , i plucked up heart of grace and asked her .

" marguer ite , " she said impressively , " you know that i do not attend church here . "

" but , aunt , " i persisted , quakingly , " couldn't i go alone ?

it is not very far and i will be very careful . "

now , everything depends on the sort of humour aunt is in in the morning .

july twentieth .

remember that i expect you to conduct yourself with becoming prudence and modesty . "

i flew upstairs and pulled my prettiest dress out of my trunk .

it is a delicate , shimmering grey stuff with pearly tints about it .

every time i get anything new , aunt martha and i have a battle royal over it .

i verily believe that aunt would like me to dress in the fashions in vogue in her youth .

there is always a certain flavour of old-fashionedness about my gowns and hats .

connie used to say that it was delicious and gave me a piquant uniqueness a certain unlikeness to other people that possessed a positive charm .

that is only connie 's view of it , however .

but i had had my own way about this dress and it is really very becoming .

then i borrowed a hymn book from mrs blake and ran down to undergo aunt martha 's scrutiny .

" dear me , child , " she said discontentedly , " you have gotten yourself up very frivolously , it seems to me . "

" why , aunty , " i protested , " i 'm all in grey every bit . "

aunt martha sniffed .

you don't know how much aunt can express in a sniff .

but i tripped to church like a bird .

the first person i saw there was mr shelmardine .

he was sitting right across from me and a smile glimmered in his eyes .

i did not look at him again .

through the service i was subdued enough to have satisfied even aunt martha .

when church came out , he waited for me at the entrance to his pew .

when we went down the steps he took my hymnal , and we walked up the long , bowery country road .

" thank you so much for coming today , " he said as if i went to oblige him .

" i had a hard time to get aunt martha 's consent , " i declared frankly .

" i wouldn't have succeeded if mrs saxby hadn't taken my part . "

" heaven bless mrs saxby , " he remarked fervently .

" but is there any known way of overcoming your aunt 's scruples ?

if so , i am ready to risk it . "

" there is none .

aunt martha is very good and kind to me , but she will never stop trying to bring me up .

the process will be going on when i am fifty .

and she hates men !

i don't know what she would do if she saw me now . "

mr shelmardine frowned and switched the unoffending daisies viciously with his cane .

" then there is no hope of my seeing you openly and above-board ? "

" not at present , " i said faintly .

after a brief silence we began to talk of other things .

he told me how he happened to see me first .

i could see you plainly .

you were reading and had your hat off .

when i went back to the hotel i asked mrs allardyce if she knew who the boarders at fir cottage were and she told me .

i had heard connie speak of you , and i determined to make your acquaintance . "

when we reached the lane i held out my hand for the hymnal .

" you mustn't come any further , mr shelmardine , " i said hurriedly .

" aunt aunt might see you . "

he took my hand and held it , looking at me seriously .

" suppose i were to walk up to the cottage tomorrow and ask for you ? "

i gasped .

he looked so capable of doing anything he took it into his head to do .

" oh , you wouldn't , " i said piteously .

" aunt martha would you are not in earnest . "

" i suppose not , " he said regretfully .

" of course i would not do anything that would cause you unpleasantness .

but this must not shall not be our last meeting . "

" aunt will not let me come to church again , " i said .

" does she ever take a nap in the afternoon ? " he queried .

i wriggled my parasol about in the dust uneasily .

" sometimes . "

" i shall be at the old boat tomorrow afternoon at two-thirty , " he said .

i pulled my hand away .

" i couldn't you know i couldn't , " i cried and then i blushed to my ears .

" are you sure you couldn't ? " bending a little nearer .

" quite sure , " i murmured .

he surrendered my hymnal at last .

" will you give me a rose ? "

i unpinned the whole cluster and handed it to him .

he lifted it until it touched his lips .

as for me , i scuttled up the lane in the most undignified fashion .

at the turn i looked back .

he was still standing there with his hat off .

july twenty-fourth .

mr shelmardine was leaning against the old boat , but he came swiftly across the sand to meet me .

" this is very kind of you , " he said .

" i ought not to have come , " i said repentantly .

" but it is so lonely there and one can't be interested in sermons and memoirs all the time . "

mr shelmardine laughed .

" mr. and mrs. allardyce are on the other side of the boat .

will you come and meet them ? "

how nice of him to bring them !

i knew i should like mrs allardyce , just because aunt martha didn't .

we had a delightful stroll .

i never thought of the time until mr shelmardine said it was four o'clock .

" oh , is it so late as that ? "

i cried .

" i must go at once . "

" i 'm sorry we have kept you so long , " remarked mr shelmardine in a tone of concern .

" if she should be awake , what will the consequences be ? "

" too terrible to think of , " i answered seriously .

" i 'm sorry , mr shelmardine , but you mustn't come any further . "

" we will be here tomorrow afternoon , " he said .

" mr shelmardine ! "

i protested .

" i wish you wouldn't put such ideas into my head .

they won't come out no , not if i read a whole volume of sermons right through . "

we looked at each other for a second .

then he began to smile , and we both went off into a peal of laughter .

" at least let me know if miss fiske rampages , " he called after me as i fled .

but aunt martha was not awake and i have been to the shore three afternoons since then .

i was there today , and i 'm going tomorrow for a boat sail with mr shelmardine and the allardyces .

but i am afraid the former will do something rash soon .

this afternoon he said : " i don't think i can stand this much longer . "

" stand what ? "

i asked .

" you know very well , " he answered recklessly .

" meeting you in this clandestine manner , and thereby causing that poor little conscience of yours such misery .

if your aunt were not so unreasonable , i should never have stooped to it . "

" it is all my fault , " i said contritely .

" well , i hardly meant that , " he said grimly .

" but hadn't i better go frankly to your aunt and lay the whole case before her ? "

" you would never see me again if you did that , " i said hastily and then wished i hadn't .

" that is the worst threat you could make , " he said .

july twenty-fifth .

it is all over , and i am the most miserable girl in the world .

of course this means that aunt martha has discovered everything and the deserved punishment of my sins has overtaken me .

i slipped away again this afternoon and went for that boat sail .

we had a lovely time but were rather late getting in , and i hurried home with many misgivings .

aunt martha met me at the door .

my dress was draggled , my hat had slipped back , and the kinks and curls of my obstreperous hair were something awful .

i know i looked very disreputable and also , no doubt , very guilty and conscience-stricken .

aunt gave me an unutterable look and then followed me up to my room in grim silence .

" marguer ite , what does this mean ? "

i have lots of faults , but untruthfulness isn't one of them .

i confessed everything at least , almost everything .

she listened in stony silence .

i had expected a terrible scolding , but i suppose my crimes simply seemed to her too enormous for words .

when i had sobbed out my last word she rose , swept me one glance of withering contempt , and left the room .

presently mrs saxby came up , looking concerned .

" my dear child , what have you been doing ?

your aunt says that we are to go home on the afternoon train tomorrow .

she is terribly upset . "

i just curled up on the bed and cried , while mrs saxby packed my trunk .

i will have no chance to explain matters to mr shelmardine .

and i will never see him again , for aunt is quite capable of whisking me off to africa .

he will just think me a feather-brained flirt .

oh , i am so unhappy !

july twenty-sixth .

i am the happiest girl in the world !

that is quite a different strain from yesterday .

we leave fir cottage in an hour , but that doesn't matter now .

i did not sleep a wink last night and crawled miserably down to breakfast .

i knew i would be taken , too , to be kept out of mischief , and my heart gave a great bound of hope .

i meekly followed my grim guardians to the shore and sat dejectedly on my rug while they paced the sand .

francis was on the rocks .

as soon as aunt martha and mrs saxby were at a safe distance , i began my message : " all discovered .

aunt is very angry .

we go home today . "

then i snatched my glass .

his face expressed the direst consternation and dismay .

he signalled : " i must see you before you go . "

" impossible .

aunt will never forgive me .

good-bye . "

i saw a look of desperate determination cross his face .

if forty aunt marthas had swooped down upon me , i could not have torn my eyes from that glass .

" i love you .

you know it .

do you care for me ?

i must have my answer now . "

what a situation !

no time or chance for any maidenly hesitation or softening aureole of words .

aunt and mrs saxby had almost reached the point where they invariably turned .

i had barely time to spell out a plain , blunt " yes " and read his answer .

" i shall go home at once , get mother and connie , follow you , and demand possession of my property .

i shall win the day .

have no fear .

till then , good-bye , my darling . "

" marguerite , " said mrs saxby at my elbow , " it is time to go . "

i got up obediently .

i dropped behind them just once before we left the shore .

i knew he was watching me and i waved my hand .

i suppose i am really engaged to francis shelmardine .

but was there ever such a funny wooing ?

and what will aunt martha say ?

after many days

gabe knew all those present except one man a stranger who had landed at baxter station from the afternoon freight .

foley 's hotel did not boast of a register , and the stranger did not volunteer any information regarding his name or business .

he had put in the afternoon and early evening strolling about the village and talking to the men on the branch line .

now he had come in and ensconced himself in the corner behind the stove , where he preserved a complete silence .

he had a rather rough face and was flashily dressed .

the stranger appeared to be listening to them intently , although he took no part in their conversation .

presently he brought his tilted chair down with a sharp thud .

gabe foley had paused in his manipulation of a king to hurl a question at the greenvale men .

" is it true that old man strong is to be turned out next week ? "

" true enough , " answered william jeffers .

" joe moore is going to foreclose .

stephen strong has got three years behind with the interest and moore is out of patience .

it seems hard on old stephen , but moore ain't the man to hesitate for that .

he 'll have his own out of it . "

" what will the strongs do ? " asked gabe .

" that 's the question everyone in greenvale is asking .

lizzie strong has always been a delicate little girl , but maybe she 'll manage to scare up a living .

old stephen is to be the most pitied .

i don't see anything for him but the poorhouse . "

" how did stephen strong come to get into such a tight place ? " the stranger asked suddenly .

" when i was in these parts a good many years ago he was considered a well-to-do man . "

" well , so he was , " replied william jeffers .

" but he began to get in debt when his wife took sick .

he spent no end of money on doctors and medicines for her .

and then he seemed to have a streak of bad luck besides crops failed and cows died and all that sort of thing .

he 's been going behind ever since .

he kind of lost heart when his wife died .

and now moore is going to foreclose .

it 's my opinion poor old stephen won't live any time if he 's turned out of his home . "

" do you know what the mortgage comes to ? "

" near three thousand , counting overdue interest . "

" well , i 'm sorry for old stephen , " said gabe , returning to his game .

" if anybody deserves a peaceful old age he does .

he 's helped more people than you could count , and he was the best christian in greenvale , or out of it . "

" he was too good , " said a greenvale man crustily .

" he just let himself be imposed upon all his life .

there 's dozens of people owes him and he's never asked for a cent from them .

and he 's always had some shiftless critter or other hanging round and devouring his substance . "

" d'ye mind that ben butler who used to be in greenvale twenty years ago ? " asked a third man .

" if ever there was an imp of satan ' twas him old ezra butler 's son from the valley .

old stephen kept him for three or four years and was as good to him as if he 'd been his own son . "

he wasn't the kind you could forget in a hurry .

where'd he go ?

out to the kootenay , wasn't it ? "

" somewhere there .

he was a reg'lar young villain up to every kind of mischief .

i was thankful when he did finally clear out without doing some penitentiary work . "

the whistle of the mail train cut short the discussion of stephen strong 's case .

in a minute the room was vacant , except for the stranger .

when left to himself he also rose and walked out .

turning away from the station , he struck briskly into the greenvale road .

about three miles from the station he halted before a house built close to the road .

it was old-fashioned , but large and comfortable-looking , with big barns in the rear and an orchard on the left slope .

there was a light in the kitchen .

the window-blind was not down and he had a fairly good view of the room .

the only visible occupant was a grey-haired old man sitting by the table , reading from a large open volume before him .

the stranger whistled softly .

" that 's old stephen reading the bible same as ever , by all that 's holy !

he hasn't changed much except that he 's got mighty grey .

he must be close on to seventy .

it 's a shame to turn an old man like him out of house and home .

but joe moore always was a genuine skinflint . "

he drew himself softly up and sat on the fence .

he saw old stephen strong close his book , place his spectacles on it , and kneel down by his chair .

the old man remained on his knees for some time and then , taking up his candle , left the kitchen .

the man on the fence still sat there .

he could not help remembering at the same time how patient old stephen strong had always been with him .

he recalled the time he had been caught stealing the oats .

how frightened and sullen he had been !

and how gently the old man had talked to him and pointed out the sin of which he had been guilty !

he had never stolen again , but in other respects he had not mended his ways much .

behind old stephen 's back he laughed at him and his " preaching . "

but stephen strong had never lost faith in him .

he had always asserted mildly that " ben would come out all right by and by . "

ben butler remembered this too , as he sat on the fence .

he had " always liked old stephen , " he told himself .

he was sorry he had fallen on such evil times .

" preaching and praying don't seem to have brought him out clear after all , " he said with a chuckle that quickly died away .

somehow , even in his worst days , ben butler had never felt easy when he mocked old stephen .

" three thousand dollars !

i could do it but i reckon i 'd be a blamed fool .

i ain't a-going to do it .

three thousand ain't picked up every day , even in the kootenay ' specially by chaps like me . "

he patted his pocket knowingly .

fifteen years previously he had gone to the kootenay district with visions of making a fortune that were quickly dispelled by reality .

but he had already given up the idea .

this country was too blamed quiet for him , he said .

he would go back to the kootenay , and he knew what he would do with his money .

jake perkins and wade brown , two " pals " of his , were running a flourishing grocery and saloon combined .

they would be glad of another partner with some cash .

it would suit him to a t .

" i 'll clear out tomorrow , " he mused as he walked back .

" as long as i stay here old stephen will haunt me , sure as fate .

wonder what he was praying for tonight .

he always used to say the lord would provide , but he don't appear to have done it .

well , i ain't his deputy . "

the next afternoon ben butler went over to greenvale and called at stephen strong 's .

he found only the old man at home .

old stephen did not recognize him at first , but made him heartily welcome when he did .

" ben , i do declare !

ben butler !

how are you ?

how are you ?

sit down , ben here , take this chair .

where on earth did you come from ? "

" baxter just now kootenay on the large scale , " answered ben .

" thought i 'd come over and see you again .

didn't expect you 'd remember me at all . "

" remember you !

why , of course i do .

i haven't ever forgot you , ben .

many 's the time i 've wondered where you was and how you was getting on .

and you tell me you 've been in the kootenay !

well , well , you have seen a good bit more of the world than i ever have .

you 've changed a lot , ben .

you ain't a boy no longer .

d'ye mind all the pranks you used to play ? "

ben laughed sheepishly .

" i reckon i do .

but it ain't myself i come here to talk about not much to say if i did .

it 's just been up and down with me .

how are you yourself , sir ?

they were telling me over at baxter that you were kind of in trouble . "

the old man 's face clouded over ; all the sparkle went out of his kind blue eyes .

" yes , ben , yes , " he said , with a heavy sigh .

" i 've kind of gone downhill , that 's a fact .

i don't want to complain .

the lord does all things well .

ben was always skittish of " pious talk . "

he veered around adroitly .

" i dunno as the lord has had much to do with this , sir .

seems to me as if ' twas the other one as was running it , with joe moore for deputy .

the main thing , as i look at it , is to get a cinch on him .

how much does the mortgage amount to , sir ? "

" about three thousand dollars , interest and all . "

old stephen 's voice trembled .

the future looked very dark to him in his old age .

ben put his hand inside his coat and brought out a brand-new , plump pocketbook .

he opened it , laid it on his knee , and counted out a number of crisp notes .

" here , sir , " he said , pushing them along the table .

" i reckon that 'll keep you out of joe moore 's clutches .

there 's three thousand there if i ain't made a mistake .

that 'll set you clear , won't it ? "

" ben ! "

old stephen 's voice trembled with amazement .

" ben , i can't take it .

it wouldn't be fair or right .

i could never pay you back . "

ben slipped the rubber band around his wallet and replaced it airily .

" i don't want it paid back , sir .

it 's a little gift , so to speak , just to let you know i ain't ungrateful for all you did for me .

if it hadn't been for you i might have been in the penitentiary by now .

we do things on a big scale out there . "

" but , ben , are you sure you can afford it that you won't miss it ? "

" pop sure .

don't you worry , i 'm all right . "

" bless you bless you ! "

the tears were running down old stephen 's face as he gathered up the money with a shaking hand .

" i always knew you would do well , ben always said it .

i knew you'd a good heart .

i just can't realize this yet it seems too good to be true .

the old place saved i can die in peace .

of course , i 'll pay you back some of it anyhow if i 'm spared a while longer .

bless you , ben . "

ben would not stay long after that .

he said he had to leave on the 4 : 30 train .

he was relieved when he got away from the old man 's thanks and questions .

ben did not find it easy to answer some of the latter .

when he was out of sight of the house he sat on a fence and counted up his remaining funds .

" just enough to take me back to the kootenay and then begin over again , i s'pose .

but ' twas worth the money to see the old fellow 's face .

he 'd thank the lord and me , he said .

how jake and wade 'd roar to hear them two names in partnership !

but i 'm going to pull up a bit after this , see if i don't , just to justify the old man 's faith in me .

' twould be too bad to disappoint him if he 's believed for so long that i was going to turn out all right yet . "

when the 4 : 30 train went out ben butler stood on the rear platform .

gabe foley watched him abstractedly as he receded .

" blamed if i know who that fellow was , " he remarked to a crony .

" he never told his name , but seems to me i 've seen him before .

he has a kind of hang-dog look , i think .

but he paid up square and it is none of my business . "

an unconventional confidence

the girl in black-and-yellow ran frantically down the grey road under the pines .

there was nobody to see her , but she would have run if all halifax had been looking on .

and was there not a shower coming straight from the hills across the harbour ?

" oh , i shall be too late , " moaned the girl .

but she held her hat steady with one hand and ran on .

if she could only reach the pavilion in time !

it was a neck-and-neck race between the rain and the girl , but the girl won .

into this the girl moved .

she was flushed and triumphant .

the young man thought that in all his life he had never seen anyone so pretty .

" it would have been a pity , " admitted the young man .

" it is a very pretty hat . "

" pretty ! "

the girl looked the scorn her voice expressed .

" anyone can have a pretty hat .

our cook has one .

this is a creation . "

" of course , " said the young man humbly .

" i ought to have known .

but i am very stupid . "

" well , i suppose a mere man couldn't be expected to understand exactly , " said the girl graciously .

she smiled at him in a friendly fashion , and he smiled back .

the girl thought that she had never seen such lovely brown eyes before .

he could not be a haligonian .

she was sure she knew all the nice young men with brown eyes in halifax .

" please sit down , " she said plaintively .

" i 'm tired . "

the young man smiled again at the idea of his sitting down because the girl was tired .

but he sat down , and so did she , on the only dry seat to be found .

i will not have my hat spoiled .

i suppose i shouldn't have put it on .

beatrix said it was going to rain .

beatrix is such a horribly good prophet .

i detest people who are good prophets , don't you ? "

" i think that they are responsible for all the evils that they predict , " said the young man solemnly .

" that is just what i told beatrix .

and i was determined to put on this hat and come out to the park today .

i simply had to be alone , and i knew i 'd be alone out here .

everybody else would be at the football game .

by the way , why aren't you there ? "

" dear me , " said the girl pityingly .

" where can you have been not to have heard of it ?

it 's between the dalhousie team and the wanderers .

almost everybody here is on the wanderers ' side , because they are haligonians , but i am not .

i like the college boys best .

beatrix says that it is just because of my innate contrariness .

last year i simply screamed myself hoarse with enthusiasm .

the dalhousie team won the trophy . "

" well , i just couldn't , " said the girl with a sigh .

even beatrix would never have dared to prophesy that .

but you see it has happened .

i was too crumpled up in my mind to care about football today .

i had to come here and have it out with myself .

that is why i put on my hat .

i thought , perhaps , i might get through with my mental gymnastics in time to go to the game afterwards .

but i didn't .

it is just maddening , too .

i got this hat and dress on purpose to wear to it .

they 're black and yellow , you see the dalhousie colours .

it was my own idea .

i was sure it would make a sensation .

but i couldn't go to the game and take any interest in it , feeling as i do , could i , now ? "

the young man said , of course , she couldn't .

it was utterly out of the question .

the girl smiled .

without a smile , she was charming .

with a smile , she was adorable .

" i like to have my opinions bolstered up .

do you know , i want to tell you something ?

may i ? "

" you may .

i 'll never tell anyone as long as i live , " said the young man solemnly .

" i don't know you and you don't know me .

that is why i want to tell you about it .

i must tell somebody , and if i told anybody i knew , they 'd tell it all over halifax .

it is dreadful to be talking to you like this .

beatrix would have three fits , one after the other , if she saw me .

but beatrix is a slave to conventionality .

i glory in discarding it at times .

you don't mind , do you ? "

" not at all , " said the young man sincerely .

the girl sighed .

" i have reached that point where i must have a confidant , or go crazy .

once i could tell things to beatrix .

that was before she got engaged .

now she tells everything to him .

there is no earthly way of preventing her .

i 've tried them all .

so , nowadays , when i get into trouble , i tell it out loud to myself in the glass .

it 's a relief , you know .

but that is no good now .

i want to tell it to somebody who can say things back .

will you promise to say things back ? "

the young man assured her that he would when the proper time came .

" very well .

but please don't look at me while i 'm telling you .

i 'll be sure to blush in places .

when beatrix wants to be particularly aggravating she says i have lost the art of blushing .

but that is only her way of putting it , you know .

sometimes i blush dreadfully . "

" well , " began the girl , " the root of the whole trouble is simply this .

there is a young man in england .

i always think of him as the creature .

he is the son of a man who was father 's especial crony in boyhood , before father emigrated to canada .

worse than that , he comes of a family which has contracted a vile habit of marrying into our family .

it has come down through the ages so long that it has become chronic .

father left most of his musty traditions in england , but he brought this pet one with him .

he and this friend agreed that the latter 's son should marry one of father 's daughters .

it ought to have been beatrix she is the oldest .

but beatrix had a pug nose .

so father settled on me .

i was doomed to it from my cradle .

the young man shook his head , but did not look at her .

" it 's pretty bad , " he admitted .

" you see , " said the girl pathetically , " the shadow of it has been over my whole life .

of course , when i was a very little girl i didn't mind it so much .

it was such a long way off and lots of things might happen .

the creature might run away with some other girl or i might have the smallpox or beatrix 's nose might be straight when she grew up .

and if beatrix 's nose were straight she 'd be a great deal prettier than i am .

but nothing did happen and her nose is puggier than ever .

then when i grew up things were horrid .

i never could have a single little bit of fun .

and beatrix had such a good time !

she had scores of lovers in spite of her nose .

to be sure , she 's engaged now and he 's a horrid , faddy little creature .

but he is her own choice .

oh , it makes me furious ! "

" is is there anyone else ? " asked the young man hesitatingly .

" oh , dear , no .

how could there be ?

why , you know , i couldn't have the tiniest flirtation with another man when i was as good as engaged to the creature .

that is one of my grievances .

just think how much fun i 've missed !

as if i cared how clever or rich he is !

beatrix made me so cross that i gave up saying anything and sulked by myself .

so they think i 'm quite reconciled to it , but i'm not . "

" he might be very nice after all , " suggested the young man .

" nice !

that isn't the point .

oh , don't you see ?

but no , you 're a man you can't understand .

you must just take my word for it .

the whole thing makes me furious .

but i haven't told you the worst .

the creature is on his way out to canada now .

he may arrive here at any minute .

and they are all so aggravatingly delighted over it . "

" what do you suppose he feels like ? " asked the young man reflectively .

" well , " said the girl frankly , " i 've been too much taken up with my own feelings to worry about his .

but i daresay they are pretty much like mine .

he must loathe and detest the very thought of me . "

" oh , i don't think he does , " said the young man gravely .

" don't you ?

well , what do you suppose he does think of it all ?

you ought to understand the man 's part of it better than i can . "

" there 's as much difference in men as in women , " said the young man in an impersonal tone .

she becomes his boyish ideal of all that is good and true .

he pictures her as beautiful and winsome and sweet .

she is his heart 's lady , and the thought of her abides with him as a safeguard and an inspiration .

for her sake he resolves to make the most of himself , and live a clean , loyal life .

when she comes to him she must find his heart fit to receive her .

the young man stopped abruptly , and looked at the girl .

she bent forward with shining eyes , and touched his hand .

" you are splendid , " she said softly .

" if he thought so but no i am sure he doesn't .

he 's just coming out here like a martyr going to the stake .

he knows he will be expected to propose to me when he gets here .

and he knows that i know it too .

and he knows and i know that i will be expected to say my very prettiest ' yes . ' "

" but are you going to say it ? " asked the young man anxiously .

the girl leaned forward .

" no .

that is my secret .

i am going to say a most emphatic ' no . ' "

" but won't your family make an awful row ? "

" of course .

but i rather enjoy a row now and then .

it stirs up one 's grey matter so nicely .

i came out here this afternoon and thought the whole affair over from beginning to end .

and i have determined to say ' no . ' "

" oh , i wouldn't make it so irreconcilable as that , " said the young man lightly .

" i 'd leave a loophole of escape .

" i suppose it would , " said the girl thoughtfully , " but then , you know , i won't change my mind . "

" it 's just as well to be on the safe side , " said the young man .

the girl got up .

the rain was over and the sun was coming out through the mists .

" perhaps you are right , " she said .

" so i 'll just resolve that i will say ' no ' if i don't want to say ' yes . '

that really amounts to the same thing , you know .

thank you so much for letting me tell you all about it .

it must have bored you terribly , but it has done me so much good .

i feel quite calm and rational now , and can go home and behave myself .

goodbye . "

" goodbye , " said the young man gravely .

he stood on the pavilion and watched the girl out of sight beyond the pines .

when the girl got home she was told that the dalhousie team had won the game , eight to four .

the girl dragged her hat off and waved it joyously .

" what a shame i wasn't there !

they 'd have gone mad over my dress . "

but the next item of information crushed her .

the creature had arrived .

he had called that afternoon , and was coming to dinner that night .

what lovely brown eyes he had !

i do dote on brown eyes .

the creature will be sure to have fishy blue ones . "

when the girl went down to meet the creature she found herself confronted by the young man .

for the first , last , and only time in her life , the girl had not a word to say .

but her family thought her confusion very natural and pretty .

they really had not expected her to behave so well .

as for the young man , his manner was flawless .

toward the end of the dinner , when the girl was beginning to recover herself , he turned to her .

" you know i promised never to tell , " he said .

" be sure you don't , then , " said the girl meekly .

" but aren't you glad you left the loophole ? " he persisted .

the girl smiled down into her lap .

" perhaps , " she said .

aunt cyrilla 's christmas basket

that troublesome worry over what geraldine would think nerved her to make a protest in this instance .

as for it 's being christmas , all the more reason .

edward is always real glad to get some of the old farmhouse goodies .

he says they beat city cooking all hollow , and so they do . "

" but it 's so countrified , " moaned lucy rose .

" well , i am countrified , " said aunt cyrilla firmly , " and so are you .

and what 's more , i don't see that it 's anything to be ashamed of .

you 've got some real silly pride about you , lucy rose .

you 'll grow out of it in time , but just now it is giving you a lot of trouble . "

" the basket is a lot of trouble , " said lucy rose crossly .

" you 're always mislaying it or afraid you will .

and it does look so funny to be walking through the streets with that big , bulgy basket hanging on your arm . "

" i 'm not a mite worried about its looks , " returned aunt cyrilla calmly .

edward and geraldine don't need it i know that but there may be those that will .

aunt cyrilla nodded and smiled good-humouredly , and lucy rose , though she privately held to her own opinion , had to smile too .

that big fruit cake for one thing edward does like my fruit cake ; and that cold boiled tongue for another .

and apples , of course three or four dozen of those good eaters and a little pot of my greengage preserves edward 'll like that .

and some sandwiches and pound cake for a snack for ourselves .

now , i guess that will do for eatables .

the presents for the children can go in on top .

now , is that all ? "

couldn't you put them in too ? "

aunt cyrilla smiled broadly .

i can make room . "

" some day i 'm going to burn this basket when i get courage enough .

then there 'll be an end of lugging it everywhere we go like a like an old market-woman . "

uncle leopold came in just then , shaking his head dubiously .

" i mistrust you folks won't get to pembroke tomorrow , " he said sagely .

" it 's going to storm . "

aunt cyrilla did not worry over this .

she believed matters of this kind were fore-ordained , and she slept calmly .

when they reached there the air was thick with flying flakes .

the stationmaster sold them their tickets with a grim face .

" if there 's any more snow comes , the trains might as well keep christmas too , " he said .

" that 's the beginning , " groaned lucy rose to herself .

lucy rose merely wondered uncomfortably what the others thought of aunt cyrilla 's basket .

they expected to reach pembroke that night , but as the day wore on the storm grew worse .

twice the train had to stop while the train hands dug it out .

the third time it could not go on .

it was dusk when the conductor came through the train , replying brusquely to the questions of the anxious passengers .

we 're here for the night .

these storms of late have played the mischief with everything . "

" oh , dear , " groaned lucy rose .

aunt cyrilla looked at her basket complacently .

" at any rate , we won't starve , " she said .

the pale , pretty girl seemed indifferent .

the sealskin lady looked crosser than ever .

the khaki boy said , " just my luck , " and two of the children began to cry .

aunt cyrilla took some apples and striped candy sticks from her basket and carried them to them .

she lifted the oldest into her ample lap and soon had them all around her , laughing and contented .

the rest of the travellers straggled over to the corner and drifted into conversation .

the khaki boy said it was hard lines not to get home for christmas , after all .

" i was invalided from south africa three months ago , and i 've been in the hospital at netley ever since .

they 'll be badly disappointed . "

he looked disappointed too .

one khaki sleeve hung empty by his side .

aunt cyrilla passed him an apple .

" we were all going down to grandpa 's for christmas , " said the little mother 's oldest boy dolefully .

" we 've never been there before , and it 's just too bad . "

he looked as if he wanted to cry but thought better of it and bit off a mouthful of candy .

" will there be any santa claus on the train ? " demanded his small sister tearfully .

" jack says there won't . "

" i guess he 'll find you out , " said aunt cyrilla reassuringly .

the pale , pretty girl came up and took the baby from the tired mother .

" what a dear little fellow , " she said softly .

" are you going home for christmas too ? " asked aunt cyrilla .

the girl shook her head .

" i haven't any home .

i 'm just a shop girl out of work at present , and i 'm going to pembroke to look for some . "

aunt cyrilla went to her basket and took out her box of cream candy .

" i guess we might as well enjoy ourselves .

let's eat it all up and have a good time .

maybe we 'll get down to pembroke in the morning . "

the little group grew cheerful as they nibbled , and even the pale girl brightened up .

the little mother told aunt cyrilla her story aside .

she had been long estranged from her family , who had disapproved of her marriage .

her husband had died the previous summer , leaving her in poor circumstances .

" father wrote to me last week and asked me to let bygones be bygones and come home for christmas .

i was so glad .

and the children 's hearts were set on it .

it seems too bad that we are not to get there .

i have to be back at work the morning after christmas . "

the khaki boy came up again and shared the candy .

he told amusing stories of campaigning in south africa .

the minister came too , and listened , and even the sealskin lady turned her head over her shoulder .

by and by the children fell asleep , one on aunt cyrilla 's lap and one on lucy rose 's , and two on the seat .

aunt cyrilla and the pale girl helped the mother make up beds for them .

the minister gave his overcoat and the sealskin lady came forward with a shawl .

" this will do for the baby , " she said .

" we must get up some santa claus for these youngsters , " said the khaki boy .

" let's hang their stockings on the wall and fill ' em up as best we can .

i 've nothing about me but some hard cash and a jack-knife .

i 'll give each of ' em a quarter and the boy can have the knife . "

" i 've nothing but money either , " said the sealskin lady regretfully .

aunt cyrilla glanced at the little mother .

she had fallen asleep with her head against the seat-back .

i 'm going to give ' em to these .

as for the money , i think the mother is the one for it to go to .

she 's been telling me her story , and a pitiful one it is .

let's make up a little purse among us for a christmas present . "

the idea met with favour .

the khaki boy passed his cap and everybody contributed .

the sealskin lady put in a crumpled note .

when aunt cyrilla straightened it out she saw that it was for twenty dollars .

meanwhile , lucy rose had brought the basket .

she smiled at aunt cyrilla as she lugged it down the aisle and aunt cyrilla smiled back .

lucy rose had never touched that basket of her own accord before .

" that baby is such a dear little fellow , " said the sealskin lady gently .

" he looks something like my little son .

he died eighteen christmases ago . "

aunt cyrilla put her hand over the lady 's kid glove .

" so did mine , " she said .

then the two women smiled tenderly at each other .

afterwards they rested from their labours and all had what aunt cyrilla called a " snack " of sandwiches and pound cake .

the khaki boy said he hadn't tasted anything half so good since he left home .

" they didn't give us pound cake in south africa , " he said .

when morning came the storm was still raging .

the children wakened and went wild with delight over their stockings .

" this is serious , " said the khaki boy , " when you consider that we 've no provisions .

don't mind for myself , used to half rations or no rations at all .

but these kiddies will have tremendous appetites . "

then aunt cyrilla rose to the occasion .

" i 've got some emergency rations here , " she announced .

" there 's plenty for all and we 'll have our christmas dinner , although a cold one .

breakfast first thing .

the only thing is , i haven't any bread . "

" i 've a box of soda crackers , " said the little mother eagerly .

nobody in that car will ever forget that christmas .

to begin with , after breakfast they had a concert .

the khaki boy gave two recitations , sang three songs , and gave a whistling solo .

lucy rose gave three recitations and the minister a comic reading .

the pale shop girl sang two songs .

" if we can get to the next station we 'll be all right , " he said .

" the branch joins the main line there and the tracks will be clear . "

at noon they had dinner .

the train hands were invited in to share it .

bits of paper served as plates .

everybody declared they had never enjoyed a meal more in their lives .

they could not eat the preserves because they had no spoons , so aunt cyrilla gave them to the little mother .

when all was over , a hearty vote of thanks was passed to aunt cyrilla and her basket .

the sealskin lady wanted to know how she made her pound cake , and the khaki boy asked for her receipt for jelly cookies .

" i feel as if i 'd been campaigning with you all my life , " said the khaki boy .

at the next station they all parted .

the little mother and the children had to take the next train back home .

the minister stayed there , and the khaki boy and the sealskin lady changed trains .

the sealskin lady shook aunt cyrilla 's hand .

she no longer looked discontented or cross .

" this has been the pleasantest christmas i have ever spent , " she said heartily .

" i shall never forget that wonderful basket of yours .

the little shop girl is going home with me .

i 've promised her a place in my husband 's store . "

when aunt cyrilla and lucy rose reached pembroke there was nobody to meet them because everyone had given up expecting them .

it was not far from the station to edward 's house and aunt cyrilla elected to walk .

" i 'll carry the basket , " said lucy rose .

aunt cyrilla relinquished it with a smile .

lucy rose smiled too .

" it 's a blessed old basket , " said the latter , " and i love it .

please forget all the silly things i ever said about it , aunt c'rilla . "

davenport 's story

it was a rainy afternoon , and we had been passing the time by telling ghost stories .

that is a very good sort of thing for a rainy afternoon , and it is a much better time than after night .

but jack , as usual , was dissatisfied .

he said our stories were all second-hand stuff .

" one doesn't get any information from that , " said jack .

some persons appear to have the knack of getting their wishes granted .

jack is one of that ilk .

it was a very good ghost story as ghost stories go , and davenport told it well .

even jack admitted that , but he said :

" it 's only second-hand too .

did you ever have a ghostly experience yourself , old man ? "

davenport put his finger tips critically together .

" would you believe me if i said i had ? " he asked .

" no , " said jack unblushingly .

" then there would be no use in my saying it . "

" but you don't mean that you ever really had , of course ? "

" i don't know .

something queer happened once .

i 've never been able to explain it from a practical point of view , that is .

want to hear about it ? "

of course we did .

this was exciting .

nobody would ever have suspected davenport of seeing ghosts .

" it 's conventional enough , " he began .

" ghosts don't seem to have much originality .

but it 's firsthand , jack , if that 's what you want .

i don't suppose any of you have ever heard me speak of my brother , charles .

" when he left college he became engaged to dorothy chester .

she was very beautiful , and my brother idolized her .

she died a short time before the date set for their marriage , and charles never recovered from the blow .

" i married dorothy 's sister , virginia .

virginia did not in the least resemble her sister , but our eldest daughter was strikingly like her dead aunt .

we called her dorothy , and charles was devoted to her .

dolly , as we called her , was always ' uncle charley 's girl . '

" when dolly was twelve years old charles went to new orleans on business , and while there took yellow fever and died .

he was buried there , and dolly half broke her childish heart over his death .

" one day , five years later , when dolly was seventeen , i was writing letters in my library .

that very morning my wife and dolly had gone to new york en route for europe .

dolly was going to school in paris for a year .

business prevented my accompanying them even as far as new york , but gilbert chester , my wife 's brother , was going with them .

they were to sail on the aragon the next morning .

" i had written steadily for about an hour .

i dropped my cigar and sprang to my feet in amazement .

there was only one door in the room and i had all along been facing it .

" there was no mistaking him ; i saw him as plainly as i see you .

he was a tall , rather stout man , with curly hair and a fair , close-clipped beard .

he wore the same light-grey suit which he had worn when bidding us good-bye on the morning of his departure for new orleans .

he had no hat on , but wore spectacles , and was standing in his old favourite attitude , with his hands behind him .

i took a hasty step towards him .

" ' good heavens , old fellow ! '

i exclaimed .

' where on earth have you come from ?

why , we all thought you were dead ! '

" i was quite close to him when i stopped abruptly .

somehow i couldn't move another step .

he made no motion , but his eyes looked straight into mine .

" 'do not let dolly sail on the aragon tomorrow , ' he said in slow , clear tones that i heard distinctly .

one moment he was there and the next moment he wasn't .

he did not pass me or go out of the door .

" for a few moments i felt dazed .

i was wide awake and in my right and proper senses so far as i could judge , and yet the whole thing seemed incredible .

scared ?

no , i wasn't conscious of being scared .

i was simply bewildered .

i took it with the comfortable consciousness that my friends would certainly think i had gone out of my mind .

i found them greatly mystified by my telegram .

i suppose my explanation was a very lame one .

i know i felt decidedly like a fool .

gilbert laughed at me and said i had dreamed the whole thing .

virginia was perplexed , but dolly accepted the warning unhesitatingly .

" ' of course it was uncle charley , ' she said confidently .

' we will not sail on the aragon now . '

gilbert didn't laugh when the news came , i assure you .

virginia and dolly sailed a month later on the marseilles , and reached the other side in safety .

that 's all the story , boys the only experience of the kind i ever had , " concluded davenport .

we had many questions to ask and several theories to advance .

jack said davenport had dreamed it and that the collision of the aragon and the astarte was simply a striking coincidence .

but davenport merely smiled at all our suggestions and , as it cleared up just about three , we told no more ghost stories .

emily 's husband

emily fair got out of hiram jameson 's waggon at the gate .

she took her satchel and parasol and , in her clear , musical tones , thanked him for bringing her home .

emily had a very distinctive voice .

nobody had ever heard emily fair 's voice tremble .

" you are more than welcome , mrs fair , " said hiram jameson , with a glance of bold admiration .

emily met it with an unflinching indifference .

she disliked hiram jameson .

she had been furious under all her external composure because he had been at the station when she left the train .

jameson perceived her scorn , but chose to disregard it .

" proud as lucifer , " he thought as he drove away .

" well , she 's none the worse of that .

i don't like your weak women they 're always sly .

if stephen fair don't get better she 'll be free and then "

emily stood at the gate for some time after jameson 's waggon had disappeared .

when the brief burst of sunset splendour had faded out she turned and went into the garden where late asters and chrysanthemums still bloomed .

she gathered some of the more perfect ones here and there .

a sudden gust of wind came over the brown , sodden fields and the ragged maples around the garden writhed and wailed .

the air was raw and chill .

the rain that had threatened all day was very near .

emily shivered and went into the house .

amelia phillips was bending over the fire .

she came forward and took emily 's parcels and wraps with a certain gentleness that sat oddly on her grim personality .

" are you tired ?

i 'm glad you 're back .

did you walk from the station ? "

" no .

hiram jameson was there and offered to drive me home .

i 'd rather have walked .

it 's going to be a storm , i think .

where is john ? "

" he went to the village after supper , " answered amelia , lighting a lamp .

" we needed some things from the store . "

the light flared up as she spoke and brought out her strong , almost harsh features and deep-set black eyes .

amelia phillips looked like an overdone sketch in charcoal .

" has anything happened in woodford while i 've been away ? " asked emily indifferently .

plainly she did not expect an affirmative answer .

woodford life was not eventful .

amelia glanced at her sharply .

so she had not heard !

amelia had expected that hiram jameson would have told her .

she wished that he had , for she never felt sure of emily .

from the time that emily had come back to her girlhood 's home , five years before , stephen fair 's name had never crossed her lips .

" i suppose you haven't heard that stephen is very ill , " said amelia slowly .

not a feature of emily 's face changed .

only in her voice when she spoke was a curious jarring , as if a false note had been struck in a silver melody .

" what is the matter with him ? "

" typhoid , " answered amelia briefly .

she felt relieved that emily had taken it so calmly .

that , in amelia phillips ' opinion , would have betrayed a weakness not to be tolerated .

emily looked at the lamp unwinkingly .

" that wick needs trimming , " she said .

then , with a sudden recurrence of the untuneful note :

" is he dangerously ill ? "

" we haven't heard for three days .

the doctors were not anxious about him monday , though they said it was a pretty severe case . "

a faint , wraith-like change of expression drifted over emily 's beautiful face and was gone in a moment .

what was it relief ?

regret ?

it would have been impossible to say .

when she next spoke her vibrant voice was as perfectly melodious as usual .

" i think i will go to bed , amelia .

john will not be back until late i suppose , and i am very tired .

there comes the rain .

i suppose it will spoil all the flowers .

they will be beaten to pieces . "

she peered out into the thickly gathering gloom .

beyond , in the garden , she saw the asters tossed about , phantom-like .

the wind around the many-cornered old farmhouse was full of wails and sobs .

the clock in the sitting-room struck eight .

emily shivered and shut the door .

she remembered that she had been married at eight o'clock that very morning seven years ago .

she thought she could see herself coming down the stairs in her white dress with her bouquet of asters .

when she had put out her light and gone to bed she found that she could not sleep .

she pretended to believe that it was the noise of the storm that kept her awake .

not even to herself would emily confess that she was waiting and listening nervously for john 's return home .

that would have been to admit a weakness , and emily fair , like amelia , despised weakness .

she shuddered and drew the counterpane over her face .

" of all things i hate a fall storm most , " she muttered .

" it frightens me . "

it was so strange to think of stephen being ill .

she had never known him to have a day 's sickness in his life before .

scene after scene , face after face , flashed out on the background of the darkness .

john phillips , too , the grave , silent , elder brother , loved and petted the child .

woodford people were fond of saying that john and amelia spoiled emily shamefully .

emily phillips had never been like the other woodford girls and had no friends of her own age among them .

amelia and john phillips never liked him .

there was an ancient feud between the families that had died out among the younger generation , but was still potent with the older .

from the first emily had loved stephen .

john and amelia phillips put their own unjustifiable dislike of stephen aside when they found that emily 's heart was set on him .

the two were married after a brief courtship and emily went out from her girlhood 's home to the fair homestead , two miles away .

stephen 's mother lived with them .

janet fair had never liked emily .

she had not been willing for stephen to marry her .

but , apart from this , the woman had a natural , ineradicable love of making mischief and took a keen pleasure in it .

now it became her pleasure to make what trouble she could between stephen and his wife .

she had the advantage of emily in that she was always sweet-spoken and , on the surface , sweet-tempered .

to a certain extent he was right .

emily had been spoiled .

but this emily refused to be , and the breach between husband and wife widened insidiously .

the final rupture came two years after their marriage .

emily , in rebellious anger , told her husband that she would no longer live in the same house with his mother .

" if she stays i go . "

stephen fair , harassed and bewildered , was angry with the relentless anger of a patient man roused at last .

" go , then , " he said sternly , " i 'll never turn my mother from my door for any woman 's whim . "

the stormy red went out of emily 's face , leaving it like a marble wash .

" you mean that ! " she said calmly .

" think well .

if i go i 'll never return . "

" i do mean it , " said stephen .

" leave my house if you will if you hold your marriage vow so lightly .

when your senses return you are welcome to come back to me .

i will never ask you to . "

without another word emily turned away .

that night she went back to john and amelia .

they , on their part , welcomed her back gladly , believing her to be a wronged and ill-used woman .

they hated stephen fair with a new and personal rancour .

the one thing they could hardly have forgiven emily would have been the fact of her relenting towards him .

but she did not relent .

two years after she had left stephen mrs fair died , and his widowed sister-in-law went to keep house for him .

if he thought of emily he made no sign .

stephen fair never broke a word once passed .

since their separation no greeting or look had ever passed between husband and wife .

when they met , as they occasionally did , neither impassive face changed .

emily fair had buried her love deeply .

in her pride and anger she would not let herself remember even where she had dug its grave .

and now stephen was ill .

the strange woman felt a certain pride in her own inflexibility because the fact did not affect her .

she told herself that she could not have felt more unconcerned had he been the merest stranger .

nevertheless she waited and watched for john phillips ' homecoming .

at ten o'clock she heard his voice in the kitchen .

she leaned out of the bed and pulled open her door .

the door of the kitchen was open below her and a narrow shaft of light struck on her white , intent face .

she looked like a woman waiting for the decree of doom .

at first john and amelia talked of trivial matters .

then the latter said abruptly :

" did you hear how stephen fair was ? "

" he 's dying , " was the brief response .

emily heard amelia 's startled exclamation .

she gripped the square rails with her hands until the sharp edges dinted deep into her fingers .

john 's voice came up to her again , harsh and expressionless :

" he took a bad turn the day before yesterday and has been getting worse ever since .

the doctors don't expect him to live till morning . "

amelia began to talk rapidly in low tones .

emily heard nothing further .

stephen her husband dying !

in the burning anguish of that moment her own soul was as an open book before her .

the love she had buried rose from the deeps of her being in an awful , accusing resurrection .

out of her stupor and pain a purpose formed itself clearly .

she must go to stephen she must beg and win his forgiveness before it was too late .

she dared not go down to john and ask him to take her to her husband .

he might refuse .

the phillipses had been known to do even harder things than that .

it would drive her mad .

she lit a lamp and dressed herself noiselessly , but with feverish haste .

then she listened .

the house was very still .

amelia and john had gone to bed .

she wrapped herself in a heavy woollen shawl hanging in the hall and crept downstairs .

with numbed fingers she fumbled at the key of the hall door , turned it and slipped out into the night .

the storm seemed to reach out and clutch her and swallow her up .

in after years that frenzied walk through the storm and blackness seemed as an unbroken nightmare to emily fair 's recollection .

often she fell .

as she struggled to her feet and found her way again the blood trickled down over her face .

then , realizing this , she cried out in horror .

surely some fearsome punishment would come upon her for her wickedness she would find her husband lying dead .

the next moment she recognized emily and her face hardened .

this woman , stephen 's sister-in-law , had always hated emily fair .

" what do you want here ? " she said harshly .

" where is my husband ? " asked emily .

" you can't see him , " said mrs sentner defiantly .

" the doctors won't allow anyone in the room but those he 's used to .

strangers excite him . "

the insolence and cruelty of her speech fell on unheeding ears .

emily , understanding only that her husband yet lived , turned to the hall door .

sullenly she stood aside and emily went unhindered up the stairs to the room where the sick man lay .

the two doctors in attendance were there , together with the trained nurse from the city .

emily pushed them aside and fell on her knees by the bed .

one of the doctors made a hasty motion as if to draw her back , but the other checked him .

" it doesn't matter now , " he said significantly .

stephen fair turned his languid , unshorn head on the pillow .

his dull , fevered eyes met emily 's .

he had not recognized anyone all day , but he knew his wife .

" emily ! " he whispered .

emily drew his head close to her face and kissed his lips passionately .

" stephen , i 've come back to you .

forgive me forgive me say that you forgive me . "

" it 's all right , my girl , " he said feebly .

she buried her face in the pillow beside his with a sob .

in the wan , grey light of the autumn dawn the old doctor came to the bedside and lifted emily to her feet .

she had not stirred the whole night .

now she raised her white face with dumb pleading in her eyes .

the doctor glanced at the sleeping form on the bed .

" your husband will live , mrs fair , " he said gently .

" i think your coming saved him .

his joy turned the ebbing tide in favour of life . "

" thank god ! " said emily .

and for the first time in her life her beautiful voice trembled .

min

the morning sun hung , a red , lustreless ball , in the dull grey sky .

it was not a handsome face , but there was a strangely subtle charm about it .

the chill breathlessness of the air seemed prophetic of more snow .

he felt utterly discouraged .

he had been two years among them and he counted it two years of failure .

he had been too outspoken for them ; they resented sullenly his direct and incisive tirades against their pet sins .

he had meant well and worked hard and he felt his failure keenly .

two years before , allan telford , fresh from college and full of vigorous enthusiasm and high ideas , would have said :

" no , that is not for me .

my work must lie among the poor and lowly of earth as did my master 's .

shall i shrink from it because , to worldly eyes , the way looks dreary and uninviting ? "

now , looking back on his two years ' ministry , he said wearily :

" i can remain here no longer .

if i do , i fear i shall sink down into something almost as pitiful as one of these canting , gossiping people myself .

i can do them no good they do not like or trust me .

i will accept this call and go back to my own world . "

perhaps the keynote of his failure was sounded in his last words , " my own world . "

he had never felt , or tried to feel , that this narrow sphere was his own world .

they expressed it by saying he was " stuck-up . "

rykman 's corner came into view as he drove over the brow of a long hill .

the newest scandal , the worst-flavoured joke , the latest details of the most recent quarrel , were always to be had at rykman 's store .

as the minister drove down the hill , a man came out of a small house at the foot and waited on the road .

" good mornin ' , mr telford .

ye won't mind giving me a lift down to the corner , i dessay ? "

telford checked his horse reluctantly and galletly crawled into the cutter .

he had been nicknamed " the morning chronicle " by a sarcastic schoolteacher who had sojourned a winter at the corner .

the name was an apt one and clung .

telford had heard it .

i suppose he is starting out on his rounds now , he thought .

galletly plunged undauntedly into the conversational gap .

" quite a fall of snow last night .

reckon we 'll have more ' fore long .

that was a grand sermon ye gave us last sunday , mr telford .

reckon it went home to some folks , judgin ' from all i 've heard .

it was needed and that 's a fact .

' live peaceably with all men ' that 's what i lay out to do .

there ain't a house in the district but what i can drop into and welcome .

' tain't everybody in rykman 's corner can say the same . "

galletly squinted out of the corner of his eye to see if the minister would open on the trail of this hint .

telford 's passive face was discouraging but galletly was not to be baffled .

" i s'pose ye haven't heard about the row down at palmers ' last night ? "

" no . "

the monosyllable was curt .

telford was vainly seeking to nip galletly 's gossip in the bud .

the name of palmer conveyed no especial meaning to his ear .

his knowledge went no further .

he had called three times and found nobody at home at least , to all appearances .

now he was fated to have the whole budget of some vulgar quarrel forced on him by galletly .

" no ?

everyone 's talkin ' of it .

i believe the two women had an awful time .

min 's a tartar when her temper 's up and that 's pretty often .

nobody knows how rose managed to put up with her so long .

but she has had to go at last .

goodness knows what the poor critter'll do .

she hasn't a cent nor a relation she was just an orphan girl that palmer brought up .

she is at rawlingses now .

maybe when min cools off , she 'll let her go back but it 's doubtful .

min hates her like p'isen . "

to telford this was all very unintelligible .

" who is this woman you call min palmer ? " he said coldly .

" what are the family circumstances ?

i ought to know , perhaps , if i am to be of any service but i have no wish to hear idle gossip . "

his concluding sentence was quite unheeded by galletly .

" min palmer 's the worst woman in rykman 's corner or out of it .

she always was an odd one .

i mind her when she was a girl a saucy , black-eyed baggage she was !

handsome , some folks called her .

i never c 'd see it .

her people were a queer crowd and min was never brung up right jest let run wild all her life .

well , rod palmer took to dancin ' attendance on her .

rod was a worthless scamp .

she was a quiet , well-behaved little creetur .

folks said the old man wanted rod to marry her dunno if ' twas so or not .

in the end , howsomever , he had to marry min .

her brother got after him with a horse-whip , ye understand .

old palmer was furious but he had to give in and rod brought her home .

she was a bit sobered down by her trouble and lived quiet and sullen-like at first .

her and rod fought like cat and dog .

rose married osh fuller , a worthless , drunken fellow .

he died in a year or so and left rose and her baby without a roof over their heads .

then old palmer went and brought her home .

he set great store by rose and he c'dn't bear min .

min had to be civil to rose as long as old palmer lived .

fin'lly rod up and died and ' twasn't long before his father went too .

then the queer part came in .

everyone expected that he 'd purvide well for rose and min 'd come in second best .

but no will was to be found .

i don't say but what it was all right , mind you .

i may have my own secret opinion , of course .

old palmer had a regular mania , as ye might say , for makin ' wills .

he 'd have a lawyer out from town every year and have a new will made and the old one burnt .

lawyer bell was there and made one ' bout eight months ' fore he died .

it was s'posed he'd destroyed it and then died ' fore he 'd time to make another .

he went off awful sudden .

anyway , everything went to min 's child to min as ye might say .

she 's been boss .

rose still stayed on there and min let her , which was more than folks expected of her .

but she 's turned her out at last .

min 's in one of her tantrums now and ' tain't safe to cross her path . "

" what is mrs fuller to do ? " asked telford anxiously .

" that 's the question .

she 's sickly can't work much and then she has her leetle gal .

min was always jealous of that child .

it 's a real purty , smart leetle creetur and old palmer made a lot of it .

min 's own is an awful-looking thing a cripple from the time ' twas born .

there 's no doubt ' twas a jedgement on her .

as for rose , no doubt the god of the widow and fatherless will purvide for her . "

in spite of his disgust , telford could not repress a smile at the tone , half-whine , half-snuffle , with which galletly ended up .

" i think i had better call and see this mrs palmer , " he said slowly .

" ' twould be no airthly use , mr telford .

min 'd slam the door in your face if she did nothing worse .

she hates ministers and everything that 's good .

she hasn't darkened a church door for years .

min , she flew at him .

she vowed then she 'd never go to church again , and she never has .

people hereabouts has talked to her and tried to do her good , but it ain't no use .

why , i 've heard that woman say there was no god .

it 's a fact , mr telford i have .

some of our ministers has tried to visit her .

they didn't try it more than once .

the last one he was about your heft he got a scare , i tell you .

min just caught him by the shoulder and shook him like a rat !

didn't see it myself but mrs rawlings did .

ye ought to hear her describin ' of it . "

galletly chuckled over the recollection , his wicked little eyes glistening with delight .

telford was thankful when they reached the store .

he felt that he could not endure this man 's society any longer .

nevertheless , he felt strangely interested .

this min palmer must at least be different from the rest of the cornerites , if only in the greater force of her wickedness .

he almost felt as if her sins on the grand scale were less blameworthy than the petty vices of her censorious neighbours .

galletly eagerly joined the group of loungers on the dirty wet platform , and telford passed into the store .

a couple of slatternly women were talking to mrs rykman about " the palmer row . "

telford made his small purchases hastily .

by some subtle intuition telford knew that this was min palmer .

she was tall , and not even the man 's ragged overcoat which she wore could conceal the grace of her figure .

telford had a curious experience at that moment .

he knew , as if by revelation , that this woman had nothing in common with the narrow , self-righteous souls of rykman 's corner .

warped and perverted though her nature might be , she was yet far nobler than those who sat in judgement upon her .

min made some scanty purchases and left the store quickly , brushing unheedingly past the minister as she did so .

he saw her step on a rough wood-sleigh and drive down the river road .

the platform loungers had been silent during her call , but now the talk bubbled forth anew .

telford was sick at heart as he drove swiftly away .

he felt for min palmer a pity he could not understand or analyze .

the attempt to measure the gulf between what she was and what she might have been hurt him like the stab of a knife .

he made several calls at various houses along the river during the forenoon .

after dinner he suddenly turned his horse towards the palmer place .

isaac galletly , comfortably curled up in a neighbour 's chimney corner , saw him drive past .

" ef the minister ain't goin ' to palmers ' after all ! " he chuckled .

" he 's a set one when he does take a notion .

well , i warned him what to expect .

if min claws his eyes out , he 'll only have himself to blame . "

telford was not without his own misgivings as he drove into the palmer yard .

he tied his horse to the fence and looked doubtfully about him .

there was no sign of life about the place .

it was beginning to snow again , softly and thickly , and the hills and river were hidden behind a misty white veil .

her splendid hair was braided about her head in a glossy coronet , and her dark eyes were ablaze with ill-suppressed anger .

again telford was overcome by a sense of her wonderful loveliness .

not all the years of bondage to ill-temper and misguided will had been able to blot out the beauty of that proud , dark face .

she lifted one large but shapely brown hand and pointed to the gate .

" go ! " she said threateningly .

" mrs palmer , " began telford , but she silenced him with an imperious gesture .

" i don't want any of your kind here .

i hate all you ministers .

did you come here to lecture me ?

i suppose some of the corner saints set you on me .

you 'll never cross my threshold . "

telford returned her defiant gaze unflinchingly .

his dark-blue eyes , magnetic in their power and sweetness , looked gravely , questioningly , into min 's stormy orbs .

slowly the fire and anger faded out of her face and her head drooped .

" i ain't fit for you to talk to anyway , " she said with a sort of sullen humility .

" maybe you mean well but you can't do me any good .

i 'm past that now .

the corner saints say i 'm possessed of the devil .

perhaps i am if there is one . "

" i do mean well , " said telford slowly .

" i did not come here to reprove you .

i came to help you if i could if you needed help , mrs palmer "

" don't call me that , " she interrupted passionately .

she flung out her hands as if pushing some loathly , invisible thing from her .

" i hate the name as i hated all who ever bore it .

i never had anything but wrong and dog-usage from them all .

call me min that 's the only name that belongs to me now .

go why don't you go ?

don't stand there looking at me like that .

i 'm not going to change my mind .

i don't want any praying and whining round me .

i 've been well sickened of that .

go ! "

telford threw back his head and looked once more into her eyes .

a long look passed between them .

then he silently lifted his cap and , with no word of farewell , he turned and went down to the gate .

a bitter sense of defeat and disappointment filled his heart as he drove away .

min stood in the doorway and watched the sleigh out of sight down the river road .

then she gave a long , shivering sigh that was almost a moan .

he doesn't despise me he wouldn't sneer at me , bad as i am , like those creatures up there .

he could have helped me if we had met in time , but it 's too late now . "

she locked her hands over her eyes and groaned , swaying her body to and fro as one in mortal agony .

presently she looked out again with hard , dry eyes .

" what a fool i am ! " she said bitterly .

" how the corner saints would stare if they saw me !

i suppose some of them do " with a glance at the windows of a neighbouring house .

" yes , there 's mrs rawlings staring out and rose peeking over her shoulder . "

her face hardened .

the old sway of evil passion reasserted itself .

" she shall never come back here never .

oh , she was a sweet-spoken cat of a thing but she had claws .

i 've been blamed for all the trouble .

more fool i to care what he thinks either !

i wish i were dead .

it was a dull grey afternoon a week afterwards when allan telford again walked up the river road to the palmer place .

the wind was bitter and he walked with bent head to avoid its fury .

his face was pale and worn and he looked years older .

he paused at the rough gate and leaned over it while he scanned the house and its surroundings eagerly .

as he looked , the kitchen door opened and min , clad in the old overcoat , came out and walked swiftly across the yard .

telford 's eyes followed her with pitiful absorption .

he saw her lead a horse from the stable and harness it into a wood-sleigh loaded with bags of grain .

once she paused to fling her arms about the animal 's neck , laying her face against it with a caressing motion .

the pale minister groaned aloud .

as she caught the horse by the bridle , the kitchen door swung heavily to with a sharp , sudden bang .

the horse , a great , powerful , nervous brute , started wildly and then reared in terror .

the ice underfoot was glib and treacherous .

min lost her foothold and fell directly under the horse 's hoofs as they came heavily down .

the animal , freed from her detaining hand , sprang forward , dragging the laden sleigh over the prostrate woman .

it had all passed in a moment .

the moveless figure lay where it had fallen , one outstretched hand still grasping the whip .

telford sprang over the gate and rushed up the slope like a madman .

he flung himself on his knees beside her .

" min !

min ! " he called wildly .

there was no answer .

the room was a large one and everything was neat and clean .

the fire burned brightly , and a few green plants were in blossom by the south window .

beside them sat a child of about seven years who turned a startled face at telford 's reckless entrance .

by his side nestled a tiny dog , with satin ears and paws fringed as with ravelled silk .

telford paid heed to nothing , not even the frightened child .

he was as one distraught .

" min , " he wailed again , striving tremblingly to feel her pulse while cold drops came out on his forehead .

she opened her eyes wonderingly at his call , looking up with a dazed , appealing expression of pain and dread .

a low moan broke from her white lips .

telford sprang to his feet in a tumult of quivering joy .

" min , dear , " he said gently , " you have been hurt not seriously , i hope .

i must leave you for a minute while i run for help i will not be long . "

" come back , " said min in a low but distinct tone .

he paused impatiently .

" it is of no use to get help , " min went on calmly .

" i 'm dying i know it .

oh , my god ! "

she pressed her hand to her side and writhed .

telford turned desperately to the door .

min raised her arm .

" come here , " she said resolutely .

he obeyed mutely .

she looked up at him with bright , unquailing eyes .

" don't you go one step don't leave me here to die alone .

i 'm past help and i 've something to say to you .

i must say it and i haven't much time . "

telford hardly heeded her in his misery .

" min , let me go for help let me do something , " he implored .

" you must not die you must not ! "

min had fallen back , gasping , on the blood-stained pillow .

he knelt beside her and put his arm about the poor , crushed body .

" i must hurry , " she said faintly .

" i can't die with it on my mind .

rose it 's all hers all .

there was a will he made it old gran'ther palmer .

he always hated me .

i found it before he died and read it .

he left everything to her not a cent to me nor his son 's child we were to starve beg .

i was like a madwoman .

when he died i hid the will .

i meant to burn it but i never could .

it 's tortured me night and day i 've had no peace .

you 'll find it in a box in my room .

tell her tell rose how wicked i 've been .

and my boy what will become of him ?

rose hates him she 'll turn him out or ill-treat him "

telford lifted his white , drawn face .

" i will take your child , min .

he shall be to me as my own son . "

an expression of unspeakable relief came into the dying woman 's face .

" it is good of you .

i can die in peace now .

i 'm glad to die to get clear of it all .

i 'm tired of living so .

perhaps i 'll have a chance somewhere else .

i 've never had any here . "

the dark eyes drooped closed .

telford moaned shudderingly .

once again min opened her eyes and looked straight into his .

" if i had met you long ago you would have loved me and i would have been a good woman .

it is well for us for you that i am dying .

your path will be clear you will be good and successful but you will always remember me . "

telford bent and pressed his lips to min 's pain-blanched mouth .

" do you think we will ever meet again ? " she said faintly .

" out there it 's so dark god can never forgive me i 've been so wicked . "

" min , the all-loving father is more merciful than man .

he will forgive you , if you ask him , and you will wait for me till i come .

i will stay here and do my duty i will try hard "

his voice broke .

min 's great black eyes beamed out on him with passionate tenderness .

the strong , deep , erring nature yielded at last .

an exceeding bitter cry rose to her lips .

" oh , god forgive me forgive me ! "

and with the cry , the soul of poor suffering , sinning , sinned-against min palmer fled who shall say whither ?

death had bridged the gulf between them .

the room was very silent .

to min 's face had returned something of its girlhood 's innocence .

the hard , unlovely lines were all smoothed out .

the little cripple crept timidly up to telford , with the silky head of the dog pressed against his cheek .

telford gathered the distorted little body to his side and looked earnestly into the small face min 's face , purified and spiritualized .

he would have it near him always .

he bent and reverently kissed the cold face , the closed eyelids and the blood-stained brow of the dead woman .

then he stood up .

" come with me , dear , " he said gently to the child .

the day after the funeral , allan telford sat in the study of his little manse among the encircling wintry hills .

close to the window sat min 's child , his small , beautiful face pressed against the panes , and the bright-eyed dog beside him .

telford was writing in his journal .

" i shall stay here close to her grave .

i begin to see wherein i have failed .

i shall begin again patiently and humbly .

i wrote today to decline the c church call .

my heart and my work are here . "

he closed the book and bowed his head on it .

miss cordelia 's accommodation

" poor little creatures ! " said miss cordelia compassionately .

she meant the factory children .

" tomorrow is saturday , " she reflected , " and they 've no better place to play in than the back streets and yards .

it 's a shame .

there 's work for our philanthropists here , but they don't seem to see it .

well , i 'm so sorry for them it hurts me to look at them , but i can't do anything . "

miss cordelia lived alone in a tiny house at point pleasant .

it was so tiny that you would have wondered how anyone could live in it .

" but it 's plenty big for a little old maid like me , " miss cordelia would have told you .

" and it 's my own i 'm queen there .

there 's solid comfort in having one spot for your own self .

to be sure , if i had less land and more house it would be better . "

miss cordelia always laughed here .

it was one of her jokes .

there was a four-acre field behind the house .

both had been left to her by an uncle .

the field was of no use to miss cordelia ; she didn't keep a cow and she hadn't time to make a garden .

but she liked her field ; when people asked her why she didn't sell it she said :

" i 'm fond of it .

i like to walk around in it when the grass grows long .

and it may come in handy some time .

mother used to say if you kept anything seven years it would come to use .

i 've had my field a good bit longer than that , but maybe the time will come yet .

meanwhile i rejoice in the fact that i am a landed proprietor to the extent of four acres . "

miss cordelia had thought of converting her field into a playground for the factory children and asking detachments of them over on saturday afternoon .

but she knew that her point pleasant neighbours would object to this , so that project was dropped .

cynthia ann flemming , who lived on the other side of the spruce hedge , now came hurrying over .

" good evening , cordelia .

i have a letter that was left with me for you . "

" but that horse , " said miss cordelia , with a long breath between every word .

" where did he come from ?

tied at my front door and he 's eaten the tops off every one of my geraniums !

where 's his owner or rider or something ? "

cynthia ann came through the hedge with the letter .

" maybe this will explain , " she said .

" same boy brought it as brought the horse a little freckly chap mostly all grin and shirtsleeves .

said he was told to take the letter and horse to miss cordelia herry , elm street , point pleasant , and he couldn't wait .

so he tied the creature in there and left the letter with me .

he came half an hour ago .

well , he has played havoc with your geraniums and no mistake . "

miss cordelia opened and read her letter .

when she finished it she looked at the curious cynthia ann solemnly .

" well , if that isn't john drew all over !

i suspected he was at the bottom of it as soon as i laid my eyes on that animal .

john drew is a cousin of mine .

i suppose that is the horse .

john and i were just like brother and sister when we were children .

if this isn't like him nothing ever was .

he was always doing odd things and thinking they were all right .

and now he 's off west and here is the horse .

if it were a cat or a dog but a horse ! "

" your four-acre field will come in handy now , " said cynthia ann jestingly .

" so it will . "

miss cordelia spoke absently .

" the very thing !

yes , i 'll put him in there . "

" but you don't really mean that you 're going to keep the horse , are you ? " protested cynthia ann .

" why , he is no good to you and think of the expense of feeding him ! "

" i 'll keep him for a while , " said miss cordelia briskly .

" as you say , there is the four-acre field .

it will keep him in eating for a while .

i always knew that field had a mission .

poor john drew !

i 'd like to oblige him for old times ' sake , as he says , although this is as crazy as anything he ever did .

but i have a plan .

meanwhile , i can't feed nap on geraniums . "

miss cordelia always adapted herself quickly and calmly to new circumstances .

" it is never any use to get in a stew about things , " she was wont to say .

" i can keep him for the summer , " she said .

i 'm not so sure but that john drew has done a good thing after all .

poor john !

he always did take things so for granted . "

all the point pleasant people soon knew about miss cordelia 's questionable windfall , and she was overwhelmed with advice and suggestions .

she listened to all tranquilly and then placidly followed her own way .

miss cordelia drove straight out to the big pine-clad hills of deepdale , six miles from pottstown .

then she tied nap in a convenient lane and turned the children loose to revel in the woods and fields .

how they did enjoy themselves !

and how miss cordelia enjoyed seeing them enjoy themselves !

when dinner time came she gathered them all around her and went to the wagon .

in it she had a basket of bread and butter .

" i can't afford anything more , " she told cynthia ann , " but they must have something to stay their little stomachs .

and i can get some water at a farmhouse . "

miss cordelia had had her eye on a certain farmhouse all the morning .

she did not know anything about the people who lived there , but she liked the looks of the place .

it was a big , white , green-shuttered house , throned in wide-spreading orchards , with a green sweep of velvety lawn in front .

as he approached , miss cordelia thought she had never seen anybody so much like an incarnate smile before .

" well , well , well ! " he said , when he came near enough to be heard .

" is this a runaway school , ma'am ? "

" i 'm the runaway schoolma'am , " responded miss cordelia with a twinkle .

" and these are a lot of factory children i 've brought out for a saturday treat .

i thought i might get some water from your well , and maybe you will lend us a tin dipper or two ? "

" water ?

tut , tut ! " said the big man , with three distinct smiles on his face .

" milk 's the thing , ma'am milk .

i 'll tell my housekeeper to bring some out .

and all of you come over to the lawn and make yourselves at home .

bless you , ma'am , i 'm fond of children .

my name is smiles , ma'am abraham smiles . "

" it suits you , " said miss cordelia emphatically , before she thought , and then blushed rosy-red over her bluntness .

mr smiles laughed .

" yes , i guess i always have an everlasting grin on .

we 'll have a sort of impromptu picnic here and now , i 'll tell my housekeeper to send out some jam too . "

while the children devoured their lunch miss cordelia found herself telling mr smiles all about old nap and her little project .

" i 'm going to bring out a load every fine saturday all summer , " she said .

" it 's all i can do .

they enjoy it so , the little creatures .

it 's terrible to think how cramped their lives are .

they just exist in soot .

some of them here never saw green fields before today . "

mr smiles listened and beamed and twinkled until miss cordelia felt almost as dazzled as if she were looking at the sun .

" look here , ma'am , i like this plan of yours and i want to have a hand in helping it along .

i 'll put up some swings for them and have some games , and i 'll provide the refreshments also .

trouble , ma'am ?

no , trouble and i ain't on speaking terms .

it 'll be a pleasure , ma'am .

i 'm fond of children even if i am a grumpy cross-grained old bachelor .

if you can give up your own holiday to give them a good time , surely i can do something too . "

even old nap seemed to jog along eye-deep in satisfaction .

probably he was ruminating on the glorious afternoon he had spent in mr smiles 's clover pasture .

every fine saturday that summer miss cordelia took some of the factory children to the country .

the point pleasant people nicknamed her equipage " miss cordelia 's accommodation , " and it became a mild standing joke .

as for mr smiles , he proved a valuable assistant .

like miss cordelia , he gave his saturdays over to the children , and high weekly revel was held at beechwood farm .

" i feel so sorry , " she told mr smiles , " but it can't be helped .

it will soon be too cold for our jaunts and of course i can't keep nap through the winter .

i hate to part with him , i 've grown so fond of him , but i must . "

she looked regretfully at nap , who was nibbling mr smiles 's clover aftermath .

he was sleek and glossy .

it had been the golden summer of nap 's life .

mr smiles coughed in an embarrassed fashion .

miss cordelia looked at him and was amazed to see that not a smile was on or about his face .

he looked absurdly serious .

" i want to buy nap , " he said in a sepulchral tone , " but that is not the only thing i want .

i want you too , ma'am .

i 'm tired of being a cross old bachelor .

i think i 'd like to be a cross old husband , for a change .

do you think you could put up with me in that capacity , miss cordelia , my dear ? "

miss cordelia gave a half gasp and then she had to laugh .

" oh , mr smiles , i 'll agree to anything if you 'll only smile again .

it seems unnatural to see you look so solemn . "

the smiles at once broke loose and revelled over her wooer's face .

" then you will come ? " he said eagerly .

half an hour later they had their plans made .

at new year 's miss cordelia was to leave her school and sooty pottstown and come to be mistress of beechwood farm .

" and look here , " said mr smiles .

the house is large enough to hold them , goodness knows , and if it isn't there are the barns for the overflow .

this is going to be our particular pet charity all our lives , ma'am i mean cordelia , my dear . "

" blessings on old nap , " said miss cordelia with a happy light in her eyes .

" he shall live in clover for the rest of his days , " added mr smiles smilingly .

ned 's stroke of business

" jump in , ned ; i can give you a lift if you 're going my way . "

mr rogers reined up his prancing grey horse , and ned allen sprang lightly into the comfortable cutter .

the next minute they were flying down the long , glistening road , rosy-white in the sunset splendour .

the first snow of the season had come , and the sleighing was , as ned said , " dandy . "

" yes , sir ; all the carleton boys are going over tonight .

the moon is out , and the ice is good .

we have to go in a body , or the windsor fellows won't leave us alone .

there 's safety in numbers . "

" pretty hard lines when boys have to go six miles for a skate , " commented mr rogers .

" well , it 's that or nothing , " laughed ned .

" there isn't a saucerful of ice any nearer , except that small pond in old dutcher 's field , behind his barn .

and you know old dutcher won't allow a boy to set foot there .

he says they would knock down his fences climbing over them , and like as not set fire to his barn . "

" old dutcher was always a crank , " said mr rogers , " and doubtless will be to the end .

i hope it 's true . "

ned 's frank face clouded over .

" i 'm afraid not , sir .

the truth is , i guess mother can't afford it .

i don't expect to go . "

" that 's a pity .

can't you earn the necessary money yourself ? "

ned shook his head .

" not much chance for that in carleton , mr rogers .

i 've cudgelled my brains for the past month trying to think of some way , but in vain .

well , here is the crossroad , so i must get off .

thank you for the drive , sir . "

" keep on thinking , ned , " advised mr rogers , as the lad jumped out .

" i think it would , " laughed ned to himself , as he trudged away .

" a quiet little farming village in winter isn't exactly a promising field for financial operations . "

at winterby corners ned found a crowd of boys waiting for him , and soon paired off with his chum , jim slocum .

jim , as usual , was grumbling because they had to go all the way to windsor to skate .

the rivalry which existed between the carleton and the windsor boys was bitter and of long standing .

" we ought to be able to hold our own tonight , " said ned .

" there'll be thirty of us there . "

" if we could only get old dutcher to let us skate on his pond ! " said jim .

" it wouldn't hurt his old pond !

and the ice is always splendid on it .

i 'd give a lot if we could only go there . "

ned was silent .

a sudden idea had come to him .

he wondered if it were feasible .

" anyhow , i 'll try it , " he said to himself .

" i 'll interview old dutcher tomorrow . "

the skating that night was not particularly successful .

the next day ned allen went down to see mr dutcher , or old dutcher , as he was universally called in carleton .

ned did not exactly look forward to the interview with pleasure .

old dutcher was a crank there was no getting around that fact .

old dutcher was unmarried , and his widowed sister kept house for him .

this poor lady had a decidedly lonely life of it , for old dutcher studiously discouraged visitors .

his passion for solitude was surpassed only by his eagerness to make and save money .

although he was well-to-do , he would wrangle over a cent , and was the terror of all who had ever had dealings with him .

fortunately for ned and his project , this did turn out to be one of old dutcher 's good days .

" i 've come down to see you on a little matter of business , mr dutcher , " said ned , boldly and promptly .

it never did to beat about the bush with old dutcher ; you had to come straight to the point .

" i want to know if you will rent your pond behind the barn to me for a skating-rink . "

old dutcher 's aspect was certainly not encouraging .

" no , i won't .

you ought to know that .

i never allow anyone to skate there .

no , sir !

i ain't going to rent that pond for no skating-rink . "

ned smothered a smile .

" just wait a moment , mr dutcher , " he said respectfully .

" i want you to hear my proposition before you refuse definitely .

my rink will be open only from two to six in the afternoon and from seven to ten in the evening .

during that time i shall always be at the pond to keep everything in order .

the skaters will come and go by the lane leading from the barn to the road .

i think that if you agree to my proposition , mr dutcher , you will not regret it . "

" what 's to prevent my running such a rink myself ? " asked old dutcher gruffly .

" it wouldn't pay you , mr dutcher , " answered ned promptly .

" the carleton boys wouldn't patronize a rink run by you . "

old dutcher 's eyes twinkled .

it did not displease him to know that the carleton boys hated him .

in fact , it seemed as if he rather liked it .

" besides , " went on ned , " you couldn't afford the time .

you couldn't be on the pond for eight hours a day and until ten o'clock at night .

i can , as i 've nothing else to do just now .

if i had , i wouldn't have to be trying to make money by a skating-rink . "

old dutcher scowled .

ten dollars was ten dollars and , as ned had said , he knew very well that he could not run a rink by himself .

" well , " he said , half reluctantly , " i suppose i 'll let you go ahead .

only remember i 'll hold you responsible if anything happens . "

ned went home in high spirits .

ned was not long left in doubt as to the success of his enterprise .

it was popular from the start .

there were about fifty boys in carleton and winterby , and they all patronized the rink freely .

at first ned had some trouble with two or three rowdies , who tried to evade his rules .

the rink flourished amain , and everybody , even old dutcher , was highly pleased .

" so you found a way after all , ned , " he said genially .

" i had an idea you would .

my bookkeeper will be leaving me about the time you will be through at the college .

what do you say ? "

" thank you , sir , " stammered ned , scarcely believing his ears .

a position in mr rogers 's store meant good salary and promotion .

he had never dared to hope for such good fortune .

" if you think i can give satisfaction "

i believe in helping those who have ' gumption ' enough to help themselves , so we 'll call it a bargain , ned . "

our runaway kite

we just had to make the most of each other , and we did .

the big half moon is miles from anywhere , except the little half moon .

but nobody lives there , so that doesn't count .

we live on the big half moon .

" we " are father and claude and i and aunt esther and mimi and dick .

it used to be only father and claude and i . it is all on account of the kite that there are more of us .

this is what i want to tell you about .

father is the keeper of the big half moon lighthouse .

he has always been the keeper ever since i can remember , although that isn't very long .

i am only eleven years old .

claude is twelve .

the funny part used to be that people always pitied us when the time came for us to return .

why , claude and i were never lonesome .

there was always so much to do , and claude is splendid at making believe .

he makes the very best pirate chief i ever saw .

dick is pretty good , but he can never roar out his orders in the bloodcurdling tones that claude can .

claude and i never quarrelled .

we used to argue sometimes and get excited , but that was as far as it ever went .

when i saw claude getting too excited i gave in to him .

he is a boy , you know , and they have to be humoured ; they are not like girls .

as for having a woman to look after us , i thought that just too silly , and so did claude .

what did we need with a woman when we had father ?

he could cook all we wanted to eat and make molasses taffy that was just like a dream .

he kept our clothes all mended , and everything about the lighthouse was neat as wax .

of course i helped him lots .

i like pottering round .

he used to hear our lessons and tell us splendid stories and saw that we always said our prayers .

claude and i wouldn't have done anything to make him feel bad for the world .

father is just lovely .

to be sure , he didn't seem to have any relations except us .

this used to puzzle claude and me .

everybody on the mainland had relations ; why hadn't we ?

was it because we lived on an island ?

we thought it would be so jolly to have an uncle and aunt and some cousins .

once we asked father about it , but he looked so sorrowful all of a sudden that we wished we hadn't .

he said it was all his fault .

i didn't see how that could be , but i never said anything more about it to father .

still , i did wish we had some relations .

it is always lovely out here on the big half moon in summer .

claude says he is going to sail out there when he grows up .

i would like to too , but claude says i can't because i 'm a girl .

it is dreadfully inconvenient to be a girl at times .

you can't see the little half moon at all then ; it is hidden by the mist and spume .

we never saw any .

dick says there is no such thing as a kelpy .

but then dick has no imagination .

it is no argument against a thing that you 've never seen it .

i have never seen the pyramids , either , but i know that there are pyramids .

every summer we had some hobby .

the last summer before dick and mimi came we were crazy about kites .

even pirating wasn't such good fun .

claude would go around to the other side of the big half moon and we would play shipwrecked mariners signalling to each other with kites .

oh , it was very exciting .

we had one kite that was a dandy .

that kite had the most magnificent tail , too .

it used to scare the gulls nearly to death when we sent up our kites .

they didn't know what to make of them .

and the big half moon is such a place for gulls there are hundreds of them here .

one day there was a grand wind for kite-flying , and claude and i were having a splendid time .

we used our smaller kites for signalling , and when we got tired of that claude sent me to the house for the big one .

you would never have believed that one small elbow could make such a big hole .

do you ?

it was one father had taken from a drawer in the bookcase which he had cleaned out the night before .

we patched the kite up with the letter , a sheet on each side , and dried it by the fire .

then we started out , and up went the kite like a bird .

the wind was glorious , and it soared and strained like something alive .

all at once snap !

i might have said to claude , so like a boy ! but i didn't .

by this time the kite was out of sight , and we never expected to see or hear of it again .

a month later a letter came to the big half moon for father .

jake wiggins brought it over in his sloop .

father went off by himself to read it , and such a queer-looking face as he had when he came back !

his eyes looked as if he had been crying , but that couldn't be , i suppose , because claude says men never cry .

anyhow , his face was all glad and soft and smiley .

" do you two young pirates and freebooters want to know what has become of your kite ? " he said .

it was the most amazing thing .

it seems father had had relations after all a brother and a sister in particular .

he never went back , and he never even let them know he was living .

so much for that ; and now about the kite .

the letter father had just received was from his sister , our aunt esther and the mother of dick and mimi .

she was living at a place hundreds of miles inland .

one day when dick and mimi were out in the woods looking for botany specimens they saw something funny in the top of a tree .

dick climbed up and got it .

it was a big red kite with a patch on each side and names written on it .

they carried it home to their mother .

dick has since told us that she turned as pale as the dead when she saw our names on it .

you see , philippa was her mother 's name and claude was her father 's .

so she sat right down and wrote again , and this was the letter jake wiggins brought to the big half moon .

it was a beautiful letter .

i loved aunt esther before i ever saw her , just from that letter .

when he came back he brought aunt esther and dick and mimi with him , and they have been here ever since .

you don't know how splendid it is !

aunt esther is such a dear , and dick and mimi are too jolly for words .

they love the big half moon as well as claude and i do , and dick makes a perfectly elegant shipwrecked mariner .

but the best of it all is that we have relations now !

the bride roses

miss corona awoke that june morning with a sigh , the cause of which she was at first too sleepy to understand .

well might miss corona hate it .

it had shut her up into a lonely life for long years .

miss corona turned over on her pillows , lifted one corner of the white window-blind and peeped out .

no bride could have wished anything fairer for her day of days , and miss corona dropped back on her pillows with another gentle sigh .

" i 'm so glad that the dear child has a fine day to be married , " she said .

juliet gordon was always " dear child " to miss corona , although the two had never spoken to each other in their lives .

to be sure , charlotta 's intentions were always good .

miss corona felt just the least little bit tired of living , although she feared it was very wicked of her to feel so .

down in the little northern valley below the spruce grove lived her uncle , alexis gordon .

his son , meredith , had seemed to corona as her own brother .

the mothers of both were dead ; neither had any other brother or sister .

the two children had grown up together , playmates and devoted friends .

there had never been any sentiment or lovemaking between them to mar a perfect comradeship .

but , if roderick and alexis gordon had any such plans , all went by the board when they quarreled .

corona shivered yet over the bitterness of that time .

the gordons never did anything half-heartedly .

the strife between the two brothers was determined and irreconcilable .

corona 's father forbade her to speak to her uncle and cousin or to hold any communication with them .

corona wept and obeyed him .

she had always obeyed her father ; it had never entered into her mind to do anything else .

ten years later roderick gordon died , and in five months alexis gordon followed him to the grave .

corona , with a half-guilty sense of disloyalty to her father , hoped that she and meredith might now be friends again .

he was married , and had one little daughter .

in her new and intolerable loneliness corona 's heart yearned after her own people .

but she was too timid to make any advances , and meredith never made any .

corona believed that he hated her , and let slip her last fluttering hope that the old breach would ever be healed .

" oh , dear ! oh , dear ! " she sobbed softly into her pillows .

when miss corona went downstairs at last , she found charlotta sobbing in the kitchen porch .

when charlotta was in good spirits , they always hung perkily over each shoulder , tied up with enormous bows of sky-blue ribbon .

" what have you done this time ? " asked miss corona , without the slightest intention of being humorous or sarcastic .

" i 've i've bruk your green and yaller bowl , " sniffed charlotta .

" didn't mean to , miss c'rona .

it jest slipped out so fashion ' fore i c 'd grab holt on it .

and it 's bruk into forty millyun pieces .

ain't i the onluckiest girl ? "

" you certainly are , " sighed miss corona .

but just now her heart was so sore over the quarrel that there was no room for other regrets .

" well , well , crying won't mend it .

i suppose it is a judgment on me for staying abed so late .

go and sweep up the pieces , and do try and be a little more careful , charlotte . "

" yes 'm , " said charlotta meekly .

she dared not resent being called charlotte just then .

" and i 'll tell you what i 'll do , ma'am , to make up , i 'll go and weed the garden .

yes 'm , i 'll do it beautiful . "

" and pull up more flowers than weeds , " miss corona reflected mournfully .

but it did not matter ; nothing mattered .

this mood lasted until the afternoon .

after finding out , she wandered idly about the rambling , old-fashioned place , which was full of nooks and surprises .

nothing in the garden was planted quite where it should be , yet withal it was the most delightful spot imaginable .

miss corona pushed her way into the cherry-tree copse , and followed a tiny , overgrown path to a sunshiny corner beyond .

she had not been there since last summer ; the little path was getting almost impassable .

" dear life , " whispered miss corona tremulously , as she tiptoed towards it .

" the bride roses have bloomed again !

how very strange !

why , there has not been a rose on that tree for twenty years . "

the rosebush had been planted there by corona 's great-grandmother , the lady of the green and yellow bowl .

long years ago the tree had given up blooming , nor could all the pruning and care given it coax a single blossom from it .

she , the last of them on the old homestead , would never need the bride roses .

wherefore , then , should the old tree bloom ?

and now , after all these years , it had flung all its long-hoarded sweetness into blossom again .

miss corona thrilled at the thought .

she bent over its foam of loveliness almost reverently .

" they have bloomed for juliet 's wedding , " she murmured .

" a gordon bride must wear the bride roses , indeed she must .

and this why , it is almost a miracle . "

she ran , light-footedly as a girl , to the house for scissors and a basket .

she would send juliet gordon the bride roses .

her cheeks were pink from excitement as she snipped them off .

how lovely they were !

how very large and fragrant !

it was as if all the grace and perfume and beauty and glory of those twenty lost summers were found here at once in them .

when miss corona had them ready , she went to the door and called , " charlotte !

charlotte ! "

after a time miss corona remembered and sighed .

she did hate to call the child that foolish name with its foreign sound .

just as if plain " charlotte " were not good enough for her , and much more suitable to " smith " too !

ordinarily miss corona would not have given in .

but the case was urgent ; she could not stand upon her dignity just now .

" charlotta ! " she called entreatingly .

instantly charlotta flew to the garden gate and raced up to the door .

" yes 'm , " she said meekly .

" you want me , miss c'rona ? "

don't stop to pick gum in the grove , or eat sours in the dike , or poke sticks through the bridge , or "

but charlotta had gone .

down in the valley , the other gordon house was in a hum of excitement .

upstairs juliet had gone to her invalid mother 's room to show herself in her wedding dress to the pale little lady lying on the sofa .

" i 'm not going to put on my veil until the last moment , " she said laughingly .

" i would feel married right away if i did .

and oh , mother dear , isn't it too bad ?

my roses haven't come .

father is back from the station , and they were not there .

i am so disappointed .

romney ordered pure white roses because i said a gordon bride must carry nothing else .

come in " as a knock sounded at the door .

laura burton , juliet 's cousin and bridesmaid , entered with a box .

" juliet dear , the funniest little red-headed girl with the most enormous freckles has just brought this for you .

i haven't an idea where she came from ; she looked like a messenger from pixy-land . "

juliet opened the box and gave a cry .

" oh , mother , look look !

what perfect roses !

who could have sent them ?

oh , here 's a note from from why , mother , it 's from cousin corona . "

" my dear child , " ran the letter in miss corona 's fine , old-fashioned script .

" i am sending you the gordon bride roses .

i hope you will wear them for , although i have never known you , i love you very much .

i was once a dear friend of your father 's .

tell him to let you wear the roses i send for old times ' sake .

i wish you every happiness , my dear .

" your affectionate cousin , " corona gordon . "

" oh , how sweet and lovely of her ! " said juliet gently , as she laid the letter down .

" and to think she was not even invited !

" he must have been mistaken about her attitude , " said mrs gordon .

" it certainly is a great pity she was not invited , but it is too late now .

an invitation sent two hours before the ceremony would be an insult indeed . "

" not if the bride herself took it ! " exclaimed juliet impulsively .

" i 'll go myself to cousin corona , and ask her to come to my wedding . "

" go yourself !

child , you can't do such a thing !

in that dress ....y . "

" go i must , momsie .

why , it 's only a three minutes ' walk .

i 'll go up the hill by the old field-path , and no one will see me .

oh , don't say a word there , i 'm gone ! "

" that child ! " sighed the mother protestingly , as she heard juliet 's flying feet on the stairs .

" what a thing for a bride to do ! "

juliet pushed up the rusty hasp and ran through .

" dear child , " said miss corona out of her amazement , " there is nothing to forgive .

i 've loved you all and longed for you .

dear child , you have brought me great happiness . "

" and you must come to my wedding , " cried juliet .

" oh , you must or i shall think you have not really forgiven us .

you would never refuse the request of a bride , cousin corona .

we are queens on our wedding day , you know . "

" oh , it 's not that , dear child but i'm not dressed i "

" i 'll help you dress .

and i won't go back without you .

the guests and the minister must wait if necessary yes , even romney must wait .

oh , i want you to meet romney .

come , dear . "

and miss corona went .

in the hollow meredith gordon met them .

" cousin meredith , " said miss corona tremulously .

" dear corona . "

he took both her hands in his , and kissed her heartily .

" forgive me for misunderstanding you so long .

i thought you hated us all . "

turning to juliet , he said with a fatherly smile ,

" what a terrible girl it is for having its own way !

who ever heard of a gordon bride doing such an unconventional thing ?

there , scamper off to the house before your guests come .

" oh , i knew that something beautiful was going to happen when the old rose-tree bloomed , " murmured miss corona happily .

the josephs ' christmas

the month before christmas was always the most exciting and mysterious time in the joseph household .

there were a good many of them , and very few of the pennies ; hence the reason for so much contriving and consulting .

father and mother were always discreetly blind and silent through december .

no questions were asked no matter what queer things were done .

the air was simply charged with secrets .

sister mollie was the grand repository of these ; all the little josephs came to her for advice and assistance .

or , how can seven sticks of candy be divided among eight people so that each shall have one ?

it was mollie who advised regarding the purchase of ribbon and crepe paper .

it was mollie who put the finishing touches to most of the little gifts .

in short , all through december mollie was weighed down under an avalanche of responsibility .

" dead " secrecy was the keystone of all plans and confidences .

during this particular december the planning and contriving had been more difficult and the results less satisfactory than usual .

the josephs were poor at any time , but this winter they were poorer than ever .

the crops had failed in the summer , and as a consequence the family were , as jimmy said , " on short commons . "

mr and mrs. joseph sat before the fire and listened to the wind howling about the house .

" i 'm glad i 'm not driving over the prairie tonight , " said mr joseph .

" it 's quite a storm .

i hope it will be fine tomorrow , for the children 's sake .

mrs joseph sighed over jimmy 's worn jacket which she was mending .

then she smiled .

" never mind , john .

things will be better next christmas , we 'll hope .

the children will not mind , bless their hearts .

look at all the little knick-knacks they 've made for each other .

they 've never had anything really nice for christmas .

but there !

mr joseph nodded .

" that 's so .

she never has had anything but homemade dolls , and that small heart of hers is set on a real one .

there was one at fisher 's store today a big beauty with real hair , and eyes that opened and shut .

just fancy maggie 's face if she saw such a christmas box as that tomorrow morning . "

" don't let's fancy it , " laughed mrs . joseph , " it is only aggravating .

talking of candy reminds me that i made a big plateful of taffy for the children today .

it 's all the ' christmassy ' i could give them .

i 'll get it out and put it on the table along with the children 's presents .

that can't be someone at the door ! "

" it is , though , " said mr joseph as he strode to the door and flung it open .

two snowed-up figures were standing on the porch .

as they stepped in , the josephs recognized one of them as mr ralston , a wealthy merchant in a small town fifteen miles away .

" late hour for callers , isn't it ? " said mr ralston .

" the fact is , our horse has about given out , and the storm is so bad that we can't proceed .

this is my wife , and we are on our way to spend christmas with my brother 's family at lindsay .

can you take us in for the night , mr joseph ? "

my , mrs ralston , " as his wife helped her off with her things , " but you are snowed up !

i 'll see to putting your horse away , mr ralston .

this way , if you please . "

mr ralston put the big basket he was carrying down on a bench in the corner .

" thought i 'd better bring our christmas flummery in , " he said .

" you see , mrs joseph , my brother has a big family , so we are taking them a lot of santa claus stuff .

mrs ralston packed this basket , and goodness knows what she put in it , but she half cleaned out my store .

the eyes of the lindsay youngsters will dance tomorrow that is , if we ever get there . "

mrs joseph gave a little sigh in spite of herself , and looked wistfully at the heap of gifts on the corner table .

how meagre and small they did look , to be sure , beside that bulgy basket with its cover suggestively tied down .

mrs ralston looked too .

" santa claus seems to have visited you already , " she said with a smile .

the josephs laughed .

" our santa claus is somewhat out of pocket this year , " said mr joseph frankly .

" those are the little things the small folks here have made for each other .

they 've been a month at it , and i 'm always kind of relieved when christmas is over and there are no more mysterious doings .

we 're in such cramped quarters here that you can't move without stepping on somebody 's secret . "

a shakedown was spread in the kitchen for the unexpected guests , and presently the ralstons found themselves alone .

mrs ralston went over to the christmas table and looked at the little gifts half tenderly and half pityingly .

" just what i was thinking , " returned her husband , " and i was thinking of something else , too .

i 've a notion that i 'd like to see some of the things in our basket right here on this table . "

" i 'd like to see them all , " said mrs ralston promptly .

" let's just leave them here , edward .

roger 's family will have plenty of presents without them , and for that matter we can send them ours when we go back home . "

" just as you say , " agreed mr . ralston .

" i like the idea of giving the small folk of this household a rousing good christmas for once .

they 're poor i know , and i dare say pretty well pinched this year like most of the farmers hereabout after the crop failure . "

mrs ralston untied the cover of the big basket .

then the two of them , moving as stealthily as if engaged in a burglary , transferred the contents to the table .

when all was done mrs ralston said , " now , i 'm going to spread that tablecloth carelessly over the table .

it fell out as mrs ralston had planned .

the dawn broke fine and clear over a vast white world .

much obliged for your kindness , mr joseph .

when you and mrs joseph come to town we shall hope to have a chance to return it .

good-bye and a merry christmas to you all . "

when mrs joseph went back to the kitchen her eyes fell on the heaped-up table in the corner .

" why-y ! " she said , and snatched off the cover .

one look she gave , and then this funny little mother began to cry ; but they were happy tears .

mr joseph came too , and looked and whistled .

pinned to her dress was a leaf from mr ralston 's notebook with maggie 's name written on it .

" well , this is christmas with a vengeance , " said mr joseph .

" the children will go wild with delight , " said his wife happily .

they pretty nearly did when they all came scrambling down the stairs a little later .

such a christmas had never been known in the joseph household before .

and as for the big box of good things , why , everybody appreciated that .

that christmas was one to date from in that family .

mrs joseph 's taffy was eaten too .

not a scrap of it was left .

the magical bond of the sea

a late september wind from the northwest was sweeping over the waters of racicot harbour .

and nora shelley , standing at the door of her father 's bleached cottage on the grey sands , heard a new strain in it .

there 's a new life beyond , nora , whistled the wind .

a good life and it 's yours for the taking .

you have but to put out your hand and all you 've wished for will be in your grasp .

nora leaned out from the door to meet the wind .

she loved that northwest gale ; it was a staunch old friend of hers .

but her hair was as black as midnight , and her lips blossomed out with a ripe redness against the uncoloured purity of her face .

she was far and away the most beautiful of the harbour girls , but hardly the most popular .

men and women alike thought her proud .

even her friends felt themselves called upon to make excuses for her unlikeness to themselves .

nora had dosed the door behind her to shut in the voices .

she wanted to be alone with the wind while she made her decision .

the mackerel boats curtsied and nodded outside ; beyond them the sharp tip of sandy point was curdled white with seagulls .

down at the curve of the cove a group of men were laughing and talking loudly in front of french joe 's fish-house .

this was the life that she had always known .

across the harbour , on a fir-fringed headland , stood dalveigh .

to the racicot fishing folk the house and grounds were as a dream of enchantment made real .

few of them had ever seen anything like it .

nora shelley knew dalveigh well .

it was as if it were hers by right of fitness .

and this was the life that might be hers , did she so choose .

in reality , her choice was already made , and she knew it .

john cameron and his wife were given the seats of honour in the middle of the room .

mrs cameron was a handsome , well-dressed woman , with an expression that was discontented and , at times , petulant .

her husband was a small , white-haired man , with a fresh , young-looking face .

he was popular in racicot , for he mingled freely with the sailors and fishermen .

moreover , dalveigh was an excellent market for fresh mackerel .

nathan shelley , in his favourite corner behind the stove , sat lurching forward with his hands on his knees .

he had laid aside his pipe out of deference to mrs cameron , and it was hard for him to think without it .

he wished his wife would go to work ; it seemed uncanny to see her idle .

mrs shelley sat by the crooked , small-paned window and looked out down the harbour .

they wanted nora these rich people who had so much in life wanted the blossom of girlhood that had never bloomed for them .

john cameron pleaded his cause well .

" we will look on her as our own , " he said at last .

" we have grown to love her this summer .

she is beautiful and clever she has a right to more than racicot can give her .

you have other children we are childless .

and we do not take her from you utterly .

you will see her every summer when we come to dalveigh . "

" it won't be the same thing quite , " said nathan shelley drily .

" she 'll belong to your life then not ours .

and no matter how many young ones folks has , they don't want to lose none of ' em .

but i dunno as we ought to let our feelings stand in nora 's light .

she 's clever , and she 's been hankering for more'n we can ever give her .

i was the same way once .

lord , how i raged at racicot !

i broke away finally went to a city and got work .

but it wasn't no use .

i 'd left it too long .

the sea had got into my blood .

i toughed it out for two years , and then i had to come back .

i didn't want to , mark you , but i had to come .

been here ever since .

but maybe ' twill be different with the girl .

but you don't know how the sea calls to one of its own . "

cameron smiled .

he thought that this dry old salt was a bit of a poet in his own way .

very likely nora got her ability and originality from him .

there did not seem to be a great deal in the phlegmatic , good-looking mother .

" what say , wife ? " asked shelley at last .

his wife had said in her slow way , " leave it to nora , " and to nora it was left .

she looked at her mother appealingly .

" is it go or stay , girl , " demanded her father brusquely .

" i think i 'll go , " said nora slowly .

then , catching sight of her mother 's face , she ran to her and flung her arms about her .

" but i 'll never forget you , mother , " she cried .

" i 'll love you always you and father . "

her mother loosened the clinging arms and pushed her gently towards the camerons .

" go to them , " she said calmly .

" you belong to them now . "

the news spread quickly over racicot .

before night everyone on the harbour shore knew that the camerons were going to adopt nora shelley and take her away with them .

there was much surprise and more envy .

the shore women tossed their heads .

" reckon nora is in great feather , " they said .

" she always did think herself better than anyone else .

nate shelley and his wife spoiled her ridiculous .

wonder what rob fletcher thinks of it ? "

nora asked her brother to tell the news to rob fletcher himself , but merran andrews was before him .

she was at rob before he had fairly landed , when the fishing boats came in at sunset .

" have you heard the news , rob ?

nora 's going away to be a fine lady .

the camerons have been daft about her all summer , and now they are going to adopt her . "

merran wanted rob herself .

he was a big , handsome fellow , and well-off the pick of the harbour men in every way .

" it 's a great thing for her , " he answered calmly .

" she was meant for better things than can be found at racicot . "

" she was always too good for common folks , if that is what you mean , " said merran spitefully .

nora and rob did not meet until the next evening , when she rowed herself home from dalveigh .

he was at the shore to tie up her boat and help her out .

nora felt uncomfortable , and resented it .

rob fletcher was nothing to her ; he never had been anything but the good friend to whom she told her strange thoughts and longings .

why should her heart ache over him ?

she wished he would talk , but he strode along in silence , with his fine head drooping a little .

" i suppose you have heard that i am going away , rob ? " she said at last .

he nodded .

" yes , i 've heard it from a hundred mouths , more or less , " he answered , not looking at her .

" it 's a splendid thing for me , isn't it ? " dared nora .

" well , i don't know , " he said slowly .

" looking at it from the outside , it seems so .

but from the inside it mayn't look the same .

do you think you 'll be able to cut twenty years of a life out of your heart without any pain ? "

" oh , i 'll be homesick , if that is what you mean , " said nora petulantly .

" of course i 'll be that at first .

i expect it but people get over that .

and it is not as if i were going away for good .

i 'll be back next summer every summer . "

" it 'll be different , " said rob stubbornly , thinking as old nathan shelley had thought .

" you 'll be a fine lady oh , all the better for that perhaps but you 'll not be the same .

no , no , the new life will change you ; not all at once , maybe , but in the end .

you 'll be one of them , not one of us .

but will you be happy ?

that 's the question i 'm asking . "

in anyone else nora would have resented this .

but she never felt angry with rob .

" i think i shall be , " she said thoughtfully .

" and , anyway , i must go .

it doesn't seem as if i could help myself if i wanted to .

and it always seemed to me that i would find a way to it some day .

that was why i kept going to school long after the other girls stopped .

but father let me go ; he understood ; he said i was like him when he was young .

i learned everything and read everything i could .

it seems to me as if i had been walking along a narrow pathway all my life .

and now it seems as if a gate were opened before me and i can pass through into a wider world .

but it is not .

" yes , if you feel like that you must go , " he answered , looking down at her troubled face gently .

" and it 's best for you to go , nora .

i believe that , and i 'm not so selfish as not to be able to hope that you 'll find all you long for .

but it will change you all the more if it is so .

nora !

nora !

whatever am i going to do without you ! "

the sudden passion bursting out in his tone frightened her .

" don't , rob , don't !

and you won't miss me long .

there 's many another . "

" no , there isn't .

don't fling me that dry bone of comfort .

there 's no other , and never has been any other none but you , nora , and well you know it . "

" i 'm sorry , " she said faintly .

" you needn't be , " said rob grimly .

" after all , i 'd rather love you than not , hurt as it will .

i never had much hope of getting you to listen to me , so there 's no great disappointment there .

you're too good for me i 've always known that .

a girl that is fit to mate with the camerons is far above rob fletcher , fisherman . "

" i never had such a thought , " protested nora .

" i know it , " he said , casing himself up in his quietness again .

" but it 's so and now i 've got to lose you .

but there'll never be any other for me , nora . "

he left her at her father 's door .

for a moment she repented she would stay she could not go .

then over the harbour flashed out the lights of dalveigh .

the life behind them glittered , allured , beckoned .

nay , she must go on she had made her choice .

there was no turning back now .

nora shelley went away with the camerons , and dalveigh was deserted .

the harbour laid itself out to be sociable in winter .

there was no time for that in summer .

people had to work eighteen hours out of the twenty-four then .

in a racicot winter much was made of small things .

the arrival of nora shelley 's weekly letter to her father and mother was an event in the village .

the post-mistress in the cove store spread the news that it had come , and that night the shelley kitchen would be crowded .

the camerons had spent the autumn in new york and had then gone south for the winter .

nora wrote freely of her new life .

in the beginning she admitted great homesickness , but after the first few letters she made no further mention of that .

she sent affectionate messages to all her old friends and asked after all her old interests .

" she 's changing , " muttered old nathan .

" it had to be so it 's well for her that it is so but it hurts .

she ain't ours any more .

we 've lost the girl , wife , lost her forever . "

rob fletcher always came and listened to the letters in silence while the others buzzed and commented .

rob , so the harbour folk said , was much changed .

he had grown unsociable and preferred to stay home and read books rather than go a-visiting as did others .

the harbour folk shook their heads over this .

there was something wrong with a man who read books when there was a plenty of other amusements .

jacob radnor had read books all one winter and had drowned himself in the spring jumped overboard from his dory at the herring nets .

and that was what came of books , mark you .

the camerons came later to dalveigh the next summer , on account of john cameron 's health , which was not good .

they brought a houseful of guests with them .

at sunset on the day of her arrival nora shelley looked out cross the harbour to the fishing village .

it brought to her the tang of the salt wastes and filled her heart with a great , bitter-sweet yearning .

she was more beautiful than ever .

in the year that had passed she had blossomed out to a gracious fulfilment of womanhood .

even the camerons had wondered at her swift adaptation to her new surroundings .

she seemed to have put racicot behind her as one puts by an old garment .

in everything she had held her own royally .

her adopted parents were proud of her beauty and her nameless , untamed charm .

they had lavished every indulgence upon her .

in those few short months she had lived more keenly and fully than in all her life before .

the nora shelley who went away was not , so it would seem , the nora shelley who came back .

she must go at once at once at once .

not a moment could she wait .

she was dressed for dinner , but with tingling fingers she threw off her costly gown and put on her dark travelling suit again .

she left her hair as it was and knotted a crimson scarf about her head .

she hoped not to be seen , but mrs cameron met her in the hall .

" nora ! " she said in astonishment .

" oh , i must go , aunty !

i must go ! " the girl cried feverishly .

she was afraid mrs cameron would try to prevent her going , and all at once she knew that she could not bear that .

" must go ?

where ?

dinner is almost ready , and "

" oh , i don't want any dinner .

i 'm going home i will sail over . "

" my dear child , don't be foolish .

it 's too late to go over the harbour tonight .

they won't be expecting you .

wait until the morning . "

" no oh , you don't understand .

i must go i must !

my mother is over there . "

something in the girl 's last sentence or the tone in which it was uttered brought a look of pain to mrs cameron 's face .

but she made no further attempt to dissuade her .

" well , if you must .

but you cannot go alone no , nora , i cannot allow it .

the wind is too high and it is too late for you to go over by yourself .

clark bryant will take you . "

nora would have protested but she knew it would be in vain .

she submitted somewhat sullenly and walked down to the shore in silence .

clark bryant strode beside her , humouring her mood .

he was a tall , stout man , with an ugly , clever , sarcastic face .

bryant was in love with nora .

this was why the camerons had asked him to join their august house party at dalveigh , and why he had accepted .

it had occurred to nora that this was the case , but as yet she had never troubled to think the situation over seriously .

she liked clark bryant well enough , but just at the moment he was in the way .

she did not want to take him over to racicot just why she could not have explained .

there was in her no snobbish shame of her humble home .

but he did not belong there ; he was an alien , and she wished to go back to it for the first time alone .

at the boathouse davy launched the small sailboat and nora took the tiller .

she knew every inch of the harbour .

as the sail filled before the wind and the boat sprang across the upcurling waves , her brief sullenness fell away from her .

she no longer resented clark bryant 's presence she forgot it .

he was no more to her than the mast by which he stood .

the spell of the sea and the wind surged into her heart and filled it with wild happiness and measureless content .

over yonder , where the lights gleamed on the darkening shore under the high-sprung arch of pale golden sky , was home .

how the wind whistled to welcome her back !

he was as one forgotten and left behind .

and how lovely , how desirable she was !

he had never seen her look so beautiful .

the shawl had slipped down to her shoulders and her head rose out of it like some magnificent flower out of a crimson calyx .

the masses of her black hair lifted from her face in the rush of the wind and swayed back again like rich shadows .

when they swung in by the wharf nora sprang from the boat before bryant had time to moor it .

pausing for an instant , she called down to him , carelessly , " don't wait for me .

i shall not go back tonight . "

then she caught her shawl around her head and almost ran up the wharf and along the shore .

no one was abroad , for it was supper hour in racicot .

in the shelley kitchen the family was gathered around the table , when the door was flung open and nora stood on the threshold .

for a moment they gazed at her as at an apparition .

they had not known the precise day of her coming and were not aware of the camerons ' arrival at dalveigh .

" it 's the girl herself .

it 's nora , " said old nathan , rising from his bench .

" mother ! " cried nora .

she ran across the room and buried her face in her mother 's breast , sobbing .

when the news spread , the racicot people crowded in to see nora until the house was full .

they spent a noisy , merry , whole-hearted evening of the old sort .

the men smoked and most of the women knitted while they talked .

they were pleased to find that nora did not put on any airs .

old jonas myers bluntly told her that he didn't see as her year among rich folks had done her much good , after all .

" you 're just the same as when you went away , " he said .

" they haven't made a fine lady of you .

folks here thought you 'd be something wonderful . "

nora laughed .

she was glad that they did not find her changed .

old nathan chuckled in his dry way .

his daughter was not utterly taken from him yet .

nora sat by her mother and was happy .

but as the evening wore away she grew very quiet , and watched the door with something piteous in her eyes .

old nathan noticed it and thought she was tired .

he gave the curious neighbours a good-natured hint , and they presently withdrew .

when they had all gone nora went out to the door alone .

the moon was rising and the harbour was a tossing expanse of silver waves .

the mellow light fell on a tall figure lurking at the angle of the road that led past the shelley cottage .

nora saw and recognized it .

she flew down the sandy slope with outstretched hands .

" rob rob ! "

" nora ! " he said huskily , holding out his hand .

but she flung herself on his breast and clung to him , half laughing , half crying .

" oh , rob !

i 've been looking for you all the evening .

every time there was a step i said to myself , ' that is rob , now . '

and when the door opened to let in another , my heart died within me .

i dared not even ask after you for fear of what they might tell me .

why didn't you come ? "

" i didn't know that i 'd be welcome , " he whispered , holding her closer to him .

" i 've been hanging about thinking to get a glimpse of you unbeknown .

i thought maybe you wouldn't want to see me tonight . "

" not want to see you !

she drew back and looked at him with her soul in her eyes .

" what a splendid fellow you are how handsome you are , rob ! " she cried .

all the reserve of womanhood fell away from her in the inrush of emotions .

for the moment she was a child again , telling out her thoughts with all a child 's frankness .

" i 've been in a dream this past year a lovely dream a fair dream , but only a dream , after all .

and now i 've wakened .

and you are part of the wakening the best part !

oh , to think i never knew before ! "

" knew what , my girl ? "

he had her close against his heart now ; the breath of her lips mingled with his , but he would not kiss her yet .

" that i loved you , " she whispered back .

" oh , rob , you are all the world to me .

i belong to you and the sea .

but i never knew it until i crossed the harbour tonight .

then i knew it came to me all at once , like a flood of understanding .

i knew i could never go away again that i must stay here forever where i could hear that call of wind and waves .

the new life was good good but it could not go deep enough .

and when you did not come i knew what was in my heart for you as well . "

that night nora lay beside her sisters in the tiny room that looked out on the harbour .

there was no blot on her happiness save a sorry wonder what the camerons would say when they knew .

" they will think me ungrateful and fickle , " she sighed .

" they don't know that i can't help it even if i would .

they will never understand . "

nor did they .

later , when they came to understand that she meant it , they were grieved and angry .

there were scenes of pleading and tears and reproaches .

nora cried bitterly in mrs cameron 's arms , but stood rock-firm .

she could never go back to them never .

they appealed to nathan shelley finally , but he refused to say anything .

" it can't be altered , " he told them .

" the sea has called her and she 'll listen to naught else .

i 'm sorry enough for the girl 's own sake .

it would have been better for her if she could have cut loose from it all and lived your life , i dare say .

but you 've made a fair trial and it 's of no use .

i know what 's in her heart it was in mine once and i 'll say no word of rebuke to her .

she 's free to go or stay as she chooses just as free as she was last year . "

mrs cameron made one more appeal to nora .

she told the girl bitterly that she was ungrateful .

" i 'm not that , " said nora with quivering lips .

" i love you , and i 'm grateful to you .

but your life isn't for me , after all .

i thought it was i longed so for it .

and i loved it , too i love it yet .

but there 's something stronger in me that holds me here . "

" i don't think you realize what you are doing , nora .

you have been a little homesick and you are glad to be back .

but after we have gone and you must settle into the old racicot life again , you will not be contented .

you will find that your life with us will have unfitted you for this .

there will be no real place for you here nothing for you to do .

you will be as a stranger here . "

" oh , no .

i am going to marry rob fletcher , " said nora proudly .

" marry rob fletcher !

and you might have married clark bryant , nora ! "

nora shook her head .

" that could never have been .

i thought it might once but i know better now .

you see , i love rob . "

there did not seem to be anything more to say after that .

mrs cameron did not try to say anything .

she went away in sorrow .

nora cried bitterly after she had gone .

but there were no tears in her eyes that night when she walked on the shore with rob fletcher .

the wind whistled around them , and the stars came out in the great ebony dome of the sky over the harbour .

laughter and song of the fishing folk were behind them , and the deep , solemn call of the sea before .

over the harbour gleamed the score of lights at dalveigh .

rob looked from them to nora .

" do you think you 'll ever regret yon life , my girl ? "

" never , rob .

it seems to me now like a beautiful garment put on for a holiday and worn easily and pleasantly for a time .

but i 've put it off now , and put on workaday clothes again .

it is only a week since i left dalveigh , but it seems long ago .

listen to the wind , rob !

it is singing of the good days to be for you and me . "

he bent over and kissed her .

" my own dear lass ! " he said softly .

the martyrdom of estella

estella was waiting under the poplars at the gate for spencer morgan .

she was engaged to him , and he always came to see her on saturday and wednesday evenings .

it was after sunset , and the air was mellow and warm-hued .

the willow trees along the walk and the tall birches in the background stood out darkly distinct against the lemon-tinted sky .

the breath of mint floated out from the garden , and the dew was falling heavily .

the blind was up and she could see miss lemar writing at her table .

her profile was clear and distinct against the lamplight .

estella reflected without the least envy that miss lemar was very beautiful .

estella bowes was not pretty .

she was an orphan and lived with her uncle and aunt .

in the summer they sometimes took a boarder for a month or two , and this summer miss lemar had come .

she had been with them about a week .

she was an actress from the city and had around her all the glamour of a strange , unknown life .

nothing was known about her .

the boweses liked her well enough as a boarder .

estella admired and held her in awe .

she wondered what spencer would think of this beautiful woman .

he had not yet seen her .

it was quite dark when he came .

miss lemar 's light had removed to the parlour where she was singing , accompanying herself on the cottage organ .

estella felt annoyed .

the parlour was considered her private domain on wednesday and saturday night , but miss lemar did not know that .

" who is singing ? " asked spencer .

" what a voice she has ! "

" that 's our new boarder , miss lemar , " answered estella .

" she 's an actress and sings and does everything .

she is awfully pretty , spencer . "

" yes ? " said the young man indifferently .

he was not in the least interested in the boweses ' new boarder .

indeed , he considered her advent a nuisance .

he pressed estella closer to him , and when they reached the garden gate he kissed her .

estella always remembered that moment afterwards .

she was so supremely happy .

she did not see how it could be possible , because there was only one spencer .

when spencer came back she took him into the parlour , half shyly , half proudly .

he was a handsome fellow , with a magnificent physique .

miss lemar stopped singing and turned around on the organ stool as they entered .

she wore a dress of crepe , cut low in the neck .

estella had never seen anyone dressed so before .

to her it seemed immodest .

she introduced spencer .

he bowed awkwardly and sat stiffly down by the window with his eyes riveted on miss lemar 's face .

estella , catching a glimpse of herself in the old-fashioned mirror above the mantel , suddenly felt a cold chill of dissatisfaction .

she wished miss lemar would go out of the room .

she looked straight in spencer morgan 's honest blue eyes and read there the young man 's dazzled admiration .

there was contempt in the look she turned on estella .

" you were singing when we came in , " said spencer .

" won't you go on , please ?

i am very fond of music . "

miss lemar turned again to the organ .

the gleaming curves of her neck and shoulders rose out of their filmy sheathings of lace .

estella saw his look .

she suddenly began to hate the black-eyed witch at the organ and to fear her as well .

why did spencer look at her like that ?

she wished she had not brought him in at all .

she felt commonplace and angry , and wanted to cry .

vivienne lemar went on singing , drifting from one sweet love song into another .

once she looked up at spencer morgan .

he rose quickly and went to her side , looking down at her with a strange fire in his eyes .

estella got up abruptly and left the room .

she was angry and jealous , but she thought spencer would follow her .

when he did not , she could not believe it .

she waited on the porch for him , not knowing whether she were more angry or miserable .

she would not go back into the room .

vivienne lemar had stopped singing .

she could hear a low murmur of voices .

when she had waited there an hour , she went in and upstairs to her room with ostentatious footsteps .

it was ten o'clock when spencer went away and vivienne lemar passed up the hall to her room .

estella clenched her hands in an access of helpless rage .

she was very angry , but under her fury was a horrible ache of pain .

it could not be only three hours since she had been so happy !

it must be more than that !

what had happened ?

had she made a fool of herself ?

ought she to have behaved in any other way ?

this poor hope was a small comfort .

she wished she had not acted as she had .

it looked spiteful and jealous , and spencer did not like people who were spiteful and jealous .

she would show him she was sorry when he came back , and it would be all right .

towards morning she fell asleep and awoke hardly remembering what had happened .

then it rolled back upon her crushingly .

but she rose and dressed in better spirits .

it had been hardest to lie there and do nothing .

now the day was before her and something pleasant might happen .

spencer might come back in the evening .

she would be doubly nice to him to make up .

mrs bowes looked sharply at her niece 's dull eyes and pale cheeks at the breakfast table .

she had her own thoughts of things .

she was a large , handsome woman with a rather harsh face .

" did you go upstairs last night and leave spencer morgan with miss lemar ? " she asked bluntly .

" yes , " muttered estella .

" did you have a quarrel with him ? "

" no . "

" what made you act so queer ? "

" i couldn't help it , " faltered the girl .

the food she was eating seemed to choke her .

she wished she were a hundred miles away from everyone she ever knew .

mrs bowes gave a grunt of dissatisfaction .

" well , i think it is a pretty queer piece of business .

but if you are satisfied , it isn't anyone else 's concern , i suppose .

he stayed with her till ten o'clock and when he left she did everything but kiss him and she asked him to come back too .

i heard . "

" aunt ! " protested the girl .

she felt as if her aunt were striking her blow after blow on a sensitive , quivering spot .

it seemed to make everything so horribly sure .

" i guess i had a right to listen , hadn't i , with such goings on in my own house ?

you 're a little fool , estella bowes !

i don't believe that lemar girl is a bit better than she ought to be .

estella 's suffering found vent in a burst of anger .

" you needn't do anything of the sort ! " she cried .

i wish to goodness , aunt , you 'd leave me alone ! "

" oh , very well ! " returned mrs bowes in an offended tone .

" it was for your own good i spoke .

you know best , i suppose .

if you don't care , i don't know that anyone else need . "

estella went about her work like one in a dream .

a great hatred had sprung up in her heart against vivienne lemar .

the simple-hearted country girl felt almost murderous .

the whole day seemed like a nightmare to her .

when night came she dressed herself with feverish care , for she could not quell the hope that spencer would surely come again .

but he did not ; and when she went up to bed , it did not seem as if she could live through the night .

she lay staring wide-eyed through the darkness until dawn .

she wished that she might cry , but no tears came to her relief .

next day she went to work with furious energy .

when her usual tasks were done , she ransacked the house for other employment .

she was afraid if she stopped work for a moment she would go mad .

mrs bowes watched her with a grim pity .

at night she walked to prayer meeting in the schoolhouse a mile away .

she always went , and spencer was generally on hand to see her home .

he was not there tonight .

she wished she had not come .

it was dreadful to have to sit still and think .

she did not hear a word the minister said .

she had to walk home with a crowd of girls and nerve herself to answer their merry sallies that no one might suspect .

she was tortured by the fear that everyone knew her shame and humiliation and was pitying her .

she got hysterically gay , but underneath all she was constantly trying to assign a satisfactory reason for spencer 's nonappearance .

he was often kept away , and of course he was a little cross at her yet , as was natural .

if he had come before her then , she could have gone down in the very dust at his feet and implored his forgiveness .

when she reached home she went into the garden and sat down .

the calm of the night soothed her .

she felt happier and more hopeful .

she thought over all that had passed between her and spencer and all his loving assurances , and the recollection comforted her .

she was almost happy when she went in .

tomorrow is sunday , she thought when she wakened in the morning .

her step was lighter and her face brighter .

mrs bowes seemed to be in a bad humour .

presently she said bluntly :

" do you know that spencer morgan was here last night ? "

estella felt the cold tighten round her heart .

yet underneath it sprang up a wild , sweet hope .

" spencer here !

i suppose he forgot it was prayer meeting night .

what did he say ?

why didn't you tell him where i was ? "

" i don't know that he forgot it was prayer meeting night , " returned mrs bowes with measured emphasis .

" ' tisn't likely his memory has failed so all at once .

he didn't ask where you was .

he took good care to go before you got home too .

miss lemar entertained him .

i guess she was quite capable of it . "

estella bent over her dishes in silence .

her face was deadly white .

" i 'll send her away , " said mrs bowes pityingly .

" when she 's gone , spencer will soon come back to you . "

" no , you won't ! " said estella fiercely .

" if you do , she 'll only go over to barstows ' , and it would be worse than ever .

i don't care i 'll show them both i don't care !

as for spencer coming back to me , do you think i want her leavings ?

he 's welcome to go . "

" he 's only just fooled by her pretty face , " persisted mrs bowes in a clumsy effort at consolation .

" she 's just turning his head , the hussy , and he isn't really in his proper senses .

you 'll see , he 'll be ashamed of himself when he comes to them again .

he knows very well in his heart that you 're worth ten girls like her . "

estella faced around .

" aunt , " she said desperately , " you mean well , i know , but you 're killing me !

i can't stand it .

for pity 's sake , don't say another word to me about this , no matter what happens .

and don't keep looking at me as if i were a martyr !

she watches us and it would please her to think i cared .

i don't and i mean she shall see i don't .

i guess i 'm well rid of a fellow as fickle as he is , and i 've sense enough to know it . "

she went upstairs then , tearing off her turquoise engagement ring as she climbed the steps .

all sorts of wild ideas flashed through her head .

why couldn't she die ?

was it possible people could suffer like this and yet go on living ?

when twilight came she went out to the front steps and leaned her aching head against the honeysuckle trellis .

the sun had just set and the whole world swam in dusky golden light .

the wonderful beauty frightened her .

she felt like a blot on it .

while she stood there , a buggy came driving up the lane and wheeled about at the steps .

in it was spencer morgan .

had spencer come the night before , he would have found her loving and humble .

even now , had she but been sure that he had come to see her , she would have unbent .

but was it the other ?

the torturing doubt stung her to the quick .

she waited , stubbornly resolved that she would not speak first .

it was not in her place .

spencer morgan flicked his horse sharply with his whip .

he dared not look at estella , but he felt her uncompromising attitude .

he was miserably ashamed of himself , and he felt angry at estella for his shame .

" do you care to come for a drive ? " he asked awkwardly , with a covert glance at the parlour windows .

estella caught the glance and her jealous perception instantly divined its true significance .

her heart died within her .

she did not care what she said .

she 's away at the shore .

you 'll find her there , i dare say . "

still , in spite of all , she perversely hoped .

when he drove away without another word , she could not believe it again .

surely he would not go surely he knew she did not mean it he would turn back before he got to the gate .

but he did not .

she saw him disappear around the turn of the road .

she could not see if he took the shore lane further on , but she was sure he would .

she was furious at herself for acting as she had done .

it was all her fault again !

oh , if he would only give her another chance !

she was in her room when she heard the buggy drive up again .

she knew it was spencer and that he had brought vivienne lemar home .

acting on a sudden wild impulse , the girl stepped out on the landing and confronted her rival as she came up the stairs .

the latter paused at sight of the white face and anguished eyes .

there was a little mocking smile on her lovely face .

" miss lemar , " said estella in a quivering voice , " what do you mean by all this ?

you know i 'm engaged to spencer morgan ! "

miss lemar laughed softly .

" really ?

if you are engaged to the young man , my dear miss bowes , i would advise you to look after him more sharply .

he seems very willing to flirt , i should say . "

she passed on to her room with a malicious smile .

estella shrank back against the wall , humiliated and baffled .

spencer never sought her again ; he went everywhere with miss lemar .

his infatuation was the talk of the settlement .

estella knew that her story was in everyone 's mouth , and her pride smarted ; but she carried a brave front outwardly .

no one should say she cared .

she believed that the actress was merely deluding spencer for her own amusement and would never dream of marrying him .

but one day the idea occurred to her that she might .

one evening she was alone in the parlour .

she had lit the lamp and was listlessly arranging the little room .

she looked old and worn .

her colour was gone and her eyes were dull .

as she worked , the door opened and vivienne lemar walked or , rather , reeled into the room .

estella dropped the book she held and gazed at her as one in a dream .

the actress 's face was flushed and her hair was wildly disordered .

her eyes glittered with an unearthly light .

she was talking incoherently .

the air was heavy with the fumes of brandy .

estella laughed hysterically .

vivienne lemar was grossly intoxicated .

if he could but see her now !

estella turned white with the passion of the wild idea that had come to her .

spencer morgan should see this woman in her true colours .

she lost no time .

swiftly she left the room and locked the door behind her on the maudlin , babbling creature inside .

then she flung a shawl over her head and ran from the house .

it was not far to the morgan homestead .

she ran all the way , hardly knowing what she was doing .

mrs morgan answered her knock .

she gazed in bewilderment at estella 's wild face .

" i want spencer , " said the girl through her white lips .

the elder woman stepped back in dumb amazement .

she knew and rued her son 's folly .

what could estella want with him ?

the young man appeared in the doorway .

estella caught him by the arm and pulled him outside .

" miss lemar wants you at once , " she said hoarsely .

" at once you are to come at once ! "

" has anything happened to her ? " cried spencer savagely .

" is she ill is she what is the matter ? "

" no , she is not ill .

but she wants you .

come at once . "

he started off bareheaded .

estella followed him up the road breathlessly .

surely it was the strangest walk ever a girl had , she told herself with mirthless laughter .

she pushed the key into his hand at the porch .

" she 's in the parlour , " she said wildly .

" go in and look at her , spencer . "

spencer snatched the key and fitted it into the door .

he was full of fear .

had estella gone out of her mind ?

had she done anything to vivienne ?

had she

as he entered , the actress reeled to her feet and came to meet him .

he stood and gazed at her stupidly .

this could not be vivienne , this creature reeking with brandy , uttering such foolish words !

what fiend was this in her likeness ?

he grew sick at heart and brain ; she had her arms about him .

he tried to push her away , but she clung closer , and her senseless laughter echoed through the room .

he flung her from him with an effort and rushed out through the hall and down the road like a madman .

estella , watching him , felt that she was avenged .

she was glad with a joy more pitiful than grief .

vivienne lemar left the cottage the next day .

mrs bowes , suspecting some mystery , questioned estella sharply , but could find out nothing .

the girl kept her own counsel stubbornly .

the interest and curiosity of the village centred around spencer morgan , and his case was well discussed .

gossip said that the actress had jilted him and that he was breaking his heart about it .

then came the rumour that he was going west .

estella heard it apathetically .

life seemed ended for her .

there was nothing to look forward to .

she could not even look back .

all the past was embittered .

she had never met spencer since the night she went after him .

she sometimes wondered what he must think of her for what she had done .

did he think her unwomanly and revengeful ?

she did not care .

it was rather a relief to hear that he was going away .

she would not be tortured by the fear of meeting him then .

she was sure he would never come back to her .

if he did , she would never forgive him .

one evening in early harvest estella was lingering by the lane gate at twilight .

the dusk , sweet night seemed to soothe her as it always did .

she leaned her head against the poplar by the gate .

how long spencer morgan had been standing by her she did not know , but when she looked up he was there .

in the dim light she could see how haggard and hollow-eyed he had grown .

he had changed almost as much as herself .

the girl 's first proud impulse was to turn coldly away and leave him .

but some strange tumult in her heart kept her still .

what had he come to say ?

there was a moment 's fateful silence .

then spencer spoke in a muffled voice .

" i couldn't go away without seeing you once more , estella , to say good-bye .

perhaps you won't speak to me .

you must hate me .

i deserve it . "

he paused , but she said no word .

she could not .

after a space , he went wistfully on .

" i know you can never forgive me no girl could .

i 've behaved like a fool .

there isn't any excuse to be made for me .

i don't think i could have been in my right senses , estella .

it all seems like some bad dream now .

when i saw her that night , i came to my right mind , and i 've been the most miserable man alive ever since .

not for her but because i 'd lost you .

i can't bear to live here any longer , so i am going away .

will you say good-bye , estella ? "

still she did not speak .

there were a hundred things she wanted to say but she could not say them .

did he mean that he loved her still ?

if she were sure of that , she could forgive him anything , but her doubt rendered her mute .

the young man turned away despairingly from her rigid attitude .

so be it he had brought his fate on himself .

he had gone but a few steps when estella suddenly found her voice with a gasp .

" spencer ! "

he came swiftly back .

" oh , spencer do you do you love me still ? "

he caught her hands in his .

" love you oh , estella , yes , yes !

i always have .

that other wasn't love it was just madness .

when it passed i hated life because i 'd lost you .

i know you can't forgive me , but , oh "

he broke down .

estella flung her arms around his neck and put her face up to his .

she felt as if her heart must break with its great happiness .

he understood her mute pardon .

in their kiss the past was put aside .

estella 's martyrdom was ended .

the old chest at wyther grange

when i was a child i always thought a visit to wyther grange was a great treat .

it was a big , quiet , old-fashioned house where grandmother laurance and mrs delisle , my aunt winnifred , lived .

i was a favourite with them , yet i could never overcome a certain awe of them both .

grandmother was a tall , dignified old lady with keen black eyes that seemed veritably to bore through one .

she always wore stiffly-rustling gowns of rich silk made in the fashion of her youth .

as winnifred laurance she had been the beauty of the family and was a handsome woman still , with brilliant dark eyes and cameo-like features .

she always looked very sad , spoke in a low sweet voice , and was my childish ideal of all that was high-bred and graceful .

i had many beloved haunts at the grange , but i liked the garret best .

that old garret was a veritable fairyland to me .

there was one old chest which i could not explore and , like all forbidden things , it possessed a great attraction for me .

it stood away back in a dusty , cobwebbed corner , a strong , high wooden box , painted blue .

when they came to the old chest , grandmother rapped the top smartly with her keys .

" i wonder what is in this old chest , " she said .

" i believe it really should be opened .

the moths may have got into it through that crack in the lid . "

" why don't you open it , mother ? " said mrs . delisle .

" i am sure that key of robert 's would fit the lock . "

" no , " said grandmother in the tone that nobody , not even aunt winnifred , ever dreamed of disputing .

" i will not open that chest without eliza 's permission .

" poor eliza , " said mrs delisle thoughtfully .

" i wonder what she is like now .

very much changed , like all the rest of us , i suppose .

it is almost thirty years since she was here .

how pretty she was ! "

" i never approved of her , " said grandmother brusquely .

" she was a sentimental , fanciful creature .

mrs delisle sighed softly and made no reply .

people said that she had had her own romance in her youth and that her mother had sternly repressed it .

i had heard that her marriage with mr delisle was loveless on her part and proved very unhappy .

but he had been dead many years , and aunt winnifred never spoke of him .

" i have made up my mind what to do , " said grandmother decidedly .

" i will write to eliza and ask her if i may open the chest to see if the moths have got into it .

if she refuses , well and good .

i have no doubt that she will refuse .

she will cling to her old sentimental ideas as long as the breath is in her body . "

i rather avoided the old chest after this .

later on a letter came to grandmother ; she passed it over the table to mrs delisle .

" that is from eliza , " she said .

read the letter , winnifred ; i haven't my glasses and i dare say eliza 's rhapsodies would tire me very much .

you need not read them aloud i can imagine them all .

let me know what she says about the chest . "

aunt winnifred opened and read the letter and laid it down with a brief sigh .

" this is all she says about the chest .

but i cannot bear that anyone but myself should see or touch that one thing .

so please leave the chest as it is , dear aunt .

it is no matter if the moths do get in . '

that is all , " continued mrs delisle , " and i must confess that i am disappointed .

i have always had an almost childish curiosity about that old chest , but i seem fated not to have it gratified .

that ' one thing ' must be her wedding dress .

i have always thought that she locked it away there . "

" her answer is just what i expected of her , " said grandmother impatiently .

" evidently the years have not made her more sensible .

well , i wash my hands of her belongings , moths or no moths . "

it was not until ten years afterwards that i heard anything more of the old chest .

grandmother laurance had died , but aunt winnifred still lived at the grange .

she was very lonely , and the winter after grandmother 's death she sent me an invitation to make her a long visit .

" i am glad you have reminded me of it , " said mrs delisle .

" i have intended to open the chest ever since mother 's death but i kept putting it off .

you know , amy , poor eliza laurance died five years ago , but even then mother would not have the chest opened .

there is no reason why it should not be examined now .

if you like , we will go and open it at once and afterwards i will tell you the story . "

we went eagerly up the garret stairs .

aunt knelt down before the old chest and selected a key from the bunch at her belt .

" would it not be too provoking , amy , if this key should not fit after all ?

well , i do not believe you would be any more disappointed than i . "

she turned the key and lifted the heavy lid .

i bent forward eagerly .

a layer of tissue paper revealed itself , with a fine tracing of sifted dust in its crinkles .

" lift it up , child , " said my aunt gently .

" there are no ghosts for you , at least , in this old chest . "

i lifted the paper up and saw that the chest was divided into two compartments .

lying on the top of one was a small , square , inlaid box .

this mrs delisle took up and carried to the window .

lifting up the cover she laid it in my lap .

" there , amy , look through it and let us see what old treasures have lain hidden there these forty years . "

the first thing i took out was a small square case covered with dark purple velvet .

the tiny clasp was almost rusted away and yielded easily .

i gave a little cry of admiration .

aunt winnifred bent over my shoulder .

" that is eliza 's portrait at the age of twenty , and that is willis starr 's .

was she not lovely , amy ? "

lovely indeed was the face looking out at me from its border of tarnished gilt .

it was the face of a young girl , in shape a perfect oval , with delicate features and large dark-blue eyes .

" the other picture is that of the man to whom she was betrothed .

tell me , amy , do you think him handsome ? "

i looked at the other portrait critically .

aunt winnifred made no reply she was taking out the remaining contents of the box .

aunt laid the box aside and unpacked the chest in silence .

beneath it was a case containing a necklace of small but perfect pearls and a pair of tiny satin slippers .

in the second compartment lay a dress .

aunt winnifred lifted it out reverently .

it was a gown of rich silk that had once been white , but now , like the linen , it was yellow with age .

it was simply made and trimmed with cobwebby old lace .

" well , amy , this is all , " said aunt winnifred with a quiver in her voice .

" and now for the story .

where shall i begin ? "

" at the very beginning , aunty .

you see i know nothing at all except her name .

tell me who she was and why she put her wedding dress away here . "

" poor eliza ! " said aunt dreamily .

" it is a sorrowful story , amy , and it seems so long ago now .

i must be an old woman .

forty years ago and i was only twenty then .

eliza laurance was my cousin , the only daughter of uncle henry laurance .

my father your grandfather , amy , you don't remember him had two brothers , each of whom had an only daughter .

both these girls were called eliza after your great-grandmother .

i never saw uncle george 's eliza but once .

her home was in a distant city and she never came to wyther grange .

" the other eliza laurance was a poor man 's daughter .

she and i were of the same age and did not look unlike each other , although i was not so pretty by half .

she had her little faults , of course , and was rather over much given to romance and sentiment .

this did not seem much of a defect to me then , amy , for i was young and romantic too .

mother never cared much for eliza , i think , but everyone else liked her .

one winter eliza came to wyther grange for a long visit .

the grange was a very lively place then , amy .

eliza kept the old house ringing with merriment .

we went out a great deal and she was always the belle of any festivity we attended .

yet she wore her honours easily ; all the flattery and homage she received did not turn her head .

" that winter we first met willis starr .

he became what you would call the rage .

he was considered very handsome , his manners were polished and easy , and people said he was rich .

" i don't think , amy , that i ever trusted willis starr .

but like all the rest , i was blinded by his charm .

" from the first he had paid eliza marked attention and seemed utterly bewitched by her .

well , his was an easy winning .

eliza loved him with her whole impulsive , girlish heart and made no attempt to hide it .

" i shall never forget the night they were first engaged .

it was eliza 's birthday , and we were invited to a ball that evening .

this yellow gown is the very one she wore .

i suppose that is why she put it away here the gown she wore on the happiest night of her life .

" when we reached home after the dance , eliza had her happy secret to tell us .

she was engaged to willis starr , and they were to be married in early spring .

" well , amy , the wedding day was set .

eliza was to be married from the grange , as her own mother was dead , and i was to be bridesmaid .

" a week before the wedding , willis starr was spending the evening at the grange .

it was some merry badinage about the cousin whose namesake she was but whom she so little resembled .

" we all laughed , but i shall never forget the look that came over willis starr 's face .

it passed quickly , but the chill fear that it gave me remained .

he laid his hand on my arm and bent his evil face for it was evil then , amy close to mine .

" ' certainly there is , ' i said sharply .

' she is our cousin and the daughter of our uncle george .

our eliza is not an heiress .

you surely did not suppose she was ! '

" willis stepped aside with a mocking smile .

" ' i did what wonder ?

i had heard much about the great heiress , eliza laurance , and the great beauty , eliza laurance .

i supposed they were one and the same .

you have all been careful not to undeceive me . '

" ' you forget yourself , mr starr , when you speak so to me , ' i retorted coldly .

' you have deceived yourself .

we have never dreamed of allowing anyone to think that eliza was an heiress .

she is sweet and lovely enough to be loved for her own sake . '

" i went back to the parlour full of dismay .

willis starr remained gloomy and taciturn all the rest of the evening , but nobody seemed to notice it but myself .

" the next day we were all so busy that i almost forgot the incident of the previous evening .

we girls were up in the sewing room putting the last touches to the wedding gown .

eliza tried it and her veil on and was standing so , in all her silken splendour , when a letter was brought in .

i guessed by her blush who was the writer .

i laughed and ran downstairs , leaving her to read it .

all the soft happiness and sweetness had gone out of them .

they were the eyes of an old woman , amy .

" ' eliza , what is the matter ? '

i said .

' has anything happened to willis ? '

then she turned to me .

" ' help me take off this gown , winnie , ' she said dully .

' i shall never wear it again .

there will be no wedding .

willis is gone . '

" ' gone ! '

i echoed stupidly .

" ' yes .

i am not the heiress , winnie .

it was the fortune , not the girl , he loved .

he says he is too poor for us to dream of marrying when i have nothing .

oh , such a cruel , heartless letter !

why did he not kill me ?

it would have been so much more merciful !

i loved him so i trusted him so !

oh , winnie , winnie , what am i to do ! '

" there was something terrible in the contrast between her passionate words and her calm face and lifeless voice .

i wanted to call mother , but she would not let me .

she went away to her own room , trailing along the dark hall in her dress and veil , and locked herself in .

" well , i told it all to the others in some fashion .

you can imagine their anger and dismay .

your father , amy he was a hot-blooded , impetuous , young fellow then went at once to seek willis starr .

but he was gone , no one knew where , and the whole country rang with the gossip and scandal of the affair .

eliza knew nothing of this , for she was ill and unconscious for many a day .

in a novel or story she would have died , i suppose , and that would have been the end of it .

but this was in real life , and eliza did not die , although many times we thought she would .

" when she did recover , how frightfully changed she was !

it almost broke my heart to see her .

her very nature seemed to have changed too all her joyousness and light-heartedness were dead .

from that time she was a faded , dispirited creature , no more like the eliza we had known than the merest stranger .

and then after a while came other news willis starr was married to the other eliza laurance , the true heiress .

he had made no second mistake .

we tried to keep it from eliza but she found it out at last .

that was the day she came up here alone and packed this old chest .

nobody ever knew just what she put into it .

eliza laurance was really buried here .

" she went home soon after .

but she never came back , and i do not think she ever intended to , and i never saw her again .

" that is the story of the old chest .

it was all over so long ago the heartbreak and the misery but it all seems to come back to me now .

poor eliza ! "

presently aunt winnifred came back through the twilight shadows .

" let us put all these things back in their grave , amy , " she said .

" they are of no use to anyone now .

the linen might be bleached and used , i dare say but it would seem like a sacrilege .

it was mother 's wedding present to eliza .

and the pearls would you care to have them , amy ? "

" oh , no , no , " i said with a little shiver .

" i would never wear them , aunt winnifred .

i should feel like a ghost if i did .

put everything back just as we found it only her portrait .

i would like to keep that . "

reverently we put gowns and letters and trinkets back into the old blue chest .

aunt winnifred closed the lid and turned the key softly .

she bowed her head over it for a minute and then we went together in silence down the shadowy garret stairs of wyther grange .

the osbornes ' christmas

darby whose real name was charles did it , because he was only eight , and at eight you have no dignity to keep up .

the others , being older , couldn't .

but the fact of christmas itself awoke no great enthusiasm in the hearts of the junior osbornes .

frank voiced their opinion of it the day after cousin myra had arrived .

he was sitting on the table with his hands in his pockets and a cynical sneer on his face .

at least , frank flattered himself that it was cynical .

but to you and me it would have looked just as it did to cousin myra a very discontented and unbecoming scowl .

but christmas is just a bore a regular bore . "

that was what uncle edgar called things that didn't interest him , so that frank felt pretty sure of his word .

nevertheless , he wondered uncomfortably what made cousin myra smile so queerly .

" why , how dreadful ! " she said brightly .

" i thought all boys and girls looked upon christmas as the very best time in the year . "

" we don't , " said frank gloomily .

" it 's just the same old thing year in and year out .

we know just exactly what is going to happen .

we even know pretty well what presents we are going to get .

and christmas day itself is always the same .

we 'll get up in the morning , and our stockings will be full of things , and half of them we don't want .

then there 's dinner .

it 's always so poky .

and all the uncles and aunts come to dinner just the same old crowd , every year , and they say just the same things .

aunt desda always says , ' why , frankie , how you have grown ! '

she knows i hate to be called frankie .

and after dinner they 'll sit round and talk the rest of the day , and that 's all .

yes , i call christmas a nuisance . "

" there isn't a single bit of fun in it , " said ida discontentedly .

" not a bit ! " said the twins , both together , as they always said things .

" there 's lots of candy , " said darby stoutly .

he rather liked christmas , although he was ashamed to say so before frank .

cousin myra smothered another of those queer smiles .

" you 've had too much christmas , you osbornes , " she said seriously .

" it has palled on your taste , as all good things will if you overdo them .

did you ever try giving christmas to somebody else ? "

the osbornes looked at cousin myra doubtfully .

they didn't understand .

" we always send presents to all our cousins , " said frank hesitatingly .

" that 's a bore , too .

they 've all got so many things already it 's no end of bother to think of something new . "

" that isn't what i mean , " said cousin myra .

" how much christmas do you suppose those little rolands down there in the hollow have ?

or sammy abbott with his lame back ?

or french joe 's family over the hill ?

if you have too much christmas , why don't you give some to them ? "

the osbornes looked at each other .

this was a new idea .

" how could we do it ? " asked ida .

whereupon they had a consultation .

cousin myra explained her plan , and the osbornes grew enthusiastic over it .

even frank forgot that he was supposed to be wearing a cynical sneer .

" i move we do it , osbornes , " said he .

" if father and mother are willing , " said ida .

" won't it be jolly ! " exclaimed the twins .

" well , rather , " said darby scornfully .

he did not mean to be scornful .

he had heard frank saying the same words in the same tone , and thought it signified approval .

cousin myra had a talk with father and mother osborne that night , and found them heartily in sympathy with her plans .

for the next week the osbornes were agog with excitement and interest .

at first cousin myra made the suggestions , but their enthusiasm soon outstripped her , and they thought out things for themselves .

never did a week pass so quickly .

and the osbornes had never had such fun , either .

the uncles and aunts arrived in due time , but not with them was the junior osbornes ' concern .

they were the guests of mr and mrs. osborne .

the junior osbornes were having a christmas dinner party of their own .

in the small dining room a table was spread and loaded with good things .

ida and the twins cooked that dinner all by themselves .

then their guests came .

then came a troop from french joe 's four black-eyed lads , who never knew what shyness meant .

everybody knew that miss rankin never kept christmas .

she did not believe in it , she said , but she did not prevent tillie from going to the osbornes ' dinner party .

what a merry dinner it was !

what peals of laughter went up , reaching to the big dining room across the hall , where the grown-ups sat in rather solemn state .

and how those guests did eat and frankly enjoy the good things before them !

how nicely they all behaved , even to the french joes !

myra had secretly been a little dubious about those four mischievous-looking lads , but their manners were quite flawless .

after the merry dinner was over , the junior osbornes brought in a christmas tree , loaded with presents .

they had bought them with the money that mr. and mrs osborne had meant for their own presents , and a splendid assortment they were .

every little roland got just what his or her small heart had been longing for .

besides , there were nuts and candies galore .

it was just dusk when they got back , having driven the rolands and the french joes and sammy and tillie to their respective homes .

" this has been the jolliest christmas i ever spent , " said frank , emphatically .

" weren't the french joes jolly ? " giggled the twins .

" such cute speeches as they would make ! "

" me and teddy roland are going to be chums after this , " announced darby .

" he 's an inch taller than me , but i 'm wider . "

that night frank and ida and cousin myra had a little talk after the smaller osbornes had been haled off to bed .

" we 're not going to stop with christmas , cousin myra , " said frank , at the end of it .

" we 're just going to keep on through the year .

we 've never had such a delightful old christmas before . "

" you 've learned the secret of happiness , " said cousin myra gently .

and the osbornes understood what she meant .

the romance of aunt beatrice

margaret always maintains that it was a direct inspiration of providence that took her across the street to see aunt beatrice that night .

and aunt beatrice believes that it was too .

aunt beatrice was alone .

or , to speak more correctly , she had been darning them .

margaret did not notice at first .

she was too deeply absorbed in her own troubles to think that anyone else in the world could be miserable too .

" you were invited , weren't you ? "

aunt beatrice nodded .

the hole she was darning in the knee of willie hayden 's stocking must be done very carefully .

mrs george hayden was particular about such matters .

perhaps this was why aunt beatrice did not speak .

could gilbert be ill ?

or was he flirting with some other girl and forgetting her ?

" well , i'm i 'm not used to going to parties now , my dear .

and the truth is i have no dress fit to wear .

at least bella said so , because the party was to be a very fashionable affair .

she said my old grey silk wouldn't do at all .

of course she knows .

she had to have a new dress for it , and , we couldn't both have that .

george couldn't afford it these hard times .

but it doesn't matter .

and , of course , somebody had to stay with the children . "

" of course , " assented margaret dreamily .

mrs cunningham 's " at home " was of no particular interest .

" i saw mr reynolds in church sunday afternoon , " she went on .

" he is very fine-looking , i think .

did you ever meet him ? "

" i used to know him very well long ago , " answered aunt beatrice , bowing still lower over her work .

" he used to live down in wentworth , you know , and he visited his married sister here very often .

he was only a boy at that time .

then he went out to british columbia and and we never heard much more about him . "

they say he 's one of the foremost men in the house and came very near getting a portfolio in the new cabinet .

i like men like that .

they are so interesting .

wouldn't it be awfully nice and complimentary to have one of them in love with you ?

is he married ? "

" i i don't know , " said aunt beatrice faintly .

" i have never heard that he was . "

" there , you 've run the needle into your finger , " said margaret sympathetically .

" it 's of no consequence , " said aunt beatrice hastily .

she wiped away the drop of blood and went on with her work .

margaret watched her dreamily .

what lovely hair aunt beatrice had !

it was so thick and glossy , with warm bronze tones where the lamp-light fell on it under that hideous weird old shade .

but aunt beatrice wore it in such an unbecoming way .

margaret idly wondered if she would comb her hair straight back and prim when she was thirty-five .

she thought it very probable if that letter did not come tomorrow .

from aunt beatrice 's hair margaret 's eyes fell to aunt beatrice 's face .

she gave a little jump .

had aunt beatrice been crying ?

margaret sat bolt upright .

" aunt beatrice , did you want to go to that party ? " she demanded explosively .

" now tell me the truth . "

" i did , " said aunt beatrice weakly .

margaret 's sudden attack fairly startled the truth out of her .

" it is very silly of me , i know , but i did want to go .

i didn't care about a new dress .

i 'd have been quite willing to wear my grey silk , and i could have fixed the sleeves .

what difference would it have made ?

nobody would ever have noticed me , but bella thought it wouldn't do . "

she paused long enough to give a little sob which she could not repress .

margaret made use of the opportunity to exclaim violently , " it 's a shame ! "

" i suppose you don't understand why i wanted to go to this particular party so much , " went on aunt beatrice shyly .

" i 'll tell you why if you won't laugh at me .

i wanted to see john reynolds not to talk to him oh , i dare say he wouldn't remember me but just to see him .

long ago fifteen years ago we were engaged .

and and i loved him so much then , margaret . "

" you poor dear ! " said margaret sympathetically .

she reached over and patted her aunt 's hand .

she thought that this little bit of romance , long hidden and unsuspected , blossoming out under her eyes , was charming .

in her interest she quite forgot her own pet grievance .

" yes and then we quarrelled .

it was a dreadful quarrel and it was about such a trifle .

we parted in anger and he went away .

he never came back .

it was all my fault .

well , it is all over long ago and everybody has forgotten .

i i don't mind it now .

but i just wanted to see him once more and then come quietly away . "

" aunt beatrice , you are going to that party yet , " said margaret decisively .

" oh , it is impossible , my dear . "

" no , it isn't .

nothing is impossible when i make up my mind .

you must go .

i 'll drag you there by main force if it comes to that .

oh , i have such a jolly plan , auntie .

you know my black and yellow dinner dress no , you don't either , for i 've never worn it here .

the folks at home all said it was too severe for me and so it is .

nothing suits me but the fluffy , chuffy things with a tilt to them .

but it 's as lovely as a dream .

oh , when you see it your eyes will stick out .

you must wear it tonight .

it 's just your style , and i 'm sure it will fit you , for our figures are so much alike . "

" but it is too late . "

" ' tisn't .

it 's not more than half an hour since uncle george and aunt bella went .

i 'll have you ready in a twinkling . "

" but the fire and the children ! "

" i 'll stay here and look after both .

i won't burn the house down , and if the twins wake up i 'll give them what is it you give them soothing syrup ?

so go at once and get you ready , while i fly over for the dress .

i 'll fix your hair up when i get back . "

margaret was gone before aunt beatrice could speak again .

her niece 's excitement seized hold of her too .

she flung the stockings into the basket and the basket into the closet .

" i will go and i won't do another bit of darning tonight .

i hate it i hate it i hate it !

oh , how much good it does me to say it ! "

when margaret came flying up the stairs aunt beatrice was ready save for hair and dress .

aunt beatrice gave a little cry of admiration .

" isn't it lovely ? " demanded margaret .

oh , aunt beatrice !

what magnificent arms and shoulders you have !

they 're like marble .

mine are so scrawny i 'm just ashamed to have people know they belong to me . "

margaret 's nimble fingers were keeping time with her tongue .

margaret stepped back and clapped her hands admiringly .

" oh , auntie , you 're beautiful !

now i 'll pop down for the cloak and fascinator .

i left them hanging by the fire . "

when margaret had gone aunt beatrice caught up the lamp and tiptoed shamefacedly across the hall to the icy-cold spare room .

in the long mirror she saw herself reflected from top to toe or was it herself !

" i do look nice , " she said aloud , with a little curtsey to the radiant reflection .

" it is all the dress , i know .

i feel like a queen in it no , like a girl again and that 's better . "

margaret went to mrs cunningham 's door with her .

" how i wish i could go in and see the sensation you 'll make , aunt beatrice , " she whispered .

" you dear , silly child !

it 's just the purple and fine linen , " laughed aunt beatrice .

but she did not altogether think so , and she rang the doorbell unquailingly .

in the hall mrs cunningham herself came beamingly to greet her .

" my dear beatrice !

i 'm so glad .

bella said you could not come because you had a headache . "

at the foot of the stairs they met .

he put out his hand .

" beatrice !

it must be beatrice !

how little you have changed ! "

beatrice put her hand into the m.p. 's .

" i am glad to see you , " she said simply , looking up at him .

beatrice felt her heart beating to her fingertips .

" i thought you were not coming , " he said .

" i expected to meet you here and i was horribly disappointed .

i thought the bitterness of that foolish old quarrel must be strong enough to sway you yet . "

" didn't bella tell you i had a headache ? " faltered beatrice .

" bella ?

oh , your brother 's wife !

i wasn't talking to her .

i 've been sulking in corners ever since i concluded you were not coming .

how beautiful you are , beatrice !

you 'll let an old friend say that much , won't you ? "

beatrice laughed softly .

she had forgotten for years that she was beautiful , but the sweet old knowledge had come back to her again .

she could not help knowing that he spoke the simple truth , but she said mirthfully ,

" you 've learned to flatter since the old days , haven't you ?

don't you remember you used to tell me i was too thin to be pretty ?

but i suppose a bit of blarney is a necessary ingredient in the composition of an m.p . "

he was still holding her hand .

" come in here with me , " he said masterfully .

" i want to have a long talk with you before the other people get hold of you . "

" you dear girlie , were you asleep ? " asked aunt beatrice indulgently .

margaret nodded .

" yes , and i 've let the fire go out .

i hope you 're not cold .

i must run before aunt bella gets here , or she 'll scold .

had a nice time ? "

" delightful .

you were a dear to lend me this dress .

it was so funny to see bella staring at it . "

when margaret had put on her hat and jacket she went as far as the street door , and then tiptoed back to the sitting-room .

but it would weigh on my conscience all night if i didn't .

i was asleep , but i wakened up just before you came in and went to the window .

i didn't mean to spy upon anyone but that street was bright as day !

and if you will let an m.p. kiss you on the doorstep in glaring moonlight , you must expect to be seen . "

margaret threw up her hands .

" well , my conscience is clear , at least .

and remember , aunt beatrice , i 'm to be bridesmaid i insist upon that .

and , oh , won't you ask me to visit you when you go down to ottawa next winter ?

i 'm told it 's such a jolly place when the house is in session .

and you 'll need somebody to help you entertain , you know .

the wife of a cabinet minister has to do lots of that .

but i forgot he isn't a cabinet minister yet .

but he will be , of course .

promise that you 'll have me , aunt beatrice , promise quick .

i hear uncle george and aunt bella coming . "

aunt beatrice promised .

margaret flew to the door .

" you 'd better keep that dress , " she called back softly , as she opened it .

the running away of chester

chester did the chores with unusual vim that night .

mrs elwell saw him flying around , and her grim features took on a still grimmer expression .

" ches is mighty lively tonight , " she muttered .

" i s'pose he 's in a gog to be off on some foolishness with henry wilson .

well , he won't , and he needn't think it . "

" the little chap is going through things with a rush this evening , " he reflected .

" guess he 's laying out for a bit of fun with the wilson boy . "

after the chores were done , he lingered a little while around the barns , getting his courage keyed up to the necessary pitch .

his parents had died in his babyhood , and mrs elwell had taken him to bring up .

she was a harsh woman , with a violent temper , and she had scolded and worried the boy all his short life .

upton people said it was a shame , but nobody felt called upon to interfere .

mrs elwell was not a person one would care to make an enemy of .

" aunt harriet , " said chester suddenly , " can i go to school this year ?

it begins tomorrow . "

" no , " said mrs elwell , when she had recovered from her surprise at this unexpected question .

" you 've had schoolin ' in plenty more'n i ever had , and all you 're goin ' to get ! "

the other boys are ever so far ahead of me .

i don't know anything . "

" you know enough to be disrespectful ! " exclaimed mrs elwell .

chester thought of the drudgery that had been his portion all his life .

he resented being called lazy when he was willing enough to work , but he made one more appeal .

do let me go , aunt harriet .

i haven't been to school a day for over a year . "

" here , run down to the bridge and get me this bottle full of vinegar at jacob 's store .

be smart , too , d'ye hear !

i ain't going to have you idling around the bridge neither .

if you ain't back in twenty minutes , it won't be well for you . "

chester did his errand at the bridge with a heart full of bitter disappointment and anger .

" i won't stand it any longer ! " he muttered .

" i 'll run away i don't care where , so long as it 's away from her .

i wish i could get out west on the harvest excursions . "

on his return home , as he crossed the yard in the dusk , he stumbled over a stick of wood and fell .

the bottle of vinegar slipped from his hand and was broken on the doorstep .

mrs elwell saw the accident from the window .

she rushed out and jerked the unlucky lad to his feet .

" take that , you sulky little cub ! " she exclaimed , cuffing his ears soundly .

" i 'll teach you to break and spill things you 're sent for !

you did it on purpose .

get off to bed with you this instant . "

chester crept off to his garret chamber with a very sullen face .

he was too used to being sent to bed without any supper to care much for that , although he was hungry .

but his whole being was in a tumult of rebellion over the injustice that was meted out to him .

" i won't stand it ! " he muttered over and over again .

" i 'll run away .

i won't stay here . "

to talk of running away was one thing .

to do it without a cent in your pocket or a place to run to was another .

he lay awake late that night , thinking out ways and means , but could arrive at no satisfactory conclusion .

you might as well put in the time ' fore harvest that way as any other .

so hustle off and mind you behave yourself . "

chester heard the news gladly .

he had not yet devised any feasible plan for running away , and he always liked to work at the stearns ' place .

the following fortnight was a comparatively happy one for the lad .

chester found himself the possessor of four dollars an amount of riches that almost took away his breath .

he had never in his whole life owned more than ten cents at a time .

his mind was firmly made up .

he would run away once and for all .

this money was rightly his ; he had earned every cent of it .

it would surely last him until he found employment elsewhere .

at any rate , he would go ; and even if he starved , he would never come back to aunt harriet 's !

when he reached home , he found mrs elwell in an unusual state of worry .

lige had given warning and this on the verge of harvest !

" did stearns say anything about coming down tomorrow to pay me for your work ? " she asked .

" no , ma'am .

he didn't say a word about it , " said chester boldly .

" well , i hope he will .

take yourself off to bed , ches .

i 'm sick of seeing you standing there , on one foot or t'other , like a gander . "

chester had been shifting about uneasily .

he realized that , if his project did not miscarry , he would not see his aunt again , and his heart softened to her .

such , however , was not forthcoming , and chester obeyed her command and took himself off to the garret .

here he sat down and reflected on his plans .

he must go that very night .

when mr stearns failed to appear on the morrow , mrs elwell was quite likely to march up and demand the amount of chester 's wages .

it would all come out then , and he would lose his money besides , no doubt , getting severely punished into the bargain .

his preparations did not take long .

he had nothing to carry with him .

the only decent suit of clothes he possessed was his well-worn sunday one .

this he put on , carefully stowing away in his pocket the precious four dollars .

when he found himself alone in the clear moonlight of the august night , a sense of elation filled his cramped little heart .

he was free , and he would never come back here never !

chester meant to walk to roxbury station ten miles away .

nobody knew him there , and he could catch the morning train .

late as it was , he kept to fields and wood-roads lest he might be seen and recognized .

it was three o'clock when he reached roxbury , and he knew the train did not pass through until six .

chester was awakened by the shriek of the express at the last crossing before the station .

he looked sharply enough at the freckled , square-jawed boy who asked for a second-class ticket to belltown .

chester 's heart quaked within him at the momentary thought that the ticket agent recognized him .

he had an agonized vision of being collared without ceremony and haled straightway back to aunt harriet .

when the ticket and his change were pushed out to him , he snatched them and fairly ran .

" i 've seen that youngster before , though i can't recollect where .

he 's got a most fearful determined look . "

chester drew an audible sigh of relief when the train left the station .

he was fairly off now and felt that he could defy even curious railway officials .

meanwhile , it behooved him to keep his eyes open .

on the road from roxbury to belltown there was not much to be seen that morning that chester did not see .

the train reached belltown about noon .

he did not mean to stop long there it was too near upton .

from the conductor on the train , he found that a boat left belltown for montrose at two in the afternoon .

montrose was a hundred miles from upton , and chester thought he would be safe there .

to montrose , accordingly , he decided to go , but the first thing was to get some dinner .

he went into a grocery store and bought some crackers and a bit of cheese .

he found his way to the only public square belltown boasted , and munched his food hungrily on a bench under the trees .

he would go to montrose and there find something to do .

later on he would gradually work his way out west , where there was more room for an ambitious small boy to expand and grow .

chester dreamed some dazzling dreams as he sat there on the bench under the belltown chestnuts .

but this same lad was mapping out a very brilliant future for himself as people passed him heedlessly by .

he would get out west , somehow or other , some time or other , and make a fortune .

then , perhaps , he would go back to upton for a visit and shine in his splendour before all his old neighbours .

it all seemed very easy and alluring , sitting there in the quiet little belltown square .

chester , you see , possessed imagination .

that , together with the crackers and cheese , so cheered him up that he felt ready for anything .

chester pocketed his remaining crackers and cheese and his visions also , and was once more his alert , wide-awake self .

he had inquired the way to the wharf from the grocer , so he found no difficulty in reaching it .

when the boat steamed down the muddy little river , chester was on board of her .

they often went to belltown on business , but never to montrose .

" if i was looking for anyone to adopt me i 'd pick her , " said chester to himself .

the more he looked at her , the better he liked her .

he labelled her in his mind as " the nice , rosy lady . "

the nice , rosy lady noticed chester staring at her after awhile .

chester did not exactly like being called a little boy .

but her voice and smile were irresistible and won his heart straightway .

he took the candy with a shy , " thank you , ma'am , " and sat holding it in his hand .

" eat it , " commanded the rosy lady authoritatively .

" that is what taffy is for , you know . "

so chester ate it .

the rosy lady watched every mouthful he ate as if she enjoyed it more than he did .

" it 's the nicest taffy i ever ate , " answered chester enthusiastically , as if he were a connoisseur in all kinds of taffies .

the rosy lady nodded , well pleased .

" that is just what everyone says about my sugar taffy .

nobody up our way can match it , though goodness knows they try hard enough .

my great-grandmother invented the recipe herself , and it has been in our family ever since .

i 'm real glad you liked it . "

she smiled at him again , as if his appreciation of her taffy was a bond of good fellowship between them .

if there were such kind folks as this in the world , why , he would get along all right .

it was almost dark when they reached montrose .

here he was at his destination at dark , in a strange city a hundred miles from home .

montrose was not really a very big place .

it was only a bustling little town of some twenty thousand inhabitants , but to chester 's eyes it was a vast metropolis .

chester , after paying his fare to montrose and buying his cheese and crackers , had just sixty cents left .

back to this he went and soon succeeded in finding a place to stow himself .

montrose seemed less alarming by daylight , which was not so bewildering as the blinking electric lights .

chester was up betimes , ate the last of his cheese and crackers and started out at once to look for work .

there was , however , one class of places chester shunned determinedly .

he never went into a liquor saloon .

she herself had suffered bitterly through it , and she instilled into her pupils a thorough aversion to it .

chester would have chosen death by starvation before he would have sought for employment in a liquor saloon .

but there certainly did not seem room for him anywhere else .

nobody wanted a boy .

the answer to his question was invariably " no . "

as the day wore on , chester 's hopes and courage went down to zero , but he still tramped doggedly about .

he would be thorough , at least .

surely somewhere in this big place , where everyone seemed so busy , there must be something for him to do .

once there seemed a chance of success .

he had gone into a big provision store and asked the clerk behind the counter if they wanted a boy .

" well , we do , " said the clerk , looking him over critically , " but i hardly think you 'll fill the bill .

however , come in and see the boss . "

" hey ?

what ! " he said when the clerk explained .

" looking for the place ?

why , sonny , you 're not half big enough . "

" oh , i 'm a great deal bigger than i look , " cried chester breathlessly .

" that is , sir i mean i 'm ever so much stronger than i look .

i 'll work hard , sir , ever so hard and i 'll grow . "

the fat , stubby man roared with laughter .

what was grim earnest to poor chester was a joke to him .

boys aren't like pigweed , you know .

no , no , our boy must be a big , strapping fellow of eighteen or nineteen .

he 'll have a deal of heavy lifting to do . "

chester went out of the store with a queer choking in his throat .

a nice ending that would be to his fine dreams !

he thrust his hands into his pockets and strode along the street , biting his lips fiercely .

he would not cry no , he would not !

and he would find work !

chester did not cry , but neither , alas , did he find work .

he parted with ten cents of his precious hoard for more crackers , and he spend the night again in the lumber yard .

perhaps i 'll have better luck tomorrow , he thought hopefully .

but it really seemed as if there were to be no luck for chester except bad luck .

in spite of his pluck , his heart began to fail him .

at the end of a week chester woke up among his lumber to a realization that he was at the end of his resources .

he had just five cents left out of the four dollars that were to have been the key to his fortune .

he sat gloomily on the wall of his sleeping apartment and munched the one solitary cracker he had left .

it must carry him through the day unless he got work .

the five cents must be kept for some dire emergency .

he started uptown rather aimlessly .

in his week 's wanderings he had come to know the city very well and no longer felt confused with its size and bustle .

he envied every busy boy he saw .

back in upton he had sometimes resented the fact that he was kept working continually and was seldom allowed an hour off .

now he was burdened with spare time .

it certainly did not seem as if things were fairly divided , he thought .

and then he thought no more just then , for one of the queer spells in his head came on .

he had experienced them at intervals during the last three days .

chester vaguely wondered if this could be what aunt harriet had been wont to call a " judgement . "

but then , he had done nothing very bad nothing that would warrant a judgement , he thought .

chester felt bitter whenever he thought of aunt harriet .

presently he found himself in the market square of montrose .

it was market day , and the place was thronged with people from the surrounding country settlements .

two men were talking to each other near him .

at first chester gave no heed to their conversation , but presently a sentence made him prick up his ears .

it 's terrible hard to get any help .

every spare man-jack far and wide has gone west on them everlasting harvest excursions .

salome whitney at the mount hope farm is in a predicament .

she 's got a hired man , but he can't harvest grain all by himself .

the men moved out of earshot at this juncture , but chester got down from the bales with a determined look .

if workers were wanted in hopedale , that was the place for him .

he had done a man 's work at harvest time in upton the year before .

lige barton had said so himself .

hope and courage returned with a rush .

he accosted the first man he met and asked if he could tell him the way to hopedale .

" reckon i can , sonny .

i live in the next district .

want to go there ?

if you wait till evening , i can give you a lift part of the way .

it 's five miles out . "

" thank you , sir , " said chester firmly , " but i must go at once if you 'll kindly direct me .

it 's important . "

" well , it 's a straight road .

turn to your right , and over the hill is hopedale .

but you 'd better wait for me .

you don't look fit to walk five miles . "

but chester was off .

walk five miles !

pooh !

he could walk twenty with hope to lure him on .

albemarle street finally frayed off into a real country road .

he had grown to hate the town with its cold , unheeding faces .

it was good to breathe clear air again and feel the soft , springy soil of the ferny roadside under his tired little feet .

long before the five miles were covered , chester began to wonder if he would hold out to the end of them .

he had to stop and rest frequently , when those queer dizzy spells came on .

his feet seemed like lead .

but he kept doggedly on .

he would not give in now !

the white and yellow church was the most welcome sight that had ever met his eyes .

over the hill he met a man and inquired the way to mount hope farm .

fortunately , it was nearby .

at the gate chester had to stop again to recover from his dizziness .

there was an appearance of peace and prosperity about it .

if only miss salome whitney will hire me ! thought chester wistfully , as he crept up the slope .

i 'm afraid she 'll say i 'm too small .

wisht i could stretch three inches all at once .

wisht i wasn't so dizzy .

wisht

trees , barns , well-sweep , all whirled around him with the speed of wind .

he reeled and fell , a limp , helpless little body , on miss salome whitney 's broad , spotless sandstone doorstep .

miss salome wanted them boiled ; clemantiny bosworth , the help , insisted that they ought to be baked .

clemantiny was always very positive .

" they 're so sour when they 're baked , " protested miss salome .

" well , you don't want damsons sweet , do you ? " retorted clemantiny scornfully .

" that 's the beauty of damsons their tartness .

and they keep ever so much better baked , salome you know they do .

my grandmother always baked hers , and they would keep for three years . "

miss salome knew that when clemantiny dragged her grandmother into the question , it was time to surrender .

beyond that , dignity degenerated into stubbornness .

" well , well , bake them then , " she said placidly .

" i don't suppose it makes much difference one way or another .

only , i insist what was that noise , clemantiny ?

it sounded like something falling against the porch door . "

" mussing up my clean doorstep with his dirty paws again .

i 'll fix him ! "

clemantiny swept out through the porch and jerked open the door .

there was a moment 's silence .

then miss salome heard her say , " for the land 's sake !

salome whitney , come here . "

what miss salome saw when she hurried out was a white-faced boy stretched on the doorstep at clemantiny 's feet .

" is he dead ? " she gasped .

" dead ?

no , " sniffed clemantiny .

" he 's fainted , that 's what he is .

where on earth did he come from ?

he ain't a hopedale boy . "

" he must be carried right in , " exclaimed miss salome in distress .

" why , he may die there .

he must be very ill . "

" why , he 's skin and bone .

he ain't hardly heavier than a baby .

well , this is a mysterious piece of work .

where'll i put him ? "

a child starving to death on her doorstep !

" what do you do for people in a faint , clemantiny ? "

" and hold ammonia to their nose .

run for the ammonia , salome .

look , will you ?

skin and bone ! "

but miss salome had gone for the ammonia .

there was a look on the boy 's thin , pallid face that tugged painfully at her heart-strings .

when he opened his eyes , miss salome knew him .

" why , it 's the little boy i saw on the boat ! " she exclaimed .

" well , you 've come to ! " said clemantiny , eyeing chester severely .

" and now perhaps you 'll explain what you mean by fainting away on doorsteps and scaring people out of their senses . "

chester thought that this must be the mistress of mount hope farm , and hastened to propitiate her .

" i 'm sorry , " he faltered feebly .

" i didn't mean to i "

" you 're not to do any talking until you 've had something to eat , " snapped clemantiny inconsistently .

" here , open your mouth and take this broth .

pretty doings , i say ! "

chester thought he had never in all his life tasted anything so good as that broth .

the boy was really almost starved .

he drank every drop of it .

clemantiny gave a grunt of satisfaction as she handed the empty bowl and spoon to the silent , smiling miss salome .

" now , who are you and what do you want ? " she said .

chester had been expecting this question , and while coming along the hopedale road he had thought out an answer to it .

he began now , speaking the words slowly and gaspingly , as if reciting a hastily learned lesson .

" my name is chester benson .

i belong to upton up the country .

my folks are dead and i came to montrose to look for work , i 've been there a week and couldn't get anything to do .

in spite of his weakness , chester 's face turned very red before he got to the end of his speech .

he was new to deception .

to be sure , there was not , strictly speaking , an untrue word in it .

as for his name , it was chester benson stephens .

but for all that , chester could not have felt or looked more guilty if he had been telling an out-and-out falsehood at every breath .

" humph ! " said clemantiny in a dissatisfied tone .

" what on earth do you suppose a midget like you can do in the harvest field ?

and we don't want any more help , anyway .

we 've got enough . "

chester grew sick with disappointment .

but at this moment miss salome spoke up .

" no , we haven't , clemantiny .

we want another hand , and i 'll hire you , chester that 's your name , isn't it ?

i 'll give you good wages , too . "

" now , salome ! " protested clemantiny .

but miss salome only said , " i 've made up my mind , clemantiny . "

" oh , very well , " she retorted .

" you 'll please yourself , salome , of course .

i think it would be wiser to wait until you found out a little more about him . "

" and have him starving on people 's doorsteps in the meantime ? " questioned miss salome severely .

by this time chester had grasped the wonderful fact that his troubles were ended for a while , at least .

he raised himself up on one arm and looked gratefully at miss salome .

" thank you , " he said .

" i 'll work hard .

i 'm used to doing a lot . "

" there , there ! " said miss salome , patting his shoulder gently .

" lie down and rest .

dinner will be ready soon , and i guess you 'll be ready for it . "

to clemantiny she added in a low , gentle tone , " there 's a look on his face that reminded me of johnny .

it came out so strong when he sat up just now that it made me feel like crying .

don't you notice it , clemantiny ? "

" all i can see is freckles and bones but if you 're satisfied , i am .

for law 's sake , don't fluster me , salome .

there 's a hundred and one things to be done out of hand .

this frolic has clean dundered the whole forenoon 's work . "

after dinner chester decided that it was time to make himself useful .

" can't i go right to work now ? " he asked .

" we don't begin harvest till tomorrow , " said miss salome .

" you 'd better rest this afternoon . "

" oh , i 'm all right now , " insisted chester .

" i feel fine .

please give me something to do . "

" you can go out and cut me some wood for my afternoon 's baking , " said clemantiny .

" and see you cut it short enough .

any other boy that 's tried always gets it about two inches too long . "

" not very much , perhaps , " said miss salome mildly .

" but what could i do ?

you wouldn't have me turn the child adrift on the world again , would you , clemantiny ? "

clemantiny did not choose to answer this appeal .

she rattled her dishes noisily into the dishpan .

" well , where are you going to put him to sleep ? " she demanded .

" the hands you 've got will fill the kitchen chamber .

there 's only the spare room left .

you 'll hardly put him there , i suppose ?

your philanthropy will hardly lead you as far as that . "

when clemantiny employed big words and sarcasm at the same time , the effect was tremendous .

but miss salome didn't wilt .

" what makes you so prejudiced against him ? " she asked curiously .

" i 'm not prejudiced against him .

but that story about himself didn't ring true .

i worked in upton years ago , and there weren't any bensons there then .

there 's more behind that he hasn't told .

i 'd find out what it was before i took him into my house , that 's all .

but i 'm not prejudiced . "

" well , well , " said miss salome soothingly , " we must do the best we can for him .

it 's a sort of duty .

and as for a room for him why , i 'll put him in johnny 's . "

clemantiny opened her mouth and shut it again .

she understood that it would be a waste of breath to say anything more .

" but i 'll not be surprised at anything after this , " she muttered as she carried her dishes into the pantry .

" first a skinny little urchin goes and faints on her doorstep .

then she hires him and puts him in johnny 's room .

johnny 's room !

salome whitney , what do you mean ? "

perhaps miss salome hardly knew what she meant .

but somehow her heart went out warmly to this boy .

in spite of clemantiny 's sniffs , she held to the opinion that he looked like johnny .

johnny was a little nephew of hers .

she had taken him to bring up when his parents died , and she had loved him very dearly .

he had died four years ago , and since that time the little front room over the front porch had never been occupied .

it was just as johnny had left it .

beyond keeping it scrupulously clean , miss salome never allowed it to be disturbed .

and now a somewhat ragged lad from nowhere was to be put into it !

no wonder clemantiny shook her head when miss salome went up to air it .

even clemantiny had to admit that chester was willing to work .

he split wood until she called him to stop .

then he carried in the wood-box full , and piled it so neatly that even the grim handmaiden was pleased .

after that , she sent him to the garden to pick the early beans .

" he 's been taught to work somewheres , " she admitted grudgingly , " and he 's real polite and respectful .

but he looks too cute by half .

and his name isn't benson any more than mine .

" i hope you 'll sleep real well here , chester , " she said .

" i had a little boy once who used to sleep here .

you you look like him .

good night . "

she bent over him and kissed his forehead .

chester had never been kissed by anyone before , so far as he could remember .

something came up in his throat that felt about as big as a pumpkin .

at the same moment he wished he could have told miss salome the whole truth about himself .

i might tell her in the morning , he thought , as he watched her figure passing out of the little porch chamber .

but on second thought he decided that this would never do .

no , he could not tell her .

" humph ! " said clemantiny amiably .

" new brooms sweep clean . "

but she gave him cream with his porridge that morning .

generally , all miss salome 's hired hands got from clemantiny was skim milk .

miss salome 's regular hired man lived in a little house down in the hollow .

he soon turned up , and the other two men she had hired for harvest also arrived .

martin , the man , looked chester over quizzically .

" what do you think you can do , sonny ? "

" anything , " said chester sturdily .

" i 'm used to work . "

" he 's right , " whispered clemantiny aside .

" he 's smart as a steel trap .

but just you keep an eye on him all the same , martin . "

chester soon proved his mettle in the harvest field .

in the brisk three weeks that followed , even clemantiny had to admit that he earned every cent of his wages .

his active feet were untiring and his wiry arms could pitch and stock with the best .

" freckles-and-bones has been well trained somewhere , " said clemantiny again .

it was hardly fair to put the bones in now , for chester was growing plump and hearty .

he had never been so happy in his life .

upton drudgery and that dreadful week in montrose seemed like a bad dream .

here , in the golden meadows of mount hope farm , he worked with a right good will .

the men liked him , and he soon became a favourite with them .

even clemantiny relented somewhat .

but chester soon learned that clemantiny 's bark was worse than her bite .

she was really very good to him and fed him lavishly .

but she declared that this was only to put some flesh on him .

" it offends me to see bones sticking through anybody 's skin like that .

we aren't used to such objects at mount hope farm , thank goodness .

yes , you may smile , salome .

he 's mighty close about his past life .

you can't get any more out of him than juice out of a post .

i 've tried , and i know . "

but it was miss salome who had won chester 's whole heart .

he had never loved anybody in his hard little life before .

he loved her with an almost dog-like devotion .

he forgot that he was working to earn money and make his fortune .

he worked to please miss salome .

she was good and kind and gentle to him , and his starved heart thawed and expanded in the sunshine of her atmosphere .

she went to the little porch room every night to kiss him good night .

chester would have been bitterly disappointed if she had failed to go .

she was greatly shocked to find out that he had never said his prayers before going to bed .

she insisted on teaching him the simple little one she had used herself when a child .

when chester found that it would please her , he said it every night .

there was nothing he would not have done for miss salome .

she talked a good deal to him about johnny and she gave him the jack-knife that johnny had owned .

" i ain't very good , " said chester repentantly , " but i 'll try to be , miss salome honest , i will . "

one day he heard miss salome speaking of someone who had run away from home .

" a wicked , ungrateful boy , " she called him .

chester blushed until his freckles were drowned out in a sea of red , and clemantiny saw it , of course .

when did anything ever escape those merciless black eyes of clemantiny 's ?

" do you think it 's always wrong for a fellow to run away , miss salome ? " he faltered .

" it can't ever be right , " said miss salome decidedly .

" but if he wasn't treated well and was jawed at and not let go to school ? " pleaded chester .

she was not really thinking of the subject at all , and did not guess that chester meant anything more than generalities .

" not even then , " she said firmly .

his aunt thought he 'd fallen into the river . "

when the harvest season drew to a close , dismay crept into the soul of our hero .

where would he go now ?

he hated to think of leaving mount hope farm and miss salome .

the making of a fortune seemed a small thing compared to the privilege of being near miss salome .

" but i suppose i must just up and go , " he muttered dolefully .

one day miss salome had a conference with clemantiny .

" but if you 'd take my advice which you won't and never do you 'd write to somebody in upton and make inquiries about him first .

what he says is all very well and he sticks to it marvellous , and there 's no tripping him up .

but there 's something behind , salome whitney mark my words , there 's something behind . "

" he looks so like johnny , " said miss salome wistfully .

" and i suppose you think that covers a multitude of sins , " said clemantiny contemptuously .

chester 's heart sank as he obeyed the summons .

his time was up , and now he was to be paid his wages and sent away .

but that did not reconcile him to leaving mount hope farm .

miss salome was sitting in her favourite sunny corner of the kitchen and clemantiny was flying around with double briskness .

the latter 's thin lips were tightly set and disapproval was writ large in every flutter of her calico skirts .

" chester , " said miss salome kindly , " your time is up today . "

chester nodded .

for a moment he felt as he had felt when he left the provision store in montrose .

but he would not let clemantiny see him cry .

somehow , he would not have minded miss salome .

" what are you thinking of doing now ? "

miss salome went on .

" there 's a man at east hopedale wants a boy , " said chester , " and martin says he thinks i 'll suit . "

" that is jonas smallman , " said miss salome thoughtfully .

" he has the name of being a hard master .

it isn't right of me to say so , perhaps .

i really don't know much about him .

but wouldn't you rather stay here with me for the winter , chester ? "

" ma'am ?

miss salome ? " stammered chester .

" we really need a chore boy all the year round , " said miss salome .

" martin has all he can do with the heavy work .

and there are the apples to be picked .

in the spring we will see what need be done then . "

if he would care to stay !

chester could have laughed aloud .

his eyes were shining with joy as he replied , " oh , miss salome , i 'll be so glad to stay !

i i didn't want to go away .

i 'll try to do everything you want me to do .

i 'll work ever so hard . "

" humph ! "

this , of course , was from clemantiny , as she set a pan of apples on the stove with an emphatic thud .

" nobody ever doubted your willingness to work .

pity everything else about you isn't as satisfactory . "

" clemantiny ! " said miss salome rebukingly .

she put her arms about chester and drew him to her .

" then it is all settled , chester .

you are my boy now , and of course i shall expect you to be a good boy . "

if ever a boy was determined to be good , that boy was chester .

that day was the beginning of a new life for him .

he began to go to the hopedale school the next week .

miss salome gave him all johnny 's old school books and took an eager interest in his studies .

he was not what he pretended to be .

and as for his running away , he felt sure that miss salome would view that with horror .

he began to wish that he had the courage to tell her the whole truth about himself .

moreover , he began to think that perhaps he had not done right , after all , in running away from aunt harriet .

but he could never be that as long as he kept the truth about himself from miss salome .

" nonsense !

what could he have on his mind ? " said miss salome .

but she said it a little anxiously .

she , too , had noticed chester 's absent ways and abstracted face .

" goodness me , i don't know !

i don't suppose he has robbed a bank or murdered anybody .

but he is worrying over something , as plain as plain . "

" he is getting on very well at school , " said miss salome .

" his teacher says so , and he is very eager to learn .

i don't know what can be troubling him . "

she was fated not to know for a fortnight longer .

during that time chester fought out his struggle with himself , and conquered .

he must tell miss salome , he decided , with a long sigh .

chester went into the kitchen one afternoon when he came home from school , with his lips set and his jaws even squarer than usual .

miss salome was making some of her famous taffy , and clemantiny was spinning yarn on the big wheel .

" miss salome , " said chester desperately , " if you 're not too busy , there is something i 'd like to tell you . "

" what is it ? " asked miss salome good-humouredly , turning to him with her spoon poised in midair over her granite saucepan .

" it 's about myself .

i i oh , miss salome , i didn't tell you the truth about myself .

i 've got to tell it now .

my name isn't benson exactly and i ran away from home . "

" dear me ! " said miss salome mildly .

she dropped her spoon , handle and all , into the taffy and never noticed it .

" dear me , chester ! "

" i knew it , " said clemantiny triumphantly .

" i knew it and i always said it .

run away , did you ? "

" yes 'm .

my name is chester benson stephens , and i lived at upton with aunt harriet elwell .

but she ain't any relation to me , really .

she 's only father 's stepsister .

she she wasn't kind to me and she wouldn't let me go to school so i ran away . "

" but , dear me , chester , didn't you know that was very wrong ? " said miss salome in bewilderment .

" no 'm i didn't know it then .

i 've been thinking lately that maybe it was .

i 'm i'm real sorry . "

" what did you say your real name was ? " demanded clemantiny .

" stephens , ma'am . "

" and your mother 's name before she was married ? "

" mary morrow , " said chester , wondering what upon earth clemantiny meant .

clemantiny turned to miss salome with an air of surrendering a dearly cherished opinion .

" well , ma'am , i guess you must be right about his looking like johnny .

their mothers were sisters ! "

" clemantiny ! " exclaimed miss salome .

" you may well say ' clemantiny . '

such a coincidence !

it doesn't make you and him any relation , of course the cousinship is on the mother 's side .

but it 's there .

mary morrow was born and brought up in hopedale .

she went to upton when i did , and married oliver stephens there .

why , i knew his father as well as i know you . "

" this is wonderful , " said miss salome .

then she added sorrowfully , " but it doesn't make your running away right , chester . "

" tell us all about it , " demanded clemantiny , sitting down on the wood-box .

" sit down , boy , sit down don't stand there looking as if you were on trial for your life .

tell us all about it . "

thus adjured , chester sat down and told them all about it his moonlight flitting and his adventures in montrose .

when chester finished , she nodded .

" we 've got it all now .

there 's nothing more behind , salome .

it would have been better for you to have told as straight a story at first , young man . "

chester knew that , but , having no reply to make , made none .

miss salome looked at him wistfully .

" but , with it all , you didn't do right to run away , chester , " she said firmly .

" i dare say your aunt was severe with you but two wrongs never make a right , you know . "

" no 'm , " said chester .

" you must go back to your aunt , " continued miss salome sadly .

chester nodded .

he knew this , but he could not trust himself to speak .

then did clemantiny arise in her righteous indignation .

" well , i never heard of such nonsense , salome whitney !

what on earth do you want to send him back for ?

i knew harriet elwell years ago , and if she 's still what she was then , it ain't much wonder chester ran away from her .

i 'd say ' run , ' too .

go back , indeed !

you keep him right here , as you should , and let harriet elwell look somewhere else for somebody to scold ! "

" clemantiny ! " expostulated miss salome .

" oh , i must and will speak my mind , salome .

there 's no one else to take chester 's part , it seems .

you have as much claim on him as harriet elwell has .

she ain't any real relation to him any more than you are . "

miss salome looked troubled .

perhaps there was something in clemantiny 's argument .

and she hated to think of seeing chester go .

he looked more like johnny than ever , as he stood there with his flushed face and wistful eyes .

" chester , " she said gravely , " i leave it to you to decide .

if you think you ought to go back to your aunt , well and good .

if not , you shall stay here . "

this was the hardest yet .

chester wished she had not left the decision to him .

it was like cutting off his own hand .

but he spoke up manfully .

" i i think i ought to go back , miss salome , and i want to pay back the money , too . "

" i think so , too , chester , although i 'm sorry as sorry can be .

i 'll go back to upton with you .

we 'll start tomorrow .

if , when we get there , your aunt is willing to let you stay with me , you can come back . "

" there 's a big chance of that ! " said clemantiny sourly .

well , this taffy is all burnt to the saucepan and clean ruined but what 's the odds !

i don't like having my affections torn up by the roots . "

clemantiny seized the saucepan and disappeared with it into the pantry amid a whirl of pungent smoke .

mount hope farm was a strangely dismal place that night .

miss salome sighed heavily and often as she made her preparations for the morrow 's journey .

clemantiny stalked about with her grim face grimmer than ever .

as for chester , when he went to bed that night in the little porch chamber , he cried heartily into his pillows .

that talk comforted chester .

he realized that , come what might , he would always have a good friend in miss salome aye , and in clemantiny , too .

it was late and an aroma of boiling sugar hung about her .

she had sat up long after miss salome was abed , to boil another saucepan of taffy for chester to eat on his journey .

" poor , dear child ! " she said , softly touching one of his crisp curls .

" it 's a shame in salome to insist on his going back .

she doesn't know what she 's sending him to , or she wouldn't .

he didn't say much against his aunt , and salome thinks she was only just a little bit cranky .

but i could guess . "

early in the morning miss salome and chester started .

they were to drive to montrose , leave their team there and take the boat for belltown .

chester bade farewell to the porch chamber and the long , white kitchen and the friendly barns with a full heart .

when he climbed into the wagon , clemantiny put a big bagful of taffy into his hands .

" good-by , chester , " she said .

" and remember , you 've always got a friend in me , anyhow . "

then clemantiny went back into the kitchen and cried good , rough-spoken , tender-hearted clemantiny sat down and cried .

it was an ideal day for travelling crisp , clear and sunny but neither chester nor miss salome was in a mood for enjoyment .

back over chester 's runaway route they went , and reached belltown on the boat that evening .

they stayed in belltown overnight and in the morning took the train to roxbury station .

here miss salome hired a team from the storekeeper and drove out to upton .

chester felt his heart sink as they drove into the elwell yard .

how well he knew it !

miss salome tied her hired nag to the gatepost and took chester by the hand .

they went to the door and knocked .

it was opened with a jerk and mrs elwell stood before them .

she had probably seen them from the window , for she uttered no word of surprise at seeing chester again .

indeed , she said nothing at all , but only stood rigidly before them .

dear me , what a disagreeable-looking woman ! thought miss salome .

but she said courteously , " are you mrs elwell ? "

" i am , " said that lady forbiddingly .

" i 've brought your nephew home , " continued miss salome , laying her hand encouragingly on chester 's shrinking shoulder .

when he told me about it , i thought he ought to come straight back and return your four dollars , and so did he .

so i have brought him . "

" you might have saved yourself the trouble then ! " cried mrs elwell shrilly .

her black eyes flashed with anger .

" i 'm done with him and don't want the money .

he shall never enter my house again . "

" that he shall not ! " cried miss salome , at last finding her tongue .

her gentle nature was grievously stirred by the heartlessness shown in the face and voice of mrs elwell .

" that he shall not ! " she cried again .

" but he shall not want for a home as long as i have one to give him .

come , chester , we 'll go home . "

" i wish you well of him , " mrs elwell said sarcastically .

miss salome already repented her angry retort .

she was afraid she had been undignified , but she wished for a moment that clemantiny was there .

wicked as she feared it was , miss salome thought she could have enjoyed a tilt between her ancient handmaid and mrs elwell .

" i beg your pardon , mrs elwell , if i have used any intemperate expressions , " she said with great dignity .

" you provoked me more than was becoming by your remarks .

i wish you good morning . "

mrs elwell slammed the door shut .

not until they reached the main road did she trust herself to speak to the dazed lad beside her .

" what a disagreeable women ! " she ejaculated at last .

" i don't wonder you ran away , chester i don't , indeed !

though , mind you , i don't think it was right , for all that .

but i 'm gladder than words can say that she wouldn't take you back .

you are mine now , and you will stay mine .

i want you to call me aunt salome after this .

get up , horse !

if we can catch that train at roxbury , we 'll be home by night yet . "

chester was too happy to speak .

he had never felt so glad and grateful in his life before .

they got home that night just as the sun was setting redly behind the great maples on the western hill .

as they drove into the yard , clemantiny 's face appeared , gazing at them over the high board fence of the cow-yard .

chester waved his hand at her gleefully .

" lawful heart ! " said clemantiny .

she set down her pail and came out to the lane on a run .

she caught chester as he sprang from the wagon and gave him a hearty hug .

" i 'm glad clean down to my boot soles to see you back again , " she said .

" he 's back for good , " said miss salome .

" chester , you 'd better go in and study up your lessons for tomorrow . "

the strike at putney

the church at putney was one that gladdened the hearts of all the ministers in the presbytery whenever they thought about it .

it was such a satisfactory church .

the exeter church people were always quarrelling among themselves and carrying their quarrels to the courts of the church .

the very name of exeter gave the members of presbytery the cold creeps .

but the putney church people never quarrelled .

danbridge church was in a chronic state of ministerlessness .

no minister ever stayed in danbridge longer than he could help .

the people were too critical , and they were also noted heresy hunters .

good ministers fought shy of danbridge , and poor ones met with a chill welcome .

at putney they had had the same minister for fifteen years and hoped and expected to have him for fifteen more .

they looked with horror-stricken eyes on the danbridge theological coquetries .

bloom valley church was over head and heels in debt and had no visible prospect of ever getting out .

the moderator said under his breath that they did over-much praying and too little hoeing .

he did not believe in faith without works .

tarrytown road kept its head above water but never had a cent to spare for missions or the schemes of the church .

in bright and shining contradistinction to these the putney church had always paid its way and gave liberally to all departments of church work .

naturally the " heft " of this work fell on the women , but they did not mind in very truth , they enjoyed it .

they were especially strong on societies .

there was the church aid society , the girls ' flower band , and the sewing circle .

there was a mission band and a helping hand among the children .

to this day ministers and elders tell the story of the putney church strike with sparkling eyes and subdued chuckles .

it never grows old or stale .

but the putney elders are an exception .

they never laugh at it .

they never refer to it .

it is not in the wicked , unregenerate heart of man to make a jest of his own bitter defeat .

so , although she could not come on the date requested , she would , if acceptable , come the following sunday .

this suited the putney auxiliary very well .

on the sunday referred to there was to be no evening service in the church owing to mr sinclair 's absence .

then the thunderbolt descended on the w.f.m.a. of putney from a clear sky .

the elders of the church rose up to a man and declared that no woman should occupy the pulpit of the putney church .

it was in direct contravention to the teachings of st paul .

to make matters worse , mr sinclair declared himself on the elders ' side .

the members of the auxiliary were aghast .

they called a meeting extraordinary in the classroom and , discarding all forms and ceremonies in their wrath , talked their indignation out .

out of doors the world basked in june sunshine and preened itself in blossom .

the birds sang and chirped in the lichened maples that cupped the little church in , and peace was over all the putney valley .

inside the classroom disgusted women buzzed like angry bees .

" what on earth are we to do ? " sighed the secretary plaintively .

mary kilburn was always plaintive .

" all the arrangements are made and mrs cotterell is coming on the tenth .

how can we tell her that the men won't let her speak ? "

" there was never anything like this in putney church before , " groaned mrs elder knox .

" it was andrew mckittrick put them up to it .

i always said that man would make trouble here yet , ever since he moved to putney from danbridge .

i 've talked and argued with thomas until i 'm dumb , but he is as set as a rock . "

" we don't meddle with them , i 'm sure .

as if mrs cotterell would contaminate the pulpit ! "

" one would think we were still in the dark ages , " said frances spenslow sharply .

frances was the putney schoolteacher .

" i 'm more surprised at mr sinclair than at the elders , " said mrs abner keech , fanning herself vigorously .

" elders are subject to queer spells periodically .

they think they assert their authority that way .

but mr sinclair has always seemed so liberal and broad-minded . "

" you never can tell what crotchet an old bachelor will take into his head , " said alethea craig bitingly .

the others nodded agreement .

mr sinclair 's inveterate celibacy was a standing grievance with the putney women .

" but what are we going to do , ladies ? " said mrs robbins briskly .

mrs robbins was the president .

she was a big , bustling woman with clear blue eyes and crisp , incisive ways .

hitherto she had held her peace .

" they must talk themselves out before they can get down to business , " she had reflected sagely .

but she thought the time had now come to speak .

" you know , " she went on , " we can talk and rage against the men all day if we like .

they are not trying to prevent us .

but that will do no good .

here 's mrs cotterell invited , and all the neighbouring auxiliaries notified and the men won't let us have the church .

the point is , how are we going to get out of the scrape ? "

a helpless silence descended upon the classroom .

the eyes of every woman present turned to myra wilson .

everyone could talk , but when it came to action they had a fashion of turning to myra .

she had a reputation for cleverness and originality .

she never talked much .

so far today she had not said a word .

she was sitting on the sill of the window across from lucy knox .

she swung her hat on her knee , and loose , moist rings of dark hair curled around her dark , alert face .

" have you any suggestion to make , miss wilson ? " said mrs robbins , with a return to her official voice and manner .

myra put her long , slender index finger to her chin .

" i think , " she said decidedly , " that we must strike . "

when elder knox went in to tea that evening he glanced somewhat apprehensively at his wife .

they had had an altercation before she went to the meeting , and he supposed she had talked herself into another rage while there .

but mrs knox was placid and smiling .

she had made his favourite soda biscuits for him and inquired amiably after his progress in hoeing turnips in the southeast meadow .

" we poor men have been shaking in our shoes , " he said facetiously .

" were you ? "

mrs knox 's voice was calm and faintly amused .

" well , you didn't need to .

lucy knox turned her head away to hide a smile .

the elder beamed .

he was a peace-loving man and disliked " ructions " of any sort and domestic ones in particular .

since the decision of the session mrs knox had made his life a burden to him .

he did not understand her sudden change of base , but he accepted it very thankfully .

" that 's right that 's right , " he said heartily .

" i 'm glad to hear you coming out so sensible , maria .

i was afraid you 'd work yourselves up at that meeting and let myra wilson or alethea craig put you up to some foolishness or other .

well , i guess i 'll jog down to the corner this evening and order that barrel of pastry flour you want . "

" oh , you needn't , " said mrs knox indifferently .

" we won't be needing it now . "

" not needing it !

but i thought you said you had to have some to bake for the social week after next . "

" there isn't going to be any social . "

" not any social ? "

elder knox stared perplexedly at his wife .

a month previously the putney church had been recarpeted , and they still owed fifty dollars for it .

this , the women declared , they would speedily pay off by a big cake and ice-cream social in the hall .

mrs knox had been one of the foremost promoters of the enterprise .

" not any social ? " repeated the elder again .

" then how is the money for the carpet to be got ?

and why isn't there going to be a social ? "

" the men can get the money somehow , i suppose , " said mrs knox .

lucy , dear , will you pass me the cookies ? "

" lucy dear " passed the cookies and then rose abruptly and left the table .

her father 's face was too much for her .

" what confounded nonsense is this ? " demanded the elder explosively .

mrs knox opened her mellow brown eyes widely , as if in amazement at her husband 's tone .

" i don't understand you , " she said .

" our position is perfectly logical . "

she had borrowed that phrase from myra wilson , and it floored the elder .

he got up , seized his hat , and strode from the room .

that night , at jacob wherrison 's store at the corner , the putney men talked over the new development .

the social was certainly off for a time , anyway .

" best let ' em alone , i say , " said wherrison .

" they 're mad at us now and doing this to pay us out .

but they 'll cool down later on and we 'll have the social all right . "

" but if they don't , " said andrew mckittrick gloomily , " who is going to pay for that carpet ? "

this was an unpleasant question .

the others shirked it .

" i was always opposed to this action of the session , " said alec craig .

" it wouldn't have hurt to have let the woman speak .

' tisn't as if it was a regular sermon . "

" the session knew best , " said andrew sharply .

" and the minister you 're not going to set your opinion up against his , are you , craig ? "

" didn't know they taught such reverence for ministers in danbridge , " retorted craig with a laugh .

" best let ' em alone , as wherrison says , " said abner keech .

" don't see what else we can do , " said john wilson shortly .

on sunday morning the men were conscious of a bare , deserted appearance in the church .

mr sinclair perceived it himself .

after some inward wondering he concluded that it was because there were no flowers anywhere .

the table before the pulpit was bare .

on the organ a vase held a sorry , faded bouquet left over from the previous week .

the floor was ' unswept .

dust lay thickly on the pulpit bible , the choir chairs , and the pew backs .

" what in the name of common sense is the good of your flower banders if you can't keep the place looking decent ? "

" there is no flower band now , father , " whispered polly in turn .

" we 've disbanded .

women haven't any business to meddle in church matters .

you know the session said so . "

it was well for polly that she was too big to have her ears boxed .

even so , it might not have saved her if they had been anywhere else than in church .

where were the sopranos and the altos ?

myra wilson and alethea craig and several other members of the choir were sitting down in their pews with perfectly unconscious faces .

myra was looking out of the window into the tangled sunlight and shadow of the great maples .

alethea craig was reading her bible .

presently frances spenslow came in .

eben craig , who was the putney singing master and felt himself responsible for the choir , fidgeted uneasily .

aren't you going to take the organ ? "

frances looked up calmly .

her clear , placid voice was audible not only to those in the nearby pews , but to the minister .

" no , mr craig .

you know if a woman isn't fit to speak in the church she can't be fit to sing in it either . "

eben craig looked exceedingly foolish .

he tiptoed gingerly back to his place .

the minister , with an unusual flush on his thin , ascetic face , rose suddenly and gave out the opening hymn .

nobody who heard the singing in putney church that day ever forgot it .

untrained basses and tenors , unrelieved by a single female voice , are not inspiring .

there were no announcements of society meetings for the forthcoming week .

on the way home from church that day irate husbands and fathers scolded , argued , or pleaded , according to their several dispositions .

sunday school that afternoon was a harrowing failure .

out of all the corps of teachers only one was a man , and he alone was at his post .

in the christian endeavour meeting on tuesday night the feminine element sat dumb and unresponsive .

the putney women never did things by halves .

the men held out for two weeks .

at the end of that time they " happened " to meet at the manse and talked the matter over with the harassed minister .

elder knox said gloomily , " it 's this way .

nothing can move them women .

i know , for i 've tried .

my authority has been set at naught in my own household .

and i 'm laughed at if i show my face in any of the other settlements . "

the sunday school superintendent said the sunday school was going to wrack and ruin , also the christian endeavour .

the condition of the church for dust was something scandalous , and strangers were making a mockery of the singing .

and the carpet had to be paid for .

he supposed they would have to let the women have their own way .

the next sunday evening after service mr sinclair arose hesitatingly .

his face was flushed , and alethea craig always declared that he looked " just plain everyday cross . "

he announced briefly that the session after due deliberation had concluded that mrs cotterell might occupy the pulpit on the evening appointed for her address .

the women all over the church smiled broadly .

frances spenslow got up and went to the organ stool .

the singing in the last hymn was good and hearty .

going down the steps after dismissal mrs elder knox caught the secretary of the church aid by the arm .

" i guess , " she whispered anxiously , " you 'd better call a special meeting of the aids at my house tomorrow afternoon .

if we 're to get that social over before haying begins we 've got to do some smart scurrying . "

the strike in the putney church was over .

the unhappiness of miss farquhar

frances farquhar was a beauty and was sometimes called a society butterfly by people who didn't know very much about it .

her father was wealthy and her mother came of an extremely blue-blooded family .

frances had been out for three years , and was a social favourite .

consequently , it may be wondered why she was unhappy .

in plain english , frances farquhar had been jilted just a commonplace , everyday jilting !

everybody in her set knew of her engagement , and all her girl friends envied her , for holcomb was a matrimonial catch .

then the crash came .

the simple truth was that holcomb was fickle and had fallen in love with another girl .

he got his freedom and he married maud carroll in six months ' time .

mr farquhar stormed , and ned swore , and della lamented her vanished role of bridemaid .

as for mrs farquhar , she cried and said it would ruin frances 's future prospects .

the girl herself took no part in the family indignation meetings .

but she believed that her heart was broken .

her love and her pride had suffered equally , and the effect seemed disastrous .

after a while the farquhars calmed down and devoted themselves to the task of cheering frances up .

this they did not accomplish .

when the summer came frances asserted herself .

the farquhars went to green harbour every summer .

but this time frances said she would not go , and stuck to it .

the whole family took turns coaxing her and had nothing to show for their pains .

" i 'm going up to windy meadows to stay with aunt eleanor while you are at the harbour , " she declared .

" she has invited me often enough . "

ned whistled .

" jolly time you 'll have of it , sis .

windy meadows is about as festive as a funeral .

and aunt eleanor isn't lively , to put it in the mildest possible way . "

" i don't care if she isn't .

i want to get somewhere where people won't look at me and talk about that , " said frances , looking ready to cry .

ned went out and swore at holcomb again , and then advised his mother to humour frances .

accordingly , frances went to windy meadows .

windy meadows was , as ned had said , the reverse of lively .

she left frances in peace .

she knew that her niece had had " some love trouble or other , " and hadn't gotten over it rightly .

" she 'll get over it in time though she doesn't think so now , bless you . "

for the first fortnight frances revelled in a luxury of unhindered sorrow .

she could mope in her room all she liked .

and there were no men who demanded civility .

when the fortnight was over , aunt eleanor took crafty counsel with herself .

the letting-alone policy was all very well , but it would not do to have the girl die on her hands .

frances was getting paler and thinner every day and she was spoiling her eyelashes by crying .

i promised her last week that i would , but i 've never had time yet .

and today is baking and churning day .

it 's a shame .

poor corona ! "

" she is our minister 's sister .

she has been ill with rheumatic fever .

she is better now , but doesn't seem to get strong very fast .

she ought to go out more , but she isn't able to walk .

i really must try and get around tomorrow .

she keeps house for her brother at the manse .

he isn't married , you know . "

frances didn't know , nor did she in the least degree care .

but even the luxury of unlimited grief palls , and frances was beginning to feel this vaguely .

she offered to go and take miss sherwood out driving .

" i 've never seen her , " she said , " but i suppose that doesn't matter .

i can drive grey tom in the phaeton , if you like . "

it was just what aunt eleanor intended , and she saw frances drive off that afternoon with a great deal of satisfaction .

the manse is the fourth house after you turn the third corner . "

frances kept count of the corners and the houses and found the manse .

corona sherwood herself came to the door .

her eyes brightened with delight when frances told her errand .

" how good of you and miss eleanor !

" where shall we go ? " asked frances when they started .

" i don't know much about this locality . "

" can we drive to the cove first ?

i want to see poor little jacky hart .

he has been so sick "

" aunt eleanor positively forbade that , " said frances dubiously .

" will it be safe to disobey her ? "

corona laughed .

" miss eleanor blames my poor shore people for making me sick at first , but it was really not that at all .

and i want to see jacky hart so much .

he has been ill for some time with some disease of the spine and he is worse lately .

i 'm sure miss eleanor won't mind my calling just to see him . "

jacky hart 's home proved to be a tiny little place overflowing with children .

she spoke of jacky with the apathy of hopelessness .

the doctor said he would not last much longer .

she told all her troubles unreservedly to corona in her monotonous voice .

her " man " was drinking again and the mackerel catch was poor .

when mrs hart asked corona to go in and see jacky , frances went too .

the air was hot and heavy .

mrs hart stood at the foot of the bed with her tragic face .

" we have to set up nights with him now , " she said .

" it 's awful hard on me and my man .

the neighbours are kind enough and come sometimes , but most of them have enough to do .

his medicine has to be given every half hour .

i 've been up for three nights running now .

jabez was off to the tavern for two .

i 'm just about played out . "

she suddenly broke down and began to cry , or rather whimper , in a heart-broken way .

corona looked troubled .

" i wish i could come tonight , mrs hart , but i 'm afraid i 'm really not strong enough yet . "

i 'll come and sit up with jacky tonight if you care to have me . "

afterwards , when she and corona were driving away , she wondered a good deal at herself .

he was in his shirt sleeves and wore a big straw hat , and seemed in nowise disconcerted thereby .

corona introduced him , and he took grey tom away and put him in the barn .

then he went back to his sweet peas .

he had had his tea , he said , so that frances did not see him again until she went home .

she thought he was a very indifferent young man , and not half so nice as his sister .

jacky greeted her with a wonderful smile , and later on she found herself watching alone by his bed .

afterwards a silence fell , through which the lap of the waves on the sands and the far-off moan of the atlantic surges came sonorously .

jacky was restless and wakeful , but did not suffer , and liked to talk .

frances listened to him with a new-born power of sympathy , which she thought she must have caught from corona .

the pitiful little sentences made frances 's heart ache .

the maternal instinct of the true woman awoke in her .

she took a sudden liking to the child .

he was a spiritual little creature , and his sufferings had made him old and wise .

once in the night he told frances that he thought the angels must look like her .

" you are so sweet pretty , " he said gravely .

" i never saw anyone so pretty , not even miss c'rona .

it was a woman with a li'l baby in her arms and a kind of rim round her head .

i would like something most awful much . "

" what is it , dear ? " said frances gently .

" if i can get or do it for you , i will . "

" you could , " he said wistfully , " but maybe you won't want to .

but i do wish you 'd come here just once every day and sit here five minutes and let me look at you just that .

will it be too much trouble ? "

frances stooped and kissed him .

" i will come every day , jacky , " she said ; and a look of ineffable content came over the thin little face .

he put up his hand and touched her cheek .

" i knew you were good as good as miss c'rona , and she is an angel .

i love you . "

when morning came frances went home .

it was raining , and the sea was hidden in mist .

as she walked along the wet road , elliott sherwood came splashing along in a little two-wheeled gig and picked her up .

not that she knew much about ministers .

he tucked the wet , slippery rubber apron of his conveyance about her and then proceeded to ask questions .

jacky hart 's case had to be reported on , and then mr sherwood took out a notebook and looked over its entries intently .

" do you want any more work of that sort to do ? " he asked her abruptly .

frances felt faintly amused .

his indifference piqued frances a little in spite of her murdered heart .

" tracts are a mild dissipation of aunt clorinda 's , " he said .

" she fairly revels in them .

she is half blind and has missed corona very much . "

frances , in some dismay , found herself pledged to help in all directions , and then ways and means had to be discussed .

frances went through the rain that afternoon and read tracts to aunt clorinda .

she was so dreadfully tired that night that she forgot to cry , and slept well and soundly .

in the morning she went to church for the first time since coming to windy meadows .

later on aunt eleanor told her it was for his health .

" he was not strong when he left college , so he came here .

but he is as well as ever now , and i expect he will soon be gobbled up by some of your city churches .

he preached in castle street church last winter , and i believe they were delighted with him . "

this was all of a month later .

during that time frances thought that she must have been re-created , so far was her old self left behind .

she seldom had an idle moment ; when she had , she spent it with corona .

the two girls had become close friends , loving each other with the intensity of exceptional and somewhat exclusive natures .

incidentally , frances had come to know the young minister , with his lofty ideals and earnest efforts , very well .

he had got into a ridiculous habit of going to her her , frances farquhar ! for advice in many perplexities .

just as long as that girl brooded over her own worries and didn't think of anyone but herself she was miserable .

one night frances told corona all about holcomb .

elliott sherwood was away , and frances had gone up to stay all night with corona at the manse .

they were sitting in the moonlit gloom of corona 's room , and frances felt confidential .

she had expected to feel badly and cry a little while she told it .

but she did not , and before she was half through , it did not seem as if it were worth telling after all .

corona was deeply sympathetic .

she did not say a great deal , but what she did say put frances on better terms with herself .

" oh , i shall get over it , " the latter declared finally .

" once i thought i never would but the truth is , i 'm getting over it now .

i 'm very glad but i 'm horribly ashamed , too , to find myself so fickle . "

you only imagined you did .

and he was not worthy of you .

you are so good , dear ; those shore people just worship you .

elliott says you can do anything you like with them . "

frances laughed and said she was not at all good .

yet she was pleased .

" nonsense ! " said frances by way of answer .

" it is not nonsense at all .

you must know you are very lovely , frances .

elliott says you are the most beautiful girl he has ever seen . "

the summer went very quickly .

one day jacky hart died drifted out with the ebb tide , holding frances 's hand .

she had loved the patient , sweet-souled little creature and missed him greatly .

when the time to go home came frances felt dull .

she hated to leave windy meadows and corona and her dear shore people and aunt eleanor and and well , margaret ann peabody .

elliott sherwood came up the night before she went away .

elliott sherwood had been absent from windy meadows for several days .

there was a subdued jubilance in his manner .

" you think i have come to say good-bye , but i haven't , " he told her .

" i shall see you again very soon , i hope .

i have just received a call to castle street church , and it is my intention to accept .

so corona and i will be in town this winter . "

frances tried to tell him how glad she was , but only stammered .

elliott sherwood came close up to her as she stood by the window in the fading light , and said

but on second thoughts i shall not record what he said or what she said either .

some things should be left to the imagination .

why mr . cropper changed his mind

she was a slight , dark girl , rather plain-looking , but with a smart , energetic way .

mr baxter approved of her ; he " liked her style , " as he would have said .

the summer term had just opened in the maitland district .

she smiled brightly at mr baxter .

" very well for a beginning .

the children seem bright and teachable and not hard to control . "

mr baxter nodded .

" there are no bad children in the school except the cropper boys and they can be good enough if they like .

reckon they weren't there today ? "

" no . "

forewarned is forearmed , you know .

mr cropper was opposed to our hiring you .

he says female teachers can't keep order .

he 's started in with a spite at you on general principles , and the boys know it .

they know he 'll back them up in secret , no matter what they do , just to prove his opinions .

cropper is sly and slippery , and it is hard to corner him . "

" are the boys big ? " queried esther anxiously .

" yes .

thirteen and fourteen and big for their age .

you can't whip ' em that is the trouble .

a man might , but they 'd twist you around their fingers .

you 'll have your hands full , i 'm afraid .

but maybe they 'll behave all right after all . "

mr baxter privately had no hope that they would , but esther hoped for the best .

she could not believe that mr cropper would carry his prejudices into a personal application .

this conviction was strengthened when he overtook her walking from school the next day and drove her home .

he was a big , handsome man with a very suave , polite manner .

esther felt relieved .

she thought that mr baxter had exaggerated matters a little .

" that plum tree of mrs charley 's is loaded with fruit again this year , " remarked mr baxter at the tea table that evening .

" i came past it today on my way ' cross lots home from the woods .

there will be bushels of plums on it . "

" i don't suppose poor mrs charley will get one of them any more than she ever has , " said mrs baxter indignantly .

" it 's a burning shame , that 's what it is !

i just wish she could catch the croppers once . "

" i know very well it is them , " retorted mrs baxter , " and so do you , adoniram .

and mrs charley knows it too , although she can't prove it more 's the pity !

i don't say isaac cropper steals those plums with his own hands .

but he knows who does and the plums go into mehitable cropper 's preserving kettle ; there 's nothing surer . "

" you see , miss maxwell , it 's this way , " explained mr baxter , turning to esther .

" mrs charley cropper 's husband was isaac 's brother .

they never got on well together , and when charley died there was a tremendous fuss about the property .

isaac acted mean and scandalous clear through , and public opinion has been down on him ever since .

but mrs charley is a pretty smart woman , and he didn't get the better of her in everything .

there was a strip of disputed land between the two farms , and she secured it .

there 's a big plum tree growing on it close to the line fence .

it 's the finest one in maitland .

but mrs charley never gets a plum from it . "

" but what becomes of them ? " asked esther .

" they disappear , " said mr baxter , with a significant nod .

" when the plums are anything like ripe mrs charley discovers some day that there isn't one left on the tree .

she has never been able to get a scrap of proof as to who took them , or she 'd make it hot for them .

but nobody in maitland has any doubt in his own mind that isaac cropper knows where those plums go . "

" i don't think mr cropper would steal , " protested esther .

" well , he doesn't consider it stealing , you know .

he claims the land and says the plums are his .

i don't doubt that he is quite clear in his own mind that they are .

and he does hate mrs charley .

i 'd give considerable to see the old sinner fairly caught , but he is too deep . "

" i think mr baxter is too hard on mr cropper , " said esther to herself later on .

" he has probably some private prejudice against him . "

but a month later she had changed her opinion .

during that time the cropper boys had come to school .

at first esther had been inclined to like them .

they were handsome lads , with the same smooth way that characterized their father , and seemed bright and intelligent .

for a few days all went well , and esther felt decidedly relieved .

but before long a subtle spirit of insubordination began to make itself felt in the school .

esther found herself powerless to cope with it .

the croppers never openly defied her , but they did precisely as they pleased .

some complaints were heard among the ratepayers and even mr baxter looked dubious .

one day she resolved to go to mr cropper himself and appeal to his sense of justice , if he had any .

it had been an especially hard day in school .

when questioned every pupil denied having done or helped to do it .

but she did not .

instead she set her mouth firmly , helped the children restore the room to order , and after school went up to isaac cropper 's house .

that gentleman himself came in from the harvest field looking as courtly as usual , even in his rough working clothes .

he shook hands heartily , told her he was glad to see her , and began talking about the weather .

" i have come up to see you about alfred and robert , mr cropper , " she said .

" they are not behaving well in school . "

" indeed ! "

mr cropper 's voice expressed bland surprise .

" that is strange .

as a rule i do not think alfred and robert have been troublesome to their teachers .

what have they been doing now ? "

" they refuse to obey my orders , " said esther faintly .

" ah , well , miss maxwell , perhaps you will pardon my saying that a teacher should be able to enforce her orders .

my boys are high-spirited fellows and need a strong , firm hand to restrain them .

i have always said i considered it advisable to employ a male teacher in maitland school .

we should have better order .

not that i disapprove of you personally far from it .

i should be glad to see you succeed .

but i have heard many complaints regarding the order in school at present . "

" then you refuse to help me ? " said esther in a trembling voice .

" why , my dear young lady , what can i do ?

boys soon know when they can disobey a teacher with impunity .

no doubt you will be able to secure a school easier to control and will do good work .

but here , as i have already said , we need a firm hand at the helm .

but you are not going yet , miss maxwell ?

you need some refreshment after your long walk .

mrs cropper will bring you in something . "

" no , thank you , " said poor esther .

she felt that she must get away at once or she would burst into heartsick tears under those steely , bland blue eyes .

when she got home she shut herself up in her room and cried .

there was nothing for her to do but resign , she thought dismally .

on the following saturday esther went for an afternoon walk , carrying her kodak with her .

it was a brilliantly fine autumn day , and woods and fields were basking in a mellow haze .

esther went across lots to mrs charley cropper 's house , intending to make a call .

but the house was locked up and evidently deserted , so she rambled past it to the back fields .

passing through a grove of maples she came out among leafy young saplings on the other side .

just beyond her , with its laden boughs hanging over the line fence , was the famous plum tree .

esther looked at it for a moment .

then an odd smile gleamed over her face and she lifted her kodak .

monday evening esther called on mr cropper again .

after the preliminary remarks in which he indulged , she said , with seeming irrelevance , that saturday had been a fine day .

" there was an excellent light for snapshots , " she went on coolly .

" i went out with my kodak and was lucky enough to get a good negative .

i have brought you up a proof .

i thought you would be interested in it . "

she rose and placed the proof on the table before mr cropper .

the plum tree came out clearly .

bob and alf cropper were up among the boughs picking the plums .

on the ground beneath them stood their father with a basket of fruit in his hand .

mr cropper looked at the proof and from it to esther .

his eyes had lost their unconcerned glitter , but his voice was defiant .

" the plums are mine by right , " he said .

" perhaps , " said esther calmly , " but there are some who do not think so .

mrs charley , for instance she would like to see this proof , i think . "

" don't show it to her , " cried mr cropper hastily .

" i tell you , miss maxwell , the plums are mine .

but i am tired of fighting over them and i had decided before this that i 'd let her have them after this .

it 's only a trifle , anyhow .

and about that little matter we were discussing the other night , miss maxwell .

i have been thinking it over , and i admit i was somewhat unreasonable .

i 'll talk to alfred and robert and see what i can do . "

" very well , " said esther quietly .

as for the school , we will hope that matters will improve . "

" you 'll leave the proof with me , won't you ? " said mr cropper eagerly .

" oh , certainly , " said esther , smiling .

" i have the negative still , you know . "

complaint died away , and at the end of the term esther was re-engaged .

" you seem to have won old cropper over to your side entirely , " mr baxter told her that night .

" he said at the meeting today that you were the best teacher we had ever had and moved to raise your salary .

i never knew isaac cropper to change his opinions so handsomely . "

esther smiled .

she knew it had taken a powerful lever to change mr cropper 's opinion , but she kept her own counsel .

end of the project gutenberg ebook of lucy maud montgomery short stories , @number@ to @number@ by lucy maud montgomery