| Show S ta H IAL R STORY V now ONE W A by JENNETTE LRE by A WEIL copyright 1908 b by byj J B L co all righta ta reserved C 3 rv SYNOPSIS richard Derr dereng ng returning from a winter winfer in the woods to his mothers farm home Is overt overtaken alcon by his uncle accompanied by his eccentric wife coming to pay a visit at the farm aunt Jerus has questions about emily hutton supposed to be Der berrings derrings rings sweetheart reveal the fact act that she alsto Is to marry another disappointment stimulates Der berrings derrings rings ambition and under the advice of soth seth kinney a hermit of the woods lie resolves to fit himself for college kinney teaches him greek ank ami lie he passes his entrance examinations triumphantly winning the approval of the professor four years in college obliterates the memory of emily derring begins journalistic work in chicago where he meets helen gordon an artist berring is promoted to art critic on his paper helen refuses to marry him and hamper both their careers but they enter them into a companionship compact helen elen suffers III effects from sketching on the lake shore in january illness brings her into ato closer relationship with rl richard ichard CHAPTER XIII ant continued f the good dutchwoman Dutch woman appeared bearing h a large bottle of ammonia bhe figured in derrings berrings Der rings eyes as a ministering angel and the bottle as a heaven sent chalice but it brought tears to helens eyes and she pushed it away with the assurance half laugh ing half tearful that she should be all right fight in a minute I 1 derring lifted her to an improvised couch and she lay with eyes like stars looking about the little room he held one of the hands in his and chafed chafee it gently now nov and then under the pretence predence pre tence that it was still cold her brown hair had escaped from froin its fastening and was pushed carelessly back against the dark covering oi oi the couch it formed a halo about her face derring had always fancied that k the madonna might have been at home in such a room as this it was a holbein face the olli woman had lighted the fw vy tl candles candies on the low table and was ai spreading the table for dupier supper she entertained tier her guests by leaving tia them free the two candles gave out abdull a dull glow and completed the effect f ty of an old dutch interior f 4 helen and derring exchanged at glances of appreciation 4 4 jl t s think of finding it within five i I 1 e A f miles of washington street I 1 am going w to sketch it some day she has Y promised to sit for me and it will be nice and warm she shivered a little derring suddenly hold held fast in both his hs hands the one he had been idly c A stroking you must never do such a foolhardy thing again not even for a success but I 1 am glad I 1 did it it Is a success 0 her eyes rested lovingly on the sketch on the floor by the wall dy she was still looking at it when he left the house to telephone for a carf ariage dut but when he returned half an u ey A 11 hour later she was seated at the table laughing and talking with her hostess she declared she had never felt better in her life and she started X a out bravely to walk to alib carriage ft which could not drive down to the C beach but was waiting on the road F above before they had gone half the r distance she found that she was very s tirl with a alah of relief she san aana 1 V i f i t back in the corner of the carriage as the door was sla slammed mined after them derring reached over promptly and drew her to him placing her head against his shoulder and holding her close to protect her from the jar of the carriage rest here he said quietly as she made a half protest 1 I should care for my mother or a sister why not you dear one she did not protest again but yielded to the protecting arms like a child he watched her face as they whirled into the light of the street lamps alii and out again into the shadow it was still pale but full of content they flew through the park and down the long avenue beyond never were two miles traversed so quickly not a word was spoken it was as if the time were too precious for once she raised her face with a contented sigh and breathed his name softly more as if to herself than to him As for derring he dared not realize his happiness underneath its pulsing was a half superstition rate fate would not allow a man to be so happy but she had been given back to him from the dead she rested close to him that could not bo be taken from him he held her closer bloser defying hn an unseen fate CHAPTER XIV the winter continued cold and blustering helen sketched no more out of doors but she did the interior of the dutch house and both sketches were sold on tho the opening day of the spring exhibition whenever derring chided her for careless disregard of her health she would meekly call his attention to this very pleasant and tangible result of the north shore expedition tion derring gradually became conscious of another nother ci result less palpable but no less real since their first acquaintance lie he had known that her presence had a marked effect on oil him ahlm soothing and quieting him if he were tired and quickening his fancy and imagination if he were in good spirits he was always conscious of her presen presence ep in a room even before his eyes had bad testified it soon ho he became aware that a new and more subtle communication lad had been established between them L Z 06 often he read these articles to her as she sat at work he continued to feel an added sense of well being in her presence but he be discovered that this power of her personality had escaped the bonds of space and that wherever she might be his spirit was conscious of her the first sign of this was a vague restlessness and foreboding which came to him now and then without apparent cause since she was always in his mind it did not occur to him as strange that his thoughts of her should take a gloomy turn when this humor was on him nor did he guess the secret of the strange mood till a day when the feeling became too strong to be resisted and ho he sought bought her J in n t the he s stu tu dlo dio he found her sitting on the top of a tall stepladder step ladder a comical picture of despair her face brightened as he app appeared eared in the doorway oh I 1 am coglad so glad do you suppose you can get me down of course come on pie he hold held out his hands 1 I cant I 1 have sprained my foot it was silly to fo try to liang hang a heavy picture on this rickety old thing I 1 never dreamed I 1 should slip though it hurts so that I 1 cant bear my weight oh she lifted it carefully and the ladder shakes so I 1 dont dare hop down I 1 am sure I 1 hope you have sense enough to know what to do 1 I ho he lifted her carefully from her insecure seat and placed her on the very hard divan that ran the length of the room you have to spend most of your time rescuing me dont you she a said laughing how did you happen to come over so early I 1 had made up my mind to sit there till six 0 clock tom has to come for some pictures then I low ilow had he happened to come tn in a hash flash he saw it all and told her she laughed a little at the explanation but he recalled to her other times when he had unconsciously been warned of her danger or discomfort they discussed the situation with analytic appreciation at least it not true it was interesting A few experiments convinced them that it was true as well as interesting it was evidently an uncertain communication mun muni cation leation however several times he yielded to the feeling of disquiet and sought her out he be found her working serenely unconscious of danger and ready read to laugh at his fears moreover it was a one sided communication ni helen as he reproachfully pointed out to her was never conscious of danger to him while he had a headache if she so much as scratched her little finger but although derring jested lit he rejoiced in this new power it deepened their relation he might be disquieted without without cause caused but at least no harm would come to her without his knowing it but as the spring came on a new dread assailed him soon it would be summer she would go hame for the vacation would this power extend over the thousand miles and would he have as now the pros lence ence of danger without the power to go to her he grew to dread the summer but it was destined that he should be the first to go away early in april a letter came from his mother seth kinney was very ill and asked continually for him As he packed his traveling bag and prepared to go he was conscious of mixed motives he was fond of seth he would have gone to him in any case but with a little sense of shame he found himself thinking that the trip would give him a chance to test the co communication minuet cation he would be gohe ohe only a few days nothing could happen but at least he should know what lie he had to expect during the long weeks of vacation so anxious was lie ho to make the experiment that he almost forgot the dread of separation be as happy as you can for my sake he said laughingly as they parted dont run any more mo re risks than you can help the morning train was full of the hum of life people seemed to be letting off superabundant vitality behind derring dening den ing a child was humming contentedly to herself her mother was talking in a loud voice to a man across the aisle you have to look after the seed praise the lord if we dont gather a sheaf in this life its no matter farther to the front of the car two business men were talking As the day wore on each person in the car assumed for derring a distinct individuality the sense of isolation deepened ile he entered into conversation with no one but sat idly listen I 1 ing n g lo 10 0 t tho a 11 flow ow 0 at f tal talk k at times he watched the R landscape along the margin of eacho giltne stream the willows grew in the sunshine across the plain 94 Q mass of low crimson marked cherol the sap crept up at the touch of spring As they approached the woodsy the crimson faded to a soft fea feathery theryll gray then they were among tha trees themselves and the sunshine 0 slanting across the great trunks hung caught in tangled underbrush or rested restad ed lightly on some tuft of moss or dark shining pool derring was waa impressed with the incongruity con goulty of it all his solitude in teo 4 Z to As he packed his traveling bag and prepared to go he was conscious of mixed motives midst of the t h a life lifes that pressed so close about him the hum of busy talk and the shriek of the engine deep in the woods where one never goes except alone or with some congenial with one glance he caught the frest fresen ness of the spring and wit with h the next the commonplace f face ace and strip fidi trousers of the passenger across the aisle his thoughts went to helen and their love to the happiness of the tha past year and the days that were before them the car and its occupy occupants its faded from sight he brooded blooded on tho the beauty and mystery of their relation the for foreboding a boding of danger the necessary accompaniment of loyo lova great happiness deep suffering sunlight and shade the capability of sin in man at once the mark of the beast beas and the promise of a divinity within him he had drifted far into metaphysical speculation before he reach ed ad the new E england hills but whatever foreboding the future might hold for him he no longer dreaded ita power he saw deep into its nature he who loves much will suffer much TO BE CONTINUED |
