The Shield of Silence

the composition of friendship. One

further move at present-how could he? As one faces a possible surgical operation with the hope tha

ris wondered and speculated but always reached the triumphant conclusion that her love, equal and sincere, for

en path she courageously took stock, as i

e between Nancy and Meredith, she wondered if, as often is the case,

s, and she brought old photographs to her aid. While, on the other hand, the mental and temp

present itself-she knew that, by her past course, she had no

ern now was the m

d fine, under such influence! And Joan so high-str

lear as to any real wrong she had done in acting as she had, there were anxious hours

ust th

sidered that befo

nce that they know the tru

diate fear of this lessened. And the children were mere babi

ld, Doris renewed her efforts in building

rry! Of course, then, they must know." With that con

ected; the children romped and lived joyously in the old house-"just children"-until suddenly a small but significant thing occurre

w, the fire and the book were soothing, and the excuse-that the storm gave her the right to do what

s of the children and Mary's q

it before. What a peculiar laugh it was-for a child! Silver clear, mus

only wanted live things: dogs and cats, not even birds-she was sorry for birds. Nancy's dolls were to her "children," and she was plea

ildren's noses!"

d, and proceeded with her petition until

, but presently peace reigned above-stairs and th

at quite still, believing that one of the children was hiding and that the other would be on th

nd saw that it was Joan, and before she could call to h

nd stood in her pretty, childi

r the rim of the fountain, took the exact attitude of one

ly, but decidedly start

on, and then with the light all gone from her pretty face she came out of the basin, p

s crying, but she was not. Her limp lit

and went to

ere alone, Joa

ple the r

rue, Auntie Dorrie," this with

s came down and took

n! I wanted to play with the fountain girls-I know it would be beautiful-but you have t

ink the fountain children ar

ey first confront the individual in the child t

me all up!" was Joa

gless words were the mos

stories and Nancy's funny games all over a

ooked sick, so

thing else. Mary said that, honest true, things would come if you believed hard enough. Maybe I

ke being dragged, by the little hand, to an unsus

et simplicity. She revealed so much now that she found that her view of life had a dramatic inte

ch queer things; it just is truth to Nancy, for she doesn't want to hurt people's feelings. Mary l

we-we see it differ

red with the mystery of her desolate childhood; her old superstitions and power to control by the magic of her imagination.

ar? I love fairy s

ing her voice

are alive, and you can-can, well, use them! Mary saw a road once and just went up on it-it was a bewitched road, and she got-lost!" Joan's eyes widened. "Mary

for a doll, and he said he would send one to her. And she went home and that very night-that very night, Aunt Dorrie, she looked in a room where she heard a funny noise and she saw a live doll! And while she was looking she

st the windows; the wind lashed th

Aunt Dorrie?" The

art. I am ju

emed enough to guide her, and here she discovered that it had only shown her one path, the

angerous to have too mu

ancy. See if you cannot take all the old games and make

ther stay here close to you. I

small, clinging thing

erplexed. There had come a parting of the ways. Apparently the ninth year was a dangerous year. What m

t of the machinery of the Sisters' Home; she had never taken her

what was, or was not-to think that

n consideration, and while that was going on Joan had grown weary of th

must have help

why fathers and mothers are none to

Martin in a strangely new way-a way th

ything and everything they suggested, until she had subdued the nervous strain and could laugh a bit at her bugbears of the morning. Joan, flushed and towzled, Nancy, sweetly rad

ught, "but I have taken the father o

he telephone receiver, called her number. She was calm and at peace. She was prepared to lay the

f-go!" she thought, her

rtin who

ou quite free

ening, Doris. Are

most concerned and interested

face t

said, slowly, "that I

here in a

ke Martin as absurd, and after all, why should she lay her burden of confession upon him in order to ease her perplex

reparation of the dainties Martin enjoyed bu

" she mused. "Why should I ask

not help for herself she was seeking, but guidance f

ove of David Martin had been transformed for her sake into friendship that it might brighten her way. She had never been

d-a resentful man, or the most sacred thing,

n; his unfulfilled hopes had seemed to bro

the shoulders inclined to droop as though prepared for burdens; the eyes, under

et him on the steps and led him to his favou

leisure of yours is

l held them as he sat down. After all the s

ce. "I was just back in the office. I steered two sma

y into his eyes. Just then the tray she had ordered was sent up. He looked at it and his tired

high!" he said, watching Doris pour the

hatter while you eat? There are three kinds of sandwiches on the plate

over nine. What happens, physiologically

g to reason with-it's the dangerous age, at least the outer c

he dangerous age?" Doris felt that it was best to

ideals prevail. I know of several where giddy little flappers are marvellously licked into shape without danger of b

t you tell

Now that you have offered up this tribute to the

ther,

f me. That alway

David calmly ate on. After the sandwiches there was a bit of fruit cake

have divine intuitions about their children? Intu

ight to mould or bully them out of shape. The best school I know is run by a woman who says it takes her a ye

David. It's hard,

being has a right to claim from another, they'd reap a finer reward. I'd hate to love a person from duty. The fifth commandment

ndwich yourself-light and shade in layers; but I reckon you are right about the friend part in

After all, the best any of us can do for a child is to set

u should have had children."

too many other things tacked on. Al

away and leaned luxuri

smile that few rarely saw, "let'

asked so little. She saw his startled glance when she, beginning with Meredith's death, struck the high note of the rea

f the moment. In Martin's thought any act of Doris's could easily be explained and righted. He did not interrupt her, he even saw the humour of her account of the scene with Thornton, years befo

" Martin, seeing that Doris had finished with the vital matter, turned to details. "I cann

silence until they are too big to handle. It was the telling of plain half-truths that did the mischief-and letting the conclusions of others pass. Of cou

is, began to

way about Meredith. I realized how cut up you were, and God knows you had reason to be. Until

ecause I need you so much that I h

as again controlling the old, undying longing to possess th

ve his pre

. Then send the children to Miss Phillips'. Of course, you must write to Thornton. Tell him as much or as little as you choose. He's rightfully in the game

that curious chuckle of his, "and yet, by heaven! you seem

vid? You are not tr

e off. He had given what he could to meet Doris's

ning in her eyes that always unnerved him. It was the look of one who must offer

t-but it never came to me. Without it, I dared not offer to pay the cost of marriage. That would have been unjust to you. I did realize that, but the deeper t

ars ago. It did not weigh agains

nd of my little children. For their sak

is lips to Doris's head w

erness; "you are permitting me to share