Flower of the Dusk

venth

, in some inscrutable way, things had become mixed. She kept track of every yard of lace and linen and every spool of thread, for, it w

hing

ith lavender to keep it from turning yellow. There remained only the last finishing touches. Aun

and

only by Aunt Miriam. The highest was the one hoped for, the next the proba

garments packed in a box with tissue paper, and see what she could do. Barbara had used nearly all of her material and had sent for more, but, in the mea

arbara had clapped her hands in glee, for she saw the wealth of Cr?sus looming up ahead. She had soon learned, however, that she must keep far below the city p

d taught her to write-for she had never been to school. If she should sell everything, why, there would

rself, sadly. "I can't expect them t

ra. "Yes," he said, somewhat impatiently, "I know she's upstairs, for you

turned Miriam, with forced carelessness

an't understand it. Anyone might think she had to work f

ome," she replie

h?" he d

llars." She did not dar

u will get my check-book,

d Chec

angely beneath her dark brows. She went to the mahog

he pen and ink, "please show me t

spelled out, in uneven characters, "Five-hundred-dollars. Signed-Ambrose-North. There. When you have

oice was almost inaudib

forgot to date it. What

s, but did not speak. This wa

d. "Will you please tell me

she answered, w

h? The seve

es

e years," he said, in a shrill whi

ful Ann

had, for her, its own particular significance. Upstairs, Barbara, light-hearted and hopeful, was singing to herself while she pinned on the last o

ssionately, "why did she kill her

had asked her more than fifty times

trong, loved, taken care of and petted, she had all that the world could give her, and hosts of friends. I was blind a

pressed her cold hands to her throbbing temples. "I sha

ance

er. She had also written a note to Miriam, asking her to look after the blind man and to be a mother to Barbara. Enclosed were two other letters, sealed with wax. One was addressed "To My Daughter, Barbara. To be opened on her twenty-second birthda

e golden-haired woman, in the full splendour of her youth and beauty, lying upon the couch asleep, with a smile of heavenly peace upon her lips; the blind man's

of T

ality, there were four. Two had been read and destroyed; the other two, with unbroken seals, were waiting t

e five years, Miriam might have given it to him, unseen and safely. She justified herself by dwelling upon her care of Barbara and the blind man, and the fact that she would give Ba

ing D

y for some boon. Until the man died, Constance had come often, with her hands outstretched, craving that which was so little and y

al youth to those whom he claims too soon. In her old husband's grieving heart, Constance had assumed immor

bringing "the light that never was on sea or land" to the fine, grave face of Ambrose North; Constance hugging little lame Barbara to her breast with passionat

man in the next room was calli

ld your fingers are! I want to thank you for all you have done for us-for my little gi

e kindly words stung like a la

and A

niscently. "Do you remember how much we were together

of passionate hate swept over her even now, against the dead woman

iam, and have been, for a long time. But a few more years-or months-or days-as

ll, dividing everything I have between you. I should like your share

m, sharply. The stra

necessary that these things be said. I shall not speak of it again. Will you give me back the check,

e alone, improvising music that was both beautiful and sad. He seldom touche

r?" she asked, softly, when t

ad fo

; "I cannot mak

Daddy," she reminded him.

to-day. Do you know wh

h-the seven

h an effort, "your dear mother took her own

rms around his neck. "Daddy!" she whis

rought healing to his pain. Bone of her bone and flesh of her flesh, the daughter of the d

slowly releasing her. "I want to talk to

a few min

twenty-two, are

, Da

our dear mother was twenty-two

pered Barbara, her ey

turin

Ch

been a torturing doubt in my heart. Before you were born, and after my blindness, I fancied that a change came over her. She was still te

ce rang out strong and clear. "That w

n more keenly. You have read in the books, doubtless, many times, that a child unites those who bring it i

bara, in pain. "Di

. I am only trying to say that her love seemed to lessen, instead of growing, as time went on. If I could know that

Daddy-I kn

ways of the Everlasting are not our w

erged into quiet acceptance, if not resignation. "S

man comes-ot

. They say that a man of fifty should not marry a girl of twenty and expect to be happy. Miriam was fifteen years older than Constance and at first I thought o

st joy dies. Perhaps it does, but I do not know, because our marriage lasted only three years. It may be that, after many years

of Ma

to love. Unselfishness answers to unselfishness, tenderness responds to tenderness, and the highest joy of each is the well-being of the other. The words of Church and Sta

f

till her husband-there has been no change. And, if she died loving

the words to himself. Barbara watched him from the wi

nother hillside, where, in the long, dreamy shadows, the dwellers in God's acre lay at peace. Barbara guessed where he was going and her heart