Pembroke

g in a black lace veil like a Spanish se?orita. The heavily wrought black lace fell over

thom. He scarcely knew that she had never worn the veil before. And Richard Alger, had he known, could never have fathomed the purely feminine motive compounded of pride and shame w

hat veil on for?" whispered her sister, Hannah

sponded Sylvia's muffle

ink you could see to walk. You ain't never worn a veil in yo

ur and a half opposite Richard Alger. To-day they felt weaker than ever, after her encounter with Hannah. Nobody knew the terror Sylvia had of her sister's discovering how she had called in Barnabas Thayer, and in a m

as the first deliberate lie that Sylvia Crane had ever told in her life. She reflected upon it after Charlotte had gone, and reflected also with fierce

her hair-cloth sofa, struck an old chord of her own heart. Charlotte dared not say a word to comfort her directly. She condoled with her for the fifteen-years-old loss of her mother,

self-pity, that Sylvia had not quite so long a life before her, to live alone. Charlotte had nearly reached her own home that night when two figu

rkness. There was a look of secrecy and flight about it which somehow startled Char

it to her mother. Cephas had gone to bed,

at the bedroom door, which was ajar, and motioned Charlotte to close it. Charlotte tiptoed across the room and shut the do

face and neck. She looked at her mother with angry shame. "

it's all over town. She says Rebecca's been stealin' out, an' goin' to walk with him unb

one word of it,"

on account of Ephraim-she don't like to leave him alone, he ain't been quite so well lately-an' Rebecca

Mr. Thay

what was goin' on. 'Tain't very hard to

nd above all her own trouble. It was to her like a note of despair and shame, quite outside her own gamut of life. She could not believe that

the children had been sent out of the room; by girls, blushing beneath each other's eyes as they whispered; by the lounging men in the villa

cy or too little courage to repeat it to Caleb or Deborah. Indeed, it is doubtful if any woman in the vill

t the house. She said to many that Rebecca was miserable, and was incensed that she got so little sympathy in response. Once when Rebecca fainted in meeting, and had to be carried out, she felt in the midst of her alarm a certain triumph. "I guess folks will see now that I ain't be

ts and herbs, and made her drink whether she would or not. She sent her to bed early, and debarred her from the night air. She n

and for Rebecca; she dreamed of him, and built bridal castles for him and her daughter, as she knitted those yards of lace at night, when Rebecca had gone to bed in her little room off the north parlor. When Thomas Payne went west a month after Charlotte Barnard had refused him, she transferred her dreams to some fine stranger w

y. Her mother fairly drove her out at times. Once Rebecca, utterly overcome, sank down in

el better for it afterwards. There ain't no use in givin' up so. I'm goin' to get you a

dress," returned Reb

o an' wash your face an' do up your hair, an' get ready. You can we

o, mother," moaned

ready for the husking-party, and looked at her with

don't look bad, either, if you have had it three winters. I'm goin' to get you a

ism and gone to bed, Deborah sat and knitted, and plan

t-money for the parish taxes an' cuttin' that wood," said she. "I dunno how much that wood-cuttin' come to, an' he won't

e parish taxes and to pay for the wood-cutting. She had to wait until Caleb had sold so

o Bolton, because she would not go herself to Silas Berry's store and trade with William. She could

d have accompanied her, but she would not let him. "I never did think much of men-folks standin' round in stores gawpin' while women-folks was tradin'," s

lly over the white horse's back, a thick green veil tied over her bonnet under her chin,

n the chimney-corner, and Ephraim made a pretence of helping him. "You set down

to be allowed to go out-of-doors, and Caleb would quiet him with one effectual

d now and then at his daughter in the window. He thought she looked very badly, and he had all the time

mon to-day, Rebecca?" he asked

of, any day," replied Rebecca,

was too cold and too windy to snow all the afternoon, but towards night it moderated, and the wind died down. When Mrs. Thayer came home it was s

I went to-day," said she. "I kept the dress un

son lengths of thibet, because Rebecca showed so little interest in it. "You

t of the room for something, Caleb said, anxiously, "I

o what ails her. I'm goin' to have the do

olton, cast a strange glance at his mother-a glance com

g. As soon as the breakfast dishes were put away, Deborah got out the crimson thibet. She had learned th

dress was ready to be tried on. Ephraim and his father wer

mother gave a great start, pushed the girl violently from her, and stood aloof. She did not speak for a few minutes; the clock ticked in the dreadful silence. Rebecca cast on

Rebecca looked; it was like unco

aid her mother, in

her's eyes could not hold her any lon

use," said her mot

ing her, across the kitchen in her quilted petticoat and her crimson thibet waist, her whi

she took the broom from its peg in the corner, went through the icy north parlor, past Rebecca's room, to the front door

the snow off the steps outside, but she never cast a glance up or down the road.

ew gown lay on the bad. She took it out into the kitchen, and folded it carefully with th

y found Deborah sitting at the window knitting a

began teasing his mother to let him crack some nuts, but she silenced him peremptorily. "Set down an' help yo

orah anxiously. He glance

ecca?" he as

" replied

he lai

she a

snow, has she?" Caleb sai

a word. She pursed

t, has sh

," said Deborah; and th

he same dogged silence. Caleb, and even Ephr

his old face was quite pale. He ate his dinner from the force of habit of over seventy ye

would go over to Barney's and consult him. After he pushed his

I don't want it clutterin' up th

jest slip out a

aim, too, settled down beside his father, and fell to shelling corn without being told. He was quite cowed and intim

ve terror, as she moved about, washing and puttin

nd hood from the peg, and drew some old wool socks of Caleb's over her shoes. She went out without s

is shoulder at his father; and the old man also went over to the

d was blowing from the northwest. It drove Deborah along before it, lashing he

t along with no break in her gait. She went into Barney's yard and kn

other?" he said, involuntarily; then his face hardened like hers, and he wa

pright and unyielding, but her face was ghastly, and she drew her breath in

illiam Berry and make him

what do y

r William Berry and ma

the

e this mornin'. I don't know where she is. Go

ey cried out. "You didn't turn Rebecca out of the house in

all on us; if you hadn't acted so I shouldn't have felt as I did about her marryin'. Now you can go

d, and went o

er her retreating figure, struggling sternly with the snow-drifts, meeting the buffet

he went up the hill to the old tavern he could hardly believe that he had understood her rightly. Once he paused and turned, and wa

ed his purchases and was going out. William, who had been waiting upon him, was quite near the door behind the counter. At the farther end of the store

d all his bewilderment gathered itself into a point

a minute. He took up his hat, and came around the c

d the two men went out, and sto

at William, and again the savage impulse se

His lips were quite stiff and whi

know wher

on't, Barney. W

is morning. Mothe

out!" repe

I'll kill you," said Barney, and he lashed

l myself if I don't," William ga

Barney shouted, rushi

owards the barn. Barney followed him, and the two men put the horse between the sha

ime did

me this

am gr

up the turnpike this morning," he said, in a low voice. "She was up in her chamber that looks over the turnpike, and she see somebod

pt and dislike. "About half-past ten," he answered, shortly. Then he turned on his heel and went back to the store. Ros

The two men sprang into the cutter, and the snow flew in thei

n, but the store and barn faced on the new road at its bac

the hill; then turn the corner, and u

fresh snow. Both men kept a sharp lookout at the sides of the road. The sun was out now, and the snow was

ry sob, "My God, she'll freeze i

Maybe it would be bett

id, "God knows it's not to shield myself-I'm past that; but I've begged her all summer

ouldn'

ca, who married against her parents' wishes and hung herself, before her, all the time. Your trouble with Charlotte Barnard brough

rive faster?

rse while he spoke, but now he

seemed to fall upon his wife, if indeed she was not already provided with such a mantle of her own. Everybody spoke slightingly of Mrs. Jim Sloane. The men laughed meaningly when they saw her pass, wrapped in an old plaid shawl, which she wore summer and winter, and which s

they saw the blue flutter of Mrs. Jim Sloane's s

in her shrill voice, and wav

t, and the woman came plunging t

her eyes; she pushed it back with a coquettish gesture; there was a battered

e get here?"

got her into the house. Didn't know but she was done to; but I fixed her up so

woman into the house. Barney looked at the old blue plaid shawl with utter disgust and revulsion. He had

and bade them enter, as if to a f

en-house roof fell in, an' I have to keep 'em in here," she said, and shooed them and shook

ed, "she's gone; she was settin' here in this rockin'-chair

fringes of her shawl flying, and then her voice,

side near the door in a shamed sile

d and patched, and there were glimpses of her sharp white elbows at the sleeves. "Sh

er," he said, hoarsely; but Mrs. Jim Sloane stood su

" said she, "I told her

looked

er you shouldn't," she said, firmly. She smoothed her wild locks down

and Barney looked back at him. Then Barney put on his ha

get the minis

y. "Goin' to get her married right off

the best way to do," he said, ster

assent. "I don't b'lieve you could hire her to come out of that roo

t William, and hesitated a second on the threshold. Mrs. Sloane intercepted the lo

there, bent over, with his elbows on his knees. Mrs. Sloane sat down on the foot of the bed, close to the door of the other room, as

cold day," sh

otioned with his shoulder towards the door of the ot

he fire was smoking over a low, red glow of coals, the chimney-place yawned black before him, the hearth was all strewn with pots and kettles, and the shelf above it was piled high with a vague househ

ange untidiness, as he viewed it through his strained mental state, seemed to have a deeper significance, and

ut now he had, and somehow the untidy pots and kettles on the hearth made it more real. He was conscious as he sat there of very little pity for the girl in the other room, of very little love for her, and also of very little love or pity for himself; he felt

e and Rebecca's in the other room. Otherwise he sat in utter silence, except for the low chuckle of the hens a

wedding. The minister and his wife were both very young, and had not lived long in Pembroke. They looked much alike: the minister's small, pale, peaked face peered with anxious solicitu

along over the new snow. Her heart beat loudly in her ears, her little thin hands were cold in her great muff. She had married very young, out of

e. Her little face, all blue with the sharp cold, shrank, shocked and sober, into the depths of her great hood. She stood behind

ed; they all nodded gravely. Nobody spoke but Mrs. Sloane, vibrating

ern, peremptory tone; then he turned

arty made a motion towards the other room, but

n' I ain't goin' to have you all bustin' in on her withou

her hooded head lower. She had heard about Mrs. Sloane, and felt as if she were

the door only a little way. Her voice was heard, and suddenly Rebecca's rang out shrill in response, although

and he took a stride forward, but M

"I'll talk to her some more. I c

d. This time Rebecca's arose into a wail, and they heard her cry out,

mantel-shelf. Barney went up and clapped him roughly on the should

lk right in now," she announced, smiling, her thin mouth sen

ane was following, but Barney stood in her way. "I

ttle, and threw it down on the hearth. The hens flew up with a great clamor and whir of wings; Mrs. Sloane's shrill, mocking laugh arose above it. She began talking in a high-pitched voice, flinging out vituperati

hey stood consulting together in low voices, and Mrs. Sl

poke. Her voice was still

m Berry can't take her to his home to-night, for his mother wouldn't leave a whole skin on either of 'em. Her own mother has turned her out, an' Barney can't take her in. She's got to go somewhere where there's a woman; she's terrible upset. There

. The minister's wife paled within her

such good folks as you be," said Mrs. Sloane. "There ain

usband. "She can come, if you think she o

rs. Sloane's blue plaid shawl pinned closely over her head and face-and lifted her into his cutter with the minister and his wife. Then he and Barney walked along, ploddin

inister drove slowly, and they could always

house, Barney stopped and William

and his father was standing i

ang out, hoarsely. Then he went back