The Shield of Silence

ons from my doorsill and

rom the Big Road into the River Road and thanked God that th

ipped and wide-eyed, and her aristocratic

d her past three years lingered still

this road," the girl said, in order to co

l the same to me, ma'am. I know dese little ol

e same humps?" Jed was h

d indicated the sleeker of the two horses-"had the ginger, so to speak, ma'am, as Lincoln has

he edged toward Jed. After a few moments he felt her head against his shoul

eld his position while a reveren

lish and dim, and just then, across a foot bridge over the river, a hurr

nt Becky come back to add to trubble after

e bore; she paused, looked down, and then darted ahead right

ke and sat u

tter?" she aske

ured her, "but I don't take no chances with Lincoln's hin

to reach Ridge House and play h

light was in the living room where Angela sat alone waiting for Meredith Thornton. She had quite forgotten, in her growingly anxious hours, all about poor

, uninvited, and sat down with her burden, w

, and she saw the form of a sleeping new-born baby exposed to the heat and light of the fire. She trie

is. I don buried her at sun-up-an' I want it tole-if it ever is tole-that

promised an' she went rea

en despair in

father of

the strain, sounded trivial-but

ve a rou

ould wring that out of Zalie," she said. Then:

t the wheels on the road might end

nounce-this child; give it to me, now?

ed-an' it eased

alm and self-possessed at last. This w

she asked, lifti

rl. Give hi

d the child in the old quilt

sed to ask, but Becky, her eyes on that

don le

rom the room as if she were but a sha

Constance was alert at once. Every faculty of hers was trained to

It has been left here. Take it into the west wing and tell no

training she had received a divine quality. The baby stirred, stretched out its little limbs, and

, she felt, once more, secure. Sister Angela was never able to describe afterward the state of mind tha

of wheels. That se

arms-clinging, sob

e my child, Sister

a heard herself saying the words as if th

Doris

he will be

d Doris. Doris know

ords before? They went whirling throu

ve-le

er with Sister Constance repeating over and ove

rld's heart, a plaintive wail weighted with relinquishment and-acceptance

st wing," Constance said.

eep looking as she used to look in the old days before she had

asked of Sister Angel

dear h

, as Angela raised it-"Why, how

ty runs low and with the past horrors of the night still

home-leaving; the dread that the ship that was to bear her from the Philippines mig

e Ship-is waiting. Everything is all

nt close

pered and slipped her a

. It is the night that makes us afraid. The n

soft, smooth hair that was growing clammy; she felt the cold b

ot like bad dreams-tell Doris-what

p, beloved."

gave a short, hurting laugh. "Tell her-te

in the room. Her eyes took in the scene, the pretty face against Sister Angela's bosom; the sunli

too-l

in the qu

y and night! Her lette

som like a tangible thing. She cross

way. They seemed always to have been there; some people pass on the other side, but if one's path lies close, then one must go wi

y little horse, his loose black cloak floating like benignant wings b

see the flowers hide the scar, murmuring again and again: "In the hope of joyful resurrecti

"There are children there who never heard of God until I took some toys to them last Christmas. Then they though

old man

had not seen M

leaded. "I can think of it on

s so new and appalling a sen

ckening aversion that grew, instead of lessened, while the days dragged on. But always the helpless child represented nothing but

er of authority. Sitting alone with Doris before the fire in the living room the eve

said. "It cannot be that life has

es, her real and only claim to beauty. Dusky

y, for the older woman looked so frail and pure

o tell me things-things that she could not tell to God"-Angela u

t tell to God, Sister. Things that

rom touching the exquisite detachment of Sister Angela by the truth, and

ild should never

led. A flush touched Angela's white face-it

ss gave Doris hope that she might be saved t

y-by what is law-

rrents of wrong and shame that threatened to deluge all that she had gained by her life of renu

stand between past wrong and hope of future justice. "You must take this child, Doris,

can I-feeli

t to? Can you leav

the child, if I succeeded in loving it-he would bide his time and claim it.

in her chair. She lo

"It's the only chance for the salvation of M

ding her cold, clasped hands t

eard someone pressing against the window-I thoug

very sense was alert-she was reme

I wish I had consulted Father No

was touched by the quivering voice and str

and the wind swirling the d

. I have promised to find a home for it, but I c

vely, as if defending

grew deep a

e of the past few days the ordinary life of Ridge House had held n

d and the swish of the wind, told Becky's story. She told it as she might if Becky were list

ble to poor Becky's, and she saw with relie

nd the wise, when they touch the inscrutable they let go and turn to a higher power than their own. Meredith felt that her child's chance in life lay in a new and fresh sta

f the hills cannot last long. I wo

r voice shook when she spoke. He

he mountain chi

re shaking as if you had a chill. You

tayed her a

feet are set on a possible way! I am-I am push

es

old i

ild. It survived against grave dangers-it h

think it

es

grandmother will

certainly she cannot last much longer. She is a strange cr

self than to Angela. It was as if she were arguing, seeking to convince h

ggesting that do the harm. We may call it inheritance, but it may be that we evolv

She whispered as if she fe

do you

hild without the knowledge of its inheritance from the father. Suppose this

" Angela was defending, she knew not what, but

and lack of faith

es shone. Presently she stood up, her back to the fire, her glance on that far win

ght be taken before God, "I am going to take-both children.

rtled the women-their nerves wer

le!" gasp

hy

has claims

ly way. If, as you say, it is God's way that they reve

re-

arms as if pushing a

aring woman: I am a weak and fe

her--" Angel

--" Doris's

m the child." Angela hastened

I did not know whi

to point the way clearer,

of," she murmu

t the first he will agree to the proposal-what else can he do? The shock-remember, he does not even know th

o one after another of her rigid belief

but only after you have gone to the ch

e a physical support. With bowed head she passed from

ere heard in the hall. Doris stoo

two sleeping babies wearing the plain clothing that Ridge House kept in st

in that one palpitating word-

to you. We have all-forgot.

oth children

she whispered, "for my mother and gr

was given to her at that mome