The Shield of Silence

way the futur

sitting before the fire in t

soul. She called it prayer. Meredith became personally near her-the written words had materialized her. With the clairvoy

lding in her spiritual interpretation of moral codes. She felt the full weight of the tragedy that had overwhelmed a girl of Meredith Thornton's type.

it into her pocket and sent fo

t thanks for Jani

s; so grateful that she gloried in self-abnegati

Janice. "Two former pupils-and one of them is ill." When she

wing?" asked Janice,

I would like the younger sister, Mrs. Thornton, to

eparted, Sister C

head of a school for nurses. Her eyes brightened now as she listened to her supe

wish, Sister," she said at last,

as old and black and his wool was white as snow; his strong, perfect teeth glittered with gold fillings. How the o

r yaller in my mouth, ma'am, is right sure gold an' it's like layin' up treasure in heaven, for no

ster Angela, now, wa

ry train until you see a young lady-she will be looking about for someone-and bring her here. In be

I reckon it would be disastering if I fotched the wrong one. Isn't thar some

you to bring the

f further arguing.

and this was unfortunate, for Mary ran well in harness, but was apt to go a bit wild if left

y showed signs of persisting-her ten brothers and sisters had refused to live, and when Mary was left to

ness. She would laugh and chat gaily and appear charmingly young and happy, but without warning she would lapse back to the almost sullen, suspicious atti

receiving benefits from them, her only chance of life, and while she blindly repaid in services, Mary's

ged to the hills-if not of them, and while his birthright made it possible for

lity"; Mary in terms of "outla

wood in the stove with a lavish hand. The Sisters were at prayer in the tiny chapel which had been evolved from a small west room; and old Aunt B

e out of the kitchen, followed by a delicious smell of crisping wheat, and sat down upon the step of the porch to

air, tidily caught in a firm little knot, was making brave efforts to escape in wild little curls, and the

ting her sharp elbows on her knees in order to

ad been trying to kee

e triflin' chil

ng is going to happen. It is going to happen long o' Ridge House-and not

iled vaguely-she was

y him as "shivers in the spine of his back."

all sending you to-fetch?"

' to fotch-anything?" Jed's spi

rely smiled, and her laugh was a m

o matter what it is on The Ship, a

creep like I had pneumonia fever." With this

d, "I sho' am anxi

carriage, and gave his whip that peculiar twi

that which he was or

and nervous; her keen ear had heard much not intended for her to hear,

atened. The evil crew of The Ship was but biding its

woman drifted, rather than walked, into the sunny kitchen. She came noiselessly like a shadow; she was dirty and in rags; she looked, all but her eyes,

ose to her shoulder caused Mary to

ant-

er of all that Ridge House had done for her. "Gawd! Aunt Becky, I done

like hand forth and laid it

y with me-Mary A

ubt in Mary's mind as to

cky," she whispered, trying to escap

's tone that commanded obedience. Mary started to the hall, her

r as the opened door of the living room, t

liar to the old woman who now entered it. Through the windows she had often held silent and unsuspected vigil. It was her way to know the trails over which she might be called to travel and since that day, three

ncounter Sister

ave a little granddaught

ie?" Becky wa

w her name. Ho

re holding Sister Angela's calm gaze-the

m everyone, as I am told that you do. Won't you let her come t

well as she later learned to know them. Becky came neare

gal all she needs to know. All other larnin' would harm

what kept

moment she did not understand;

re it would be just the same. We are friendly wom

cross!" Becky

y to do-you need not be afraid of us, and if there i

g, narrow dining room with its quaint carvings and painted words on walls and fireplace; she knew the tiny room where the Sisters knelt and sang. One or two of the tunes ran in Becky's brain like haunting undercurrents; but best of all, Becky knew the living room upon whose generous he

breast had power to still Becky's distraught mind. She could not understand, but a groping of that part of her that could still feel and suffer reached the underlying suggesti

ed arms-so empty and yearning-hugged the tre

Becky Adams had taught her much of her

iling and pointing to a chair by the hearth, quite

chair and sank into it. Then sh

e as Angela had once seen her: pretty as the flower whose na

r Angela's gaze grew

Becky, breaking through her own res

Angela began to comprehend and she lo

e'll fotch up with someone fore long. She's gone to lar

they came on the fanciful, dramatic words peculiar to Becky and her kind.

other rolled up like she was a bundle. The old cabin was empty 'cept for wild things as found sh

curse-but she got the call and she went! I can see her"-here the strange eyes looked as the eyes of a seer look-they were following the girl on the "larnin' way"; the tired voice trailed sadly-"I can see how she went. It was nearing morning and al

moaned softly as one does who

over the old woman, her thin w

his happen?

a year

come now to tell me

k, same as all us does, after the larnin'! I had a vision las'

were lifted and she peered

as' night! She

at peculiar pricking sensation of

unts one way or 'other. Zalie spoke in her vision-clear like she was in the flesh. She do

pering as if she and the old woman

knowin' that damns us-all. Folks knowin' an' expectin'-an' he

oice was

back with a child that you want me to take it,

, for she caught the doubting tone in Angela's v

ell upon the cross

o help you. But suppose Zalie, should s

face q

ot stayin' powers, she ain't. She don have fever an' what-all-an' she won't las' long-she'll go on The Ship! Bu

nunciation, and comman

nce all claim to it, I will find a home for it. It shall have its cha

room. The doing of the kindly, commonpla

bearing the tray, Becky had departed and the