The Place Beyond the Winds

d to a cool evening. There was a glowing su

sight by the ridge of hill through which the Fox and Secret Portages cut. The mood of the afternoon had fallen, as had the day, into calmness and restfulness. The fiddle, which was never f

earth from his hostess and looked now at her fair, tranq

n Travers smiled. "I wonder why I take your w

what's goo

e is no doubt about Dick? He

, though that will be less noticeable when he learns to forget the

n; what a miracle you have

s retracing a hard road unless y

! Now that Dick's semi-exile and mine are to end in the common highwa

that to do so would be to risk the only thing of which he was, then, sure-her trusting friendship. He had not dared put that to the test even for the greater hope. That was why he had been able to share her lonely life

ions now, or ever. I am confident that under all circumstances y

speak-more for Dick than for

ing again and again a nocturne

e shadows. She was rarely abrupt, and her words startled Ledy

hispered, keeping his ey

ick is no

e is he-m

the gravity of the confession Ledyard wished beyond all

of-my husband, an

unning now through a delicious strain of me

saying, and his words blended strangely with t

icate face was resting on the tips of her clasped hands, and her long

t do who have to make their own lives as best they may. He clung to me so desparately, and, you see, as he grew older I either had to accept his belief in me or-or-take his father from him. They were such close

and she had thought only for the boy whom she had mothered tenderly and successfully. Ledyard did not interrupt the gentle flow of her

He and I travelled after mother's death continually, and alone. He educated me and interpreted life for me; he was a man of the world, I suppose, but he managed to keep me most unworldly wise. Of course I knew, abstractly, the lights and shadows; but I wonder if you will believe me when I tell you that, until after my marriage, I never suspected that-that certain codes

young?" Ledya

vers shoo

but one intimate friend in my life, and to her I went at my

; he knew of the Traver

y marriage. My wedding was a very quiet one; it was not reported, and

et me, by mutual consent. There was the child-Dick. The mother took him. There was no question of money: there was enough for them, bu

alized that his chief concern was for me, and even in all the wreck and ruin I could but honour him for his bravery and sincerity. I think he believed I would understand, but I never did; I never shall. The shock was more

o me even after all these years. You see, she was not a hornbill. She came in touch with life at first hand; she took from life what she wanted; she had, what were to me, unhea

nd she did not know what to do about th

of death upon her, Elizabeth Thornton was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I cannot describe the sensation she made upon me; bu

earted. She wept and called to little Di

ther. The look pleaded for mercy from me to them-John, the mother, and the little fellow himself. And I, who had vaguely meant to help the world some day, began-with them! Just for a little time after Elizabeth Thornton's death I became human, or perhaps inhuman. I resented the wrong that had been done me; I wanted to fling John and the child away from me; but then a sense of power rallied me. I had never tasted it before. I could cast the helpless pair from me

tle Dick forgot-I am sure he forgot-his mother, and when I felt

me with my crippled boy; cam

still, white figure in the chair seemed the quiet, chill heart of it all. And yet-how she had love

suppose Dic

ick mus

there was determination in t

t me do th

tered and fell away from the man's

o see-him fail me. If he must-fail

rk room was a background for that

d his heavy footfall on the porch outside. Presently the erratic viol

ness that she was not alone. Some one had come into the room from a long window opening on the piazza. Helen dared not look, for if it were Ledyard she would know that things were very bad indeed. Then came the slightly d

am through a new and strange experience. He knelt by her side and, for a moment, buried his face against her clasped hands; then he

faded into something like a shadowy dream. But I recall, too, the loneliness; the fear that she might leave me alone with no one to care for me. I can remember her fear, too; always the fear that one of us might leave the other alone. The recollection will alway

I saw that the happiest thing I could do for you, who had given me so much, was to seem to forget and rest

forever between them. Travers took her in his arms, but she did not burden his young stren

came from New York, plans were laid, and there was s

seemed presumptuous-but now that I'm going to have the life of a fellow, I ca

lashed, but he l

vil of a l

's the fine

a doctor's demands. They usually raise hell sooner or later. I had a friend whose wife used to look through the keyhole of his consulting-room door. A p

lau

rofession," he said, "g

toughened and brutal; most of us drin

don

o you

ny one else say that about your associates;

t given much leeway. We are led up to a case and forced to

ars later with a bitt

think of-well, of the little cuss I was, and of you-why, I tell you, I cannot get

ord! In

incipally-putting them stra

first you'll probably be thankful to

egious hands on the strange god with a longing to smash the hideous skull, but in the end he left it and, after a

ertainment. There were fishing, and in due season, hunting, at which Ledyard excelle