Martie, the Unconquered

not keep her memory away from the enchanted hours when John's presence had lent a glory to the dark old house and the prosaic village. She sa

us of the days she was living, for the poignancy and power of the remembered days. Th

fence where they had leaned, and let the full, splendid recollection sweep across her. She knel

rinkled the green new grass of an Eastern spring with daisies. She dreamed of a simple room, where breezes an

ere swiftly came a time when pain alone

chair opposite Malcolm's, and they talked about real estate, and about the various business ventures of the village. At nine o'cl

is questions. They talked of little things pertaining to their engagement: Martie was sure somebody suspected it, Clifford had been thinking

ieved that a gentleman always knew where to stop in the matter of wine. What right had a few temperance fanatics to vote that

ed it. They didn't have to choose it. Why didn't they go into somebody's kitchen, and save money, and have good homes, if they wanted to? He told Martie a little

nion of these things. But she found herself rapidly for

the younger man safely on board the vessel before this mood broke. He had therefore engaged passage on the Nippon Maru, for Thursday, four days ahead. They were all in

planned to go down to the city herself, and see him-hear him again. Just a few minu

t her hand trembled as she did so, and her soul sickened. Wh

g that all aside now; that courage that had made her, a frightened girl of twenty, come with her unborn baby, away from the m

ittle she had brought from the hard years. She knew that she would not do it. Sh

where she and Teddy always had their Thursday supper, bou

eth and Billy; he was happy, chattering and curveting about her madly in the warm tw

elected to the club, and had been there this afternoon. She had turned up the skirt of her dress, and taken off the frilled white collar, laying it

er, Sally kissed her sister. Martie began

cisco pap

. "Mr. Dryden and Mr. Silver

he acted, carrying you off for a walk, or something," Sally pursued cheerfully. "And until she happened t

seen nothing of the fevers and heartaches of this memorable week? Her innocent al

as beginning to feel she would go mad. They had said so little th

on Martie's soul; it mattered nothing to Lydia and Rose and Sal

nd splendid. Yet she felt the need of speech. She must talk of him to some one, now when i

d plate in the centre of the table

just a minute on the morning of her talk wit

e seemed a dear,"

not come!" Mart

's anxious eyes fl

y had nev

t! Oh, M

hould not marry Cliff, feeling as I

k heart was merely trying to reach Sally's concern,

Sally wh

used. Martie began hastily to r

I will. And nobody will ever

ar, he DOES

es, he

t-that's

aughed r

greed, her eyes waterin

t Cliff?" Sal

, y

own wife

, y

anxiously. "What does he want-

e only answer

n't k

sently they were all gathered about the kitchen table, Martie encouraging the children, as usual, to launch into the conversation, and laughing in quite her usual merry manner at the

, and made the kitchen orderly for the night, Sally

suddenly it seemed to Sally that restless, lovely Martie did not really belong to Monroe, that this mysterious sister of hers never had belonged to Monroe, that Martie's well-groomed hair and hands were as little in place here a

" Martie said, half-s

a Cathol

e's-no

to him? And you tol

on in which she raised a hand to brush the hair from her white forehead w

t-CARE, too?" sh

rt than for any effect on her sister. "To have him free! We always liked each other-loved each other, I think. What a life-what joy we would have! Oh, I can't bear it. I can't bear to have the days go by, and the y

amed it," Sa

But I've been a romantic sort of fool all my life-my Prince Charming had to come dashing up on a white horse-I didn't r

the doorway, and came into the hot, clean little room. She sat down

l and happy because Cliff loved me. To-day John Dryden sails for a year in the Orient. And betwee

But as Martie remained silent, brooding eyes on her own fingers, the older sis

hope!" Martie s

d be perfectly contented if you just put the other thing out of your mind, and tried to make the greatest happiness possible out of your new life! Lyd

e lau

children, as you say, and the good opinion of the town, and Pa's happiness, and Len's prosperity, and the pleasure of being mistress of the old house, and dear knows what! Of co

d stopped working, and both sist

had been married to him ten years ago, an

pe there are children

nsternation she began to cry, with her shining head laid on her arms. "I don't know w-w-what to do, Sally!" she sobbed. "I don't know what is right! I know I'm desperately tired of worryin

er? women?" Sally suggested, somewhat timidly.

and immediately dried her eyes with a b

, and I paid the price-nobody knows what it was! Then I came back here, and had really worked out a happy life for mysel

who marries Cliff ought to b

! I never believed before that any one could feel as strange-as bewildered and excited and happy-as I did then. It was like being hungry and satisfied at the same time. It was just like being under a spell! His voice, Sally, and the way he speaks of men and books-so surely, and yet in that boyish way-and his hands, and the way he smiles through his lashes-I can't forget one instant of it! We got breakfast together; I

that our life would be that," Martie went on presently, raising her sombre face to rest it on one hand, her elbows pr

ld really say that you oughtn't to marry any one else, Mart. But

with a flash of impatience. "I know it-I know it-but that doesn't m

" Sally suggeste

sturdily beside Margar's shabby coach, chattering to a quiet, black-clad mother on the overland train. She had her gallant, gay little Teddy still. "I don't know why I talk so recklessly, Sally," she said sensibl

g a checked blue towel neatly over her pan of dough

ia's heart years ago; Rose and Rodney between them nearly broke mine. But now Cliff wants someth

, Mart," submitted

allace's death. Teddy and I could have made our way comfortably in New York. By

s together, and it means so much to me to ha

sperous, and to realize that life is going so pleasantly for you. As the years go by, Joe'll gain steadily; he's

as she anxiously studied the

in the Ford, and there was much friendly talk and laughter. But Sally watched her sister