The Awakening of Helena Richie

fallen into a weariness which he did not attempt to conceal. But the woman-being a woman-still tried to warm herself at the poor ashes, wasting her breath in a sobbing endeavor to blow them into so

ss of things that burn to b

ast night," she murmured

d courteously,

w it was only because I-love

You don't suppose the driver misunderstood

re.... Lloyd, it's just the

hasn't forgotten me? It wou

en garden. Mr. Pryor lighted a cigar. After a while she spoke again. "

"but I trust your cook will

ve another cook if Maggie should be un

n he came back he went at once to the window, "I'm afraid that stage-driver has forgotten me," he said

come in a fortnight, L

ing shall be per

atching sight of the stage pulling up at the gate,

d voice;-"beg your pardon,

followed him, bareheaded, out into the mist,

e. "Get along, driver, get along! I don't want to miss my

Old Chester friendships! Of course, it was a great thing to be free from the narrowness and prejudice in which Old Chester was absolutely hidebound. But Lloyd might at least have understood that in spite of her freedom the years of delay had sometimes been a little hard for her; that it was cruel that Frederick should live, and live, and live, putting off the moment when she should be like-other people; like that complacent Mrs. King, even; (oh, how she detested the woman!) But Lloyd had shown no spark of sympathy or understanding; instead he had made a horrid joke.... Suddenly her eyes, sweet and kind and shallow as an animal's, clouded with pain, and she burst out crying-but only for one convulsive moment. She could not cry out here in the garden. She

fume and warm sloth pushed the pain of the last twenty-four hours into the background of her mind, where it lay a dull ache of discontent. By and by even that ceased in physical well-being. Her body had her in its grip, and her spirit sunk softly into the warm and satisfied flesh. She bade Sarah bring her dinner int

the soul of her stirred. A letter from Lloyd came saying that he hoped she had the

d and ravelling into rain along the edges. She hesitated at the discomfort of going out, but she said to herself, dully, that she supposed she needed the walk. As she went down the hill her cheeks began to glow with the buffet of the wind, and her leaf-brown

d. When she confessed that she had fo

m when he comes to visit me," she said,

order, too. As for visiting you, my dear, you'd better visit him

she had only come for a

o right home," s

y to open the front door and bring him into the study to present him to Mrs. Richie, fussing and proud and a little tremulous, would have touched her, if she had noticed hi

ot a bone in my leg; so you run and

irs like a croco

out him. He said he thought the child had been homesick just at first; he had missed his sister Janey. "He told me 'Janey' gave him 'forty kisses' every night," said Dr. Lavendar; "I thought that

it! A childlike old man asking questions with serious simplicity of a little boy who was full of his own important inte

manded, fiercely, while Danny yawned wi

suddenly shy; "an' it said outside were dogs;-an'

There was no apprehension, no excitement, no antagonism; only the placid commonplace of goodness and affection. Helena could not remember such an evening in all her life. And the friendship between youth and age was som

d knelt down in front of the dining-room fire, a

eyes shone with silent joy. With anxious deliberation he picked out an apple from the silver wire

hread round a pin stuck in the high black mantel-shelf. The apple dropped slowly into place before the bars of the grate, and began-as everybody who has been a child knows-to spin slowly round, and then, sl

come and si

got up and climbed on to Mrs. Richie's knee, keeping an e

e me a little

visit a good deal; I'd

f these days," Dr. L

ng to you," David

d, and looked prou

d explained, "I

Dr. Laven

side," David announced

o set the apple

said Dr. Lavendar, deeply interested;

ys and girls?" David as

y knee and I'll tell

ing briskly now under the impulse of a w

u?" he d

Dav

n the child, she answered quite at random. She put her cheek against his hair, and whispered, softly: "Turn round, and I'll give you forty kisses." Instantly David moved his head away. The snub

aid David briefly. "Does

li

d Alice was nineteen. I thought

Look at t

oked. "W

t her own house,

pay you

apple is done. Why did

end

ause you're company. Why do

d many reasons. I'm af

ad was broken and the apple secured. Then David sat calmly down in front of her to watch her eat it; but after the first two or three mouthfuls, Dr. Lavendar had p

let me h

o keep him f

e him to me

oast apple every time." He smiled at her as he spoke, for sh

have him

tell you I'm an obstinate old man. Hey, W

m. He had walked in un

and stood smili

ause!" she said

it isn't much use; we a

a: "Would you mind seeing her home, Willy?" he said, in an aside. "I was going to send

your brother will think we have no manners in Old Chester. Besides I need the walk." And when she had fastened her cloak, and kissed David good night, and thrown Dr. Lavendar an appealing look, William gave her his hand down the two steps from the front door, and then made

er hair was too bright to be called brown. He was solicitous lest he was making her walk too fast. "I don't want your brother to think we don't take care of you in Old Chester," he said; and in

m Wright about it." And carefully he flung the noiseless zigzag of light back and f

h a sudden impetuous timidity, "Dr. King, ple

, and laughed at

tful evening. He could not recollect what they had talked about, but he knew th

ing as he entered the sitting-room, "did you rem

ped down into his shabby old easy-chair, and watched Martha's darning-needle plod in and out. "Mar

her hard capable hand and touched her hair softly, as if she had for

o. It's a pr

e into the gray stocking with a jaunty air. "That's what you used to say," she said. After a while, noticing his tired lo

, "I didn't stay very l

e. She had take

aid coldly. Then, after a short silence: "Mr

e study he found David curled up in

ing about so hard?"

ay. Afte

lowing him down the aisle to the door and waiting close behind him through the usual Sunday greetings: "Morning, Sam!" "Good morning, Dr. Lavendar." "How are you, Ezra? How many drops of water make the mighty ocean, Ezra?" "The amount of water might be estimated in

t up and came and

is you

Dr. Lavend

in a troubled voice; and

Lavendar, sir. Why

verybody said 'Dr. La

ont name. All the other

o call me by it." He sighed slightly, and then he smiled. "The last one who cal

t. Dr. Lavendar took his pipe out of his

dly, "God would be discouraged

t's better that way," he said, cheerfully. "One of these day

For the next half hour they were both very happy. In the midst of it David remarked, thoughtfully: "There are two kinds of aunts. One is bugs. She is the other kind." And after Dr. Lavendar had stopped chuckling they discussed the relative merits of stand

the clock

shook his head sympathetically. "No; just rig

he color came and went in his face, and he twisted the

Lavendar repeate

ted. Then he came and

," he said tremulously

as lieves

But no; I like Dr. Lavendar as a name. So many boys and girls have called me that, that I'm fond of it.

had accomplished something. Then he said good night, and