Further Chronicles of Avonlea

o the gathering of the shadows with the expectant immovability that characterized her. She never twitched or

that window sometimes, with no more motion than a statue and her great eyes burning down the lane. When I read the commandment, 'Thou shalt have n

er to lose no time. Thyra's hands were folded idly in her lap. She had not mo

"Sometimes the thought comes to me, 'what if she's had a stroke

r, below the Carewe homestead, was livid. Beyond it, the sea was dark and brooding. It was an evening to make most people shiver and forebode an early winter; but Thyra loved it, as she lov

de through the sandy hollows and over the windy hills, in the harsh, cold light of that forbidding sunset, strong and handsome in his comely youth, with her own deeply cleft chin and his father's dark gray, straightforward eyes. No other woman in Avonlea had a son like hers-her only one. In his brief absences she y

o intention of letting him in. She said she had always disliked dogs, but the truth, although she would not glance at it, was that she hated the animal because Chester loved him. She could not sh

n despair of out-watching Thyra, and had lighted a lamp. Lively shadows of little girl-shapes passed and repassed on the pale oblong of light. They made Thyra conscious of

great haste, for she did not like him. He was a gossip and Th

ce. She did not mean to ask August in, but he pushed past her cheerfully, not waiting to be invited. He was a midget of a m

said that he made more mischief in Avonlea in a day than was made otherwise in a year, but people tolerated him by reason of his infirmity. To be sure, it was the tolerance they gave to inferior creatures, and August felt this. Perhaps it accounted for a good deal of his malignity. He hated most those who were kindest to him, and, of these, Thyra Carewe abo

rithe presently, this woman who looked down upon him as some

pening he desired. "He went to the harbor after tea to see Joe Raymond about the loa

other in their lives. A girl-a pretty girl, Thyra. It pleases me to lo

alking about?" sai

looking more than his tongue says, too, of that you may be sure. Well, well, we we

ou mean?"

ased him. Also, her eyes were worth looking at, if you liked to hurt people-and that was the only pleasure August took in life. He would drink this delightful cup of revenge for her

know well en

of my son and Damaris-was that the name?-Damaris Garland as if

end of time, and there's no harm in Chester's liking to look at a lass, eh, now? Or in talking to her either? The litt

ked you what you mean, and I want a straight answer. Is Chester down a

t it would not be wise to

ws so. I thought you knew. It's no secret that Chester has been going after Damaris ever since she came here. But what then? You can't tie him to your apron strings forever, woman. He'll be fin

s speech. She heard the rest of it immovably. When it came to an

tell, and gloated over it, and n

an, but she interrup

ng my mail here any longer. I want no more

the door he turned

onder I thought you knew what all the settlement can see. But you're such a jealous, odd body, I suppose the boy hid it from you for fear you

o wild tears. Her very soul ached. She wept as tempestuously and unreasoningly as youth weeps, although she was not young. It seemed as if she was afraid to s

would not believe it possible that he should love any one but herself, who loved him so much. And now

let them go, after enjoying their sweetest years. Thyra's late-come motherhood was all the more intense and passionate because of its very lateness. She had been very

m back again with a last benediction. To Thyra that moment had something of a sacrament in it. It was as if

had been sixty when he had married her, Thyra Lincoln, likewise well on in life. Few of the Lincolns or Car

r uncle and aunt after the death of her mother. Thyra had met her on the bridge one day a month previously. Yes, a man might think she was pretty-a low-browed girl, with a wave

olent quality in her beauty, as if it flaunted itself somewhat too defiantly in the beholder's

doubt that she loved him. The thought was more bitter than death to Thyra. That she should dare! Her anger was all against the girl. She had laid a snare to

ll, to her. She would leave me no place in his heart at all-me, his mother, who almost died to give him life. He belo

ders by the river rustled eerily as she walked by them and out upon the bridge. Here she paced up and down, peering with troubled eyes along the road beyond, or leaning over the rail, looking at th

I thought it was old, crazy May Blair. What do you sup

o doubt," said Cynthi

Blairs'. I do wonder

maris. I've never dar

to fly at me, tooth

e'll be a hard frost. It's a pity she can't get it grained into her that the boy is grown up and must have his fling like the other lads. She'll g

e's like no other woman in Avonlea-or out of it. I'd as soon meddle with a tiger as her, if she's rampaging about

o, and he still liked her in a friendly fashion. He always stood up for her when the Avonlea women ran her down. He fel

hester had the milder face. He was very handsome. Even in the seething of her pain and jealousy Thyra yearned over his beauty. She

from the harbor," he answered, trying to

o see Damaris?" she

young man in Avonlea, who had been paying a friendly call, would be met by his mother at midnight and held up in such tragic fashion to account for himself. He tried vainly to loosen her hold upon his arm, but h

he said

er with a sharp cry. There was a savage note in it.

in out of the cold. It isn't fit for you to be here. Who ha

or you-alone-and you were thinking only o

uttered something and tried to pass on, but she ca

It wouldn't be such a d

cried Thyra. "What

t love you any the less becau

r love-all! What's that baby-face to you, compared to your

d to set the matter aside until she might be more reasonable. But Thyra would not

u'll not go there a

that you'll

such a thing,"

orse than a blow, bu

gaged to her?"

l hear you. Why do you object to Damaris? You

yra furiously. "And she shall not

e suddenly broke into

, he stopped and put

, indeed, you are unreasonable. Didn't you ever think the t

o go to see her again. I won't go into the house this night until you do. I'll st

u're making it hard for me. Come in, come in! Y

ee that girl any more, and there's nothing I won't do for you.

s frenzy of hers what might she not do? She came of a strange breed, as had been said disapprovingly when Luke Carewe married her. There was a strain of insanity in the Linco

all this! Let us wait until to-morrow, and talk it ove

ack into a moon-lit space. Looking at him tragically,

hoose her, I shall go from you to-nig

the

he reiterat

isobeyed her. Besides, with it all, he loved her more deeply and understandingly than most sons love their moth

way," he sa

e was half laughing, half crying. All was well again-all would be well; she n

d have sent me to my death if you had cho

in the letter, it was beyond his power to keep it in the spirit. She had taken him from Damaris Garland; but she had not won him back to herself. He could never be wholly her son again. There was a barrier between them which not all her passionate love could break down. Chester was gravely kind to her, for it wa

hate me yet, I fear, because it's I who made him give her up. But I'd r

that when she met her. But this pleased Thyra. It eased the ache

are time at the harbor, consorting with Joe Raymond and others of th

own the coast in the latter's boat. Thyra protes

he sea, and was afraid of it at any time; but, most of al

ess and break off his associations with the harbor fishermen, who liked to lure the high

scan the dour, unsmiling sky. Carl White, dropping in to pay a call, was alarmed when he he

aymond. He'll drown himself some day, there's nothing surer. This mad freak of starting off down the shore

ughed when I spoke of danger. Oh, he's changed from what he w

the sudden coldness between Chester Carewe and Damaris Garland, about which Avonlea

d be. You must just let me take an old friend's privilege, and tell you that

for she knew that Carl's sonlessness was a rankling thorn in his mind. "You don't know w

he went home, still shrugging his shoulders, and thinking that it was a good thing Thyra h

ed anxiously to sea

land listened to the

ky northeast with a

ngshoremen shook thei

better have kept

said Abel Blair. He was an old man and, in his

f. The wind screamed like a ravening beast at her window. All night she wandered to and fro in the house, going from room to room, now w

stern sky was a great arc of crystal, smitten through with auroral crimsonings. Thyra, looking from her kitchen window, sa

of these who saw her white, rigid

ews for me,

, each man mutely implori

d Thyra calmly. "I know what you ha

Mrs. Carewe," said Ab

st to tell you-ther

und last night, stran

hore, forty miles

arl White pityingly. "They may have e

d at him wi

u has any hope. I have no son. The sea

home. None dared to follow her. Carl Whit

s lay, palms upward, on her lap. Her eyes were dry and burnin

Do you remember? Your word was a true one. God saw that I loved Chester too much, and He meant to take him from me. I thwarted one way when I made him give up Damaris. But one can't f

lace soul, she had her share of womanly sympathy, and her own life had not been free from suffering. It taught her the right thing to do now. She sat down by the strick

a child once-my little first-born.

ynthia's embrace. Then she shuddered and cried out. The tears

ut some out of mere curiosity to see how she took it. Thyra knew this, but she did not resent it, as she would once have done. She listened v

he must go home, but would send o

like staying a

oked up

you to send for

lieving her own ears. There was never any knowing what w

t hate me bitterly; but I am punished enough to satisfy e

ome she must see the interview between Thyra and Damaris. Her curiosity would be the last thing to fail Cynthia White. She had done very w

came. Jeanette brought her in amid the fiery glow of a November s

r, escaping from the shawl she had cast around it, gushed forth in warm splendor in the sunset light, and framed her wan face like the aureole of a Madonna. Thyra loo

both loved him-that must be

ce. As their lips met even Cynthia White realized that she had no business th

ed crossly. "Can't you s

cking Damaris in her arms, and crooning

e out of her sight. They talked constantly about Chester; Thyra confessed all her anger and hatred. Damaris had forgiven her; but Thyra could never forgive hers

found some pansies blooming under their tangled leaves. She was picking them for Damaris when she heard a buggy rumble over the bridge and drive up the White lane, hidden from her sight by the alders and firs. A few m

hing happened to Damaris? A glimpse of the girl, se

Thyra!" ga

hyra?" asked Carl, in a tremblin

ildly from one

d dare to call good news to me,

, he is alive-he's safe-he and Joe, both

g herself by Cynthia's shoulder. "My son alive! How

ound for Quebec. But she was damaged by the storm and blown clear out of her course. Had to put into the Magdalens for repairs, and has been there ever since. The cable to the islands was out of order, and no vessels call there this time of year for mai

here is he?" d

thia looked

is blessed minute. Carl brought him home from the harbor, but I wouldn't let

n of the gate. Then she turned, with a

to go to him first. I can atone to

rl came down the stairs Thyra held out her hands with

sea has given him back to us. He is over at Carl White