The Shield of Silence

our hands smilingly of the consequences i

nd, Doris arose the day

ast seemed to have been disposed of; the

etched," she said, "and one cannot be blamed for being born defic

n the present could be confronted and the

y best, and now I must do a bit of trusting. It ha

letter to George Thornton, simply stating tha

the children must be placed in another's care. What Mary felt when Doris explained things

r to Martin, "as if I were wi

ndling the past-the past that la

ing with which to deal emotionally, "the years of devotion to us all. You have made no social

ho

hy-where is

of those who, having served other

already the sound of the river on the rocks and see

ouse? You could not stay ther

-she was further ba

I have most enough to buy the cabin where us-all was born." The

father's old ca

think of it," a suggestion of radiance broke on Mary's fac

-something in her thre

r. She was baffled by Mary, but she saw

ave done for us. You seem to have shown me a way. You shall have the old cabin, if it can be obtained, and it shall be made comfortable for you. It is no

ary rose and came stiffly toward her. When she w

ll pay you back some

as emba

y," she returned, quietly. "It is my turn

ame from Thornton.

South Africa and would be

hing in Doris'

ath for the next str

y went to Dondale

nmistakable delight. Nancy was frightened into silent but smiling acquiescence. She expected, she told Joan, that it would kill her, but she would no

Nan. We all feel death

fference between living and life. To a certain ext

e," wailed Nancy, "

fe-want

the old library was no hidden place to her

hen she was suffering the most that Joan could harden and frighten N

e. He was "Uncle David" to the chi

pleaded with him at parting, her poor little

tin could never patiently endure complications, and Nancy was simple a

ris. "All the girls and the new games and the

e that Nancy called down ex

e, Joan, and Uncle David scowled. You m

fixed Nancy wi

ing is all right-you didn't! You did

igh note, unsuspectingly, "perhaps Au

her intently a

you're all

t her to have any one misunderstand, but it often

iet, thinking of the two little faces she was leavi

d the spiritual essence of the old, dear years-faces that would turn, from now

resently broke out, "I haven'

from behind

ill have those girls coming back to you. They

splendid it was of Joan to act as she did! She'd rat

"You mean Nan

ise herself, but Joan can! Joan w

l life, became Doris's great concern while the school time p

nderful woman-I have learned to trust her absolutely. She has appreciated what I tried to do for the girls; is building on it; she will return them to me-

"I wonder that you ever get results, Do

on and on, and it was hurrying Doris during

arvel of watching the miracle of evolution from the chil

d heard the best in music and drama, permitted herself the luxury of David Martin's friendship, and shared his co

ehow, lost what is the commonplace road for most men and women, have been

in returned. "I'm grateful for eve

ue but comprehensive line of action for the immediat

r the route that Merry and I took-our last journey together. And, David,

ed, but mad

e the term, I'd rather say let them out-just as Merry and I were, in this dea

graduate in June-when the hurrying undercurrent in Doris

splashed, the birds sang, defying the outdoor gloom and chill, and a letter from Miss Phillips

for years, with youth in the making, is both blunted and sharpened. Young girls fall into types-are com

or so, in her big, forceful handwriting

proud to refer to as one of mine; a girl to carry on the tradit

Doris turned over the sheet the smile de

game of life. We know that where we once played straight whist we now

her than an asset. She does everything too well-except the drudgery of the class room, she has managed to endure that, a

lvia Reed, for instance, had to look to her wits to solve her life

y; she acts almost unbelievably well and she wins, without effort, the admiration and affection of all with whom she come

ture radiantly facing life, but as a tired little child in this very room stepping' defeated from the fountain, because she

vowed that Joan should not be defrauded of her

l have he

something happene

t them going again. She glanced at the clock-that had stop

g the eternity when nothing had occurred? She glanced at the clock, a trivial thing against the carving of th

ding the letter--" Doris sought to establish a normal state of affair

have never fainted be

was on the road ahead awaiting her. She had come upon it sooner than she had expected to, that was all. She did not

nnounced to the sunken room and gladly, thankfully, Doris turned

eside her and, while simply taking her hand in greeting, let his trained touch fall upon her pulse. It tol

ave you been

did not remove her hand from his-his touch comforted her

cur. We are too good friends to be anything but frank-I am not afraid, and it is essential

all!" The man's words hurt lik

o-and I am

ct. Your father was fifty-five and might have lived to

let's keep to me. Ho

but I hope-always granting that you will be w

. After all, wha

I should do-as a beginn

and start another kind of

e girls out, you know. They

inging-out farce-that's rot! Those girls will get out by one door or anothe

now, on her lap. She noticed that there was white on the temple where the dark hair had turned; the heav

r us all." Martin noted the tears in the eyes hold

will be so disappointed

and Joan can kick the traces if she wants to-that will do her go

Nancy lov

y life. She's that kind. Flo

e to look at the country, listen to it, play with it-but I am a citizen to the core. It

with the stern expres

ning, and when he spoke he

and then go back and pick it up-now there is

state open to impressions and suggestions from sources outside the explainable, Silver Gap seemed to op

t go back. It was like the heart trouble-a thing on

eeping but filled with wonderful dreams. It gets me! Why, after seeing Ridge House I even went so far as to buy a piece of land known as Blowing Rock Clearing. I've planned, if that scamp of a nephew of mine ever develops into a sawbones, to leave him in charge here and go down Sou

at, David-h

l came easily

rgain. But you see how it all works out. You'll have the time of your life developing your holdings and, at odd moments, I can start my shack. Look upon the change

was sm

irls!" she

them abroad-that will be good for you all, but in the