 Story 1 of Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1896-1901 This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Jadapi. Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1896-1901 by Lucy Maud Montgomery. A Case of Trespass It was the forenoon of a hazy, breathless day, and Dan Phillips was trouting up one of the back creeks of the Carleton Pond. It was somewhat cooler up the creek than out on the main body of water, for the tall birches and willows crowding down to the brim through cool green shadows across it and shut out the scorching glare, while a stray breeze now and then rippled down the wooded slopes, hassling the beach leaves with an airy, pleasant sound. Out in the pond the glassy water creamed and shimmered in the hot sun, unrippled by the faintest breath of air. Across the soft, pearly tints of the horizon, blurred the smoke of the big factory's chimneys that were owned by Mr. Walters, to whom the pond and adjacent property also belonged. Mr. Walters was a comparative stranger in Carleton, having but recently purchased the factories from the heirs of the previous owner. But he had been in charge long enough to establish a reputation for sternness and inflexibility in all his business dealings. One or two of his employees, who had been discharged by him on what they deemed insufficient grounds, helped to deepen the impression that he was an unjust and arbitrary man, merciless to all offenders, and intolerant of the slightest infringement on his cast-iron rules. Dan Phillips had been on the pond ever since sunrise, the trout had risen well in the early morning, but as the day wore on, growing hotter and hotter, they refused to bite, and for half an hour Dan had not caught one. He had a goodly string of them already, however, and he surveyed them with satisfaction, as he rode his leaky little skiff to the shore of the creek. Pretty good catch, he soliloquized, best I've had this summer so far, that big spotted one must weigh near a pound. He's a beauty. They're a good price over the hotels now, too. I'll go home and get my dinner and go straight over with them. That'll leave me time for another try at them about sunset. Phew, how hot it is! I must take LMA home a bunch of them blue flags. They're real handsome. He tied his skiff under the crowding alders, gathered a big bunch of the purple flag lilies with their silky petals, and started homework, whistling cheerily as he stepped briskly along the fern-carpeted wood path that wound up the hill under the beaches and furs. He was a freckled, sunburned lad of thirteen years. His neighbors all said that Danny was as smart as a steel trap, and immediately added that they wondered where he got his smartness from, certainly not from his father. The elder Philips had been denominated shiftless and slack-twisted by all who ever had any dealings with him in his unlucky aimless life, one of those improvident, easygoing souls who sit contentedly down to breakfast with a very faint idea where their dinner is to come from. When he had died no one had missed him unless it were his patient, sad-eyed wife, who bravely faced her hard lot and toiled unremittingly to keep a home for her two children, Dan and a girl two years younger who was a helpless cripple suffering from some form of spinal disease. Dan, who was old and steady for his years, had gone manfully to work to assist his mother. Though he had been disappointed in all his efforts to obtain steady employment, he was active and obliging and earned many a small amount by odd jobs around the village, and by helping the Carlton farmers in planting and harvest. For the last two years, however, his most profitable source of summer income had been the trout pond. The former owner had allowed anyone who wished to fish in his pond, and Dan made a regular business of it, selling his trout at the big hotels over at Mosquito Lake. This, in spite of its unattractive name, was a popular summer resort, and Dan always found a ready market for his catch. When Mr. Walters purchased the property, it somehow never occurred to Dan that the new owner might not be so complacent as his predecessor in the matter of the best trouting pond in the country. To be sure, Dan often wondered why it was the pond was so deserted this summer. He could not recall having seen a single person on it save himself. Still, it did not cross his mind that there could be any particular reason for this. He always fished up in the cool, dim creeks, which long experience had taught him were best for trout, and came and went by a convenient wood path. But he had no thought of concealment in so doing. He would not have cared had all Carlton seen him. He had done very well with his fish so far, and prices for trout at the lake went up every day. Dan was an enterprising boy, and a general favorite with the hotel owners. They knew that he could always be depended on. Mrs. Phillips met him at the door when he reached home. See, mother, said Dan exultantly as he held up his fish, just look at that fellow, will you, a pound if he's an ounce. I ought to get a good price for these, I can tell you. Let me have my dinner now, and I'll go right over to the lake with them. It's a long walk for you, Danny, replied his mother pittingly, and it's too hot to go so far. I'm afraid you'll get sun-struck or something. You better wait till the cool of the evening. You're looking real pale and thin this while back. Oh, I'm all right, mother, assured Dan cheerfully. I don't mind the heat a bit. A fellow must put up with some inconveniences. Why do I bring home the money for these fish? And I mean to have another catch tonight. It's you that's looking tired. I wish you didn't have to work so hard, mother. If I could only get a good place, you could take it easier. Sam French says that Mr. Walters wants a boy up there at the factory, but I know I wouldn't do. I ain't big enough. Perhaps something will turn up soon, though. When our ship comes in, mother, we'll have our good times. He picked up his flags and went into the little room where his sister lay. See what I brought you, LMA? He said as he thrust the cool, moist clusters into her thin, eager hands. Did you ever see such beauties? Oh, Dan, how lovely they are. Thank you ever so much. If you're going over to the lake this afternoon, will you please call it Mrs. Henry's and get those nutmeg geranium slips she promised me? Just look how nice my others are growing. Pink one is going to bloom. I'll bring you all the geranium slips at the lake, if you like. When I get rich, LMA, I'll build you a big conservatory and I'll get every flower in the world in it for you. You shall just live and sleep among posies. Is dinner ready, mother? Trouting's hungry work, I tell you. What paper is this? He picked up a folded newspaper from the table. Oh, that's only an old lake advertiser," answered Mrs. Phillips, as she placed the potatoes on the table and wiped her moist, hot face with the corner of her gingham apron. Letty Mills brought it in around a parcel this morning. It's four weeks old, but I kept it to read, if I ever get time. It's so seldom we see a paper of any kind nowadays, but I haven't looked at it yet. Why, Danny, what on earth is the matter? For Dan, who had opened the paper and glanced over the first page, suddenly gave a choked exclamation and turned pale, staring stupidly at the sheet before him. See, mother? He gasped as she came up in alarm and looked over his shoulder. This is what they read. Notice. Anyone found fishing on my pond at Carlton after date will be prosecuted according to law, without respect of persons. June 1st. H. C. Walters. Oh, Danny, what does it mean? Dan went and carefully closed the door of Ella Mae's room before he replied. His face was pale and his voice shaky. Mean? Well, mother, it just means that I've been stealing Mr. Walters' trout all summer. Stealing them. That's what it means. Oh, Danny, but you didn't know. No, but I ought to have remembered that he was the new owner and have asked him. I never thought, mother. This is prosecuted according to law mean. I don't know, I'm sure, Danny. But if this is so, there's only one thing to be done. You must go straight to Mr. Walters and tell him all about it. Mother, I don't want to. He's a dreadfully hard man. Sam French's father says, I wouldn't believe a word Sam French's father says about Mr. Walters, said Mrs. Phillips firmly. He's got a spite against him because he was dismissed. Besides, Danny, it's the only right thing to do. You know that. We are poor, but we've never done anything underhand yet. Yes, mother, I know, said Dan, gulping his fear bravely down. I'll go, of course. Right after dinner. I was only scared at first. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll clean these trout nicely and take them to Mr. Walters and tell him that if he'll only give me time I'll pay him back every cent of money I got for all I sold this summer. Then maybe he'll let me off, seeing as I didn't know about the notice. I'll go with you, Danny. No, I'll go alone, mother. You needn't go with me," said Dan heroically. To himself he said that his mother had troubles enough. He would never subject her to the added ordeal of an interview with the stern factory owner. He would beard the lion in his den himself if it had to be done. Don't tell Ella May anything about it. It would worry her. Don't cry, mother. I guess it'll be all right. Let me have my dinner now and I'll go straight off. Dan ate his dinner rapidly. Then he carefully cleaned his trout, put them in a long basket with rhubarb leaves over them, and started with an assumed cheerfulness very far from his real feelings. He had barely passed the gate when another boy came shuffling along, a tall, raw-boned lad with an insinuating smile and shifty, cunning eyes. The newcomer nodded familiarly to Dan. Hello, sunny. Going over to the lake with your catch, are you? You'll fry up before you get there. There'll be nothing left of you but a crisp. Now, I'm not going to the lake. I'm going up to the factory to see Mr. Walters. Sam French came a long whistle of surprise. Why, Dan, what's taking you there? You surely ain't thinking of trying for that place, are you? Walters wouldn't look at you. Why, he wouldn't take me. You haven't the ghost of a chance. No, I'm not going for that, Sam. Did you know that Mr. Walters had a notice in the lake advertiser that nobody could fish in his pond this summer? Of course I did, the old skin-flint. He's too mean to live, that's what. He never goes near the pond himself. Regular dog in the manger he is. Dad says, Sam, why didn't you tell me about that notice? Gracious, didn't you know? I supposed everybody did. And here I've been taking you for the cutest chap this side of sunset. Fishing away in that creek where no one could see you and cutting home through the woods on the slide. You don't mean to tell me you never saw that notice. No, I didn't. Do you think I'd have gone near the pond if I had? I never saw it till today. And I'm going straight to Mr. Walters now to tell him about it. Sam French stopped short in the dusty road and stared at Dan in undisguised amazement. Dan Phillips, he ejaculated, have you gone plum out of your mind? Boy, alive, you need to be afraid that I'd peach on you. I'm too blame glad to see anyone get the better of that old Walters. Smart as he thinks himself. Gee, to dream of going to him and telling him you've been fishing in his pond? Why, he'll put you in jail. You don't know what sort of a man he is. My dad says, never mind what your dad says, Sam. My mind's made up. Dan, you chump, listen to me. That notice says prosecuted according to law. Why, Danny, he'll put you in prison or find you or something dreadful. I can't help it if he does, said Danny Stoutly. You get out of here, Sam French, and don't be trying to scare me. I mean to be honest. And how can I be if I don't own up to Mr. Walters that I've been stealing his trout all summer? I'm telling fiddlesticks, Dan. I used to think you were a chap with some sense, but I see I was mistaken. You ain't done no harm. Walters will never miss them trout. If you're so dreadful squeamish that you won't fish no more, why, you needn't. But just let the matter drop and hold your tongue about it. That's my advice. Well, it isn't my mother's then. I mean to go by hers. You needn't argue no more, Sam. I'm going. Go then, said Sam, stopping short and disgust. You're a big fool, Dan, and serve you right if Walter lands you off to jail. But I don't wish you no ill. If I can do anything for your family after you're gone, I will. And I'll try and give your remains Christian burial, if there are any remains. So long, Danny. Give my love to old Walters. Dan was not greatly encouraged by this interview. He shrank more than ever from the thought of facing the stern factory owner. His courage had almost evaporated when he entered the office at the factory and asked shakily for Mr. Walters. He's in his office there," replied the clerk. But he's very busy. Better leave your message with me. I must see Mr. Walters himself, please," said Dan firmly, but with inward trepidation. The clerk swung himself impatiently from his stool and ushered Dan into Mr. Walters' private office. Boy to see you, sir," he said briefly, as he closed the ground-glass door behind him. Dan, dizzy and trembling, stood in the dreaded presence. Mr. Walters was writing at a table covered with a business-like litter of papers. He laid down his pen and looked up with a frown as the clerk vanished. He was a stern-looking man, with deep-set grey eyes and a square, clean-shaven chin. There was not an ounce of superfluous flesh on his frame, and his voice and manner were those of the decided, resolute, masterful man of business. He pointed to a capacious leather chair and said concisely, What's your business with me, boy? Dan had carefully thought out a statement of facts beforehand, but every word had vanished from his memory. He had only a confused, desperate consciousness that he had a theft to confess and that it must be done as soon as possible. He did not sit down. Please, Mr. Walters," he began desperately, I came to tell you, your notice, I never saw it before, and I've been fishing on your pond all summer. But I didn't know. Honest. I've brought you all I caught today, and I'll pay back for them all. Sometime. An amused, puzzled expression crossed Mr. Walters' noncommittal face. He pushed the leather chair forward. Sit down, my boy," he said kindly. I don't quite understand this somewhat mixed-up statement of yours. You've been fishing on my pond, you say? Didn't you see my notice in the advertiser? Dan sat down more supposedly. The revelation was over, and he was still alive. No, sir. We hardly ever see an advertiser, and nobody told me. I'd always been used to fishing there, and I never thought but what it was all right to keep on. I know I ought to have remembered and asked you. But truly, sir, I didn't mean to steal your fish. I used to sell them over at the hotels. We saw the notice today, mother and me, and I came right up. I've brought you the trout I caught this morning, and if only you won't prosecute me, sir, I'll pay back every cent I got for the others. Every cent, sir, if you'll give me time." Mr. Walters passed his hand across his mouth to conceal something like a smile. Your name is Dan Phillips, isn't it? He said irrelevantly. And you live with your mother, the widow Phillips, down there at Carlton Corners, I understand. Yes, sir, said Dan, wondering how Mr. Walters knew so much about him, and if these were the preliminaries of prosecution. Mr. Walters took up his pen and drew a blank sheet towards him. Well, Dan, I put that notice in because I found that many people who used to fish on my pond, irrespective of leave or license, were accustomed to lunch or camp on my property, and did not a little damage. I don't care for trouting myself. I have no time for it. However, I hardly think you'll do much damage. You can keep on fishing there. I'll give you a written permission so that if any of my men see you, they won't interfere with you. As for these trout here, I'll buy them from you at Mosquito Lake Prices, and we'll say no more about the matter. How will that do? Thank you, sir," stammered Dan. He could hardly believe his ears. He took the slip of paper Mr. Walters handed to him and rose to his feet. Wait a minute, Dan. How was it you came to tell me this? You might have stopped your depredations and I should not have been any the wiser. That wouldn't have been honest, sir," said Dan, looking squarely at him. There was a brief silence. Mr. Walters thrummed meditatively on the table. Dan waited, wonderingly. Finally the factory owner said abruptly, There's a vacant place for a boy down here. I want it filled as soon as possible. Will you take it? Mr. Walters? Me? Dan thought the world must be turning upside down. Yes, you. You are rather young, but the duties are not hard or difficult to learn. I think you'll do. I was resolved not to fill that place until I could find a perfectly honest and trustworthy boy for it. I believe I found him. I discharged the last boy because he lied to me about some trifling offense for which I would have forgiven him if he told the truth. I can bear with incompetency, but falsehood and deceit I cannot and will not tolerate," he said. So sternly the Dan's face paled. I am convinced that you are incapable of either. Will you take the place, Dan? I will if you think I can fill it, sir. I'll do my best. Yes, I believe you will. Perhaps I know more about you than you think. Businessmen must keep their eyes open. We'll regard this matter as settled then. Come up tomorrow at eight o'clock and one word more, Dan. You have perhaps heard that I am an unjust and hard master. I am not, the former, and you will never have occasion to find me the latter if you are always as truthful and straightforward as you've been today. You might easily have deceived me in this matter. That you did not do so is the best and only recommendation I require. Take those trout up to my house and leave them. That will do. Good afternoon. Dan somehow got his days' self through the glass door and out of the building. The whole interview had been such a surprise to him that he was hardly sure whether or not he had dreamed it all. I feel as if I were some person else, as he started down the hot white road, but Mother was right. I'll stick to her motto. I wonder what Sam will say to this. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Darcia Douglas. Well, I really think Santa Claus has been very good to us all, said Jean Lawrence, pulling the pins out of her heavy coil of fair hair and putting it ripple over her shoulders. So do I, said Nellie Preston, as well as she could with a mouthful of chocolates. Those blessed home folks of mine seem to have divine by instinct the very things I most wanted. It was the dusk of Christmas Eve and they were all in Jean Lawrence's room at number 16 Chestnut Terrace. Number 16 was a boarding house and boarding houses are not proverbibly cheerful places in which to spend Christmas, but Jean's room, at least, was a pleasant spot and all the girls had brought their Christmas presents in to show each other. Christmas came on Sunday that year and the Saturday evening mail at Chestnut Terrace had been an exciting one. Jean had lighted the pink glowed lamp on her table and the mellow light fell over merry faces as the girls chatted about their gifts. On the table was a big white box heaped with roses that betokened a bit of Christmas extravagance on somebody's part. Jean's brother from Montreal and all the girls were enjoying them in common. Number 16 Chestnut Terrace was overrun with girls generally but just now only five were left all the others had gone home for Christmas but these five could not go and were bent on making the best of it. Belle and Olive Reynolds who were sitting on the bed, Jean could never keep them off of it, were high school girls they were said to be always laughing and even the fact that they could not go home for Christmas because a young brother had measles did not dampen their spirits. Beth Hamilton who was hovering over the roses and Nellie Peterson who was eating candy were art students and their homes were too far away to visit. As for Jean Lawrence, she was an orphan and had no home of her own. She worked on the staff of one of the big city newspapers and the other girls were a little in awe of her cleverness but her nature was a chummy one and her room was a favorite rendezvous. Everybody liked Frank open-handed and hearted Jean. It was so funny to see the postman when he came this evening said Olive he just bulged with parcels they were sticking out in every direction. We all got our share of them said Jean with a sigh of contentment even the cook got six I counted. Miss Allen didn't get a thing not even a letter said Beth quickly Beth had a trick of seeing things that the other girls didn't forgot Miss Allen. No I don't believe she did answer Jean thoughtfully as she twisted up her pretty hair. How dismal it must be to be so forlorn as that on Christmas Eve of old times. I'm so glad I have friends. I saw Miss Allen watching us as we opened our parcels and letters Beth went on. I happened to look up once and such an expression as was on her face girls it was pathetic and sad and envious all at once it really made me feel bad for five minutes she concluded honestly. Hasn't Miss Allen any friends at all asked Beth. No I don't think she has answered Jean she has lived here for fourteen years so Mrs. Pickerel says think of that girls fourteen years at Chestnut Terrace is it any wonder that she's thin and dried up and snappy nobody ever comes to see her and she never goes anywhere said Beth. Dear me she must feel lonely now when everyone else is being remembered by their friends I can't forget her face tonight it actually haunts me girls how would you feel if you hadn't anyone belonging to you and if nobody thought about you at Christmas Ow! said Olive as if the mere idea made her shiver a little silence followed to tell the truth none of them liked Miss Allen they knew that she did not like them either but considered them frivolous and pert and complained when they made a racket the skeleton at the face Jean called her and certainly the presence of the pale silent discontented looking woman at number sixteen table did not tend to heighten its festivity presently Jean said with a dramatic flourish girls I have an inspiration a Christmas inspiration what is it? cried four voices just this let us give Miss Allen a Christmas surprise she's not received a single present and I'm sure she feels lonely just think how we would feel if we were in her place that is true said Olive thoughtfully do you know girls this evening I went to her room with a message from Miss Pickerel and I do believe she'd been crying her room looked dreadfully bare and cheerless too I think she's very poor what are we to do Jean? let us each give her something nice we can put the things just outside of her door so that she'll see them whenever she opens it I'll give her some of Fred's roses too and I'll write a Christmasy letter in my very best style to go with them said Jean warming up to her ideas as she talked the other girls caught her spirit and entered into the plan with enthusiasm splendid cried Beth Jean it's an inspiration sure enough haven't we been horribly selfish thinking of nothing but our own gifts and fun and pleasure I really feel ashamed let us do up the thing the very best way we can said Nellie for getting even her beloved chocolates and her eagerness the shops are open yet let us go uptown and invest five minutes later five captain jacketed figures were scurrying up the street in the frosty starlet December dusk Miss Allen in her cold little room heard their gay voices inside she was crying by herself in the dark it was Christmas for everybody but her she thought drearily in an hour the girls came back with their purchases now let's hold a council of war said Jean jubilantly I hadn't the faintest idea what Miss Allen would like so I just guessed wildly I got her a lace handkerchief and a big bottle of perfume and a paint of photograph frame and I'll stick my own photo in it it was fun that was all I really could afford Christmas purchases have left my purse dreadfully lean I got her a glove box and a pin tray said bell and all have got her a calendar and wood ears poems and besides we're going to give her half of that big plummy fruit cake mother sent us from home I'm sure she hasn't tasted anything so delicious for years for fruit cakes don't grow on chestnut terrace and she never goes anywhere else for a meal Beth had bought a pretty cup and saucer and said she meant to give one of her pretty watercolors too Nellie true to her reputation had invested in a big box of chocolate creams a gorgeously striped candy cane a bag of oranges and a brilliant lamp shade of rose colored crepe paper to top off with it makes such a lot of show for the money she explained I'm bankrupt like Jean well we've got a lot of pretty things said Jean in a tone of satisfaction now we must do them up nicely will you wrap them in tissue paper girls and tie them with baby ribbon here's a box of it while I write that letter while the others chatted over their parcels Jean wrote her letter and Jean could write delightful letters she had a decided talent in that respect and her correspondence all declared her letters to be things of beauty and joy forever she put her best into Miss Allen's Christmas letter since then she's written many bright clever things but I do not believe she's ever in her life wrote anything more genuinely original and delightful than that letter besides breathe the very spirit of Christmas and all the girls declared that it was splendid you must all sign it now said Jean and I'll put it in one of those big envelopes and Nellie won't you write her name on it in fancy letters which Nellie proceeded to do and furthermore embellished the envelope by a border of chubby cherubs dancing hand in hand around it and a sketch of number 16 chestnut terrace in the corner in lieu of a stamp not content with this she hunted out a huge sheet of drying paper and drew upon it an original pen and ink design after her own heart a dudeish cat Miss Allen was fond of the number 16 cat if she could be said to be fond of anything was portrayed seated on a rocker a raiding smoking jacket and cap with a cigar waved early aloft in one paw while the other held out a placard bearing the legend Merry Christmas a second cat in full street costume bound politely hat in paw and waved a banner inscribed with happy new year while faintly suggested kittens gambled around the border the girls laughed until they cried over it and voted it to be the best thing Nellie had yet done in original work all this had taken time and it was past eleven o'clock Miss Allen had cried herself to sleep and everybody else in Chestnut Terrace was a bed when five figures cautiously crept down the hall headed by Jean with a dim lamp outside of Miss Allen's door the procession halted and the girls silently arranged their gifts on the floor that's done whispered Jean in a tone of satisfaction as they tipped back and now let us go to bed or Miss Pickerel bless her heart will be down on us for burning so much midnight oil oil has gone up you know girls it was in the early morning that Miss Allen opened her door but early as it was another door down the hall was half open too and five rosy faces were peering cautiously out the girls had been up for an hour for fear they would miss the site and were all in Nellie's room which commanded a view of Miss Allen's door that lady's face was a study amazement, incredulity wonder, chased each other over it succeeded by a glow of pleasure on the floor before her was a snug little pyramid of parcels taught by Jean's letter on a chair behind it was a bowl of delicious hot house roses and Nellie's placard Miss Allen looked down the hall but saw nothing for Jean had slammed the door just in time half an hour later when they were going down to breakfast Miss Allen came along down the hall without stretched hands to meet them she had been crying again but I think her tears were happy ones and she was smiling now a cluster of Jean's roses were pinned on her breast oh girls, girls she said with a tremble in her voice I can never thank you enough it was so kind and sweet of you you don't know how much good you've done me breakfast was an unusually cheerful affair at number 16 that morning there was no skeleton at the feast and everybody was beaming Miss Allen laughed and talked like a girl herself oh how surprised I was she said the roses were a bit like summer and those cats of Nellie's were so funny and delightful and your letter too Jean I cried and laughed over it I should read it every day for a year after breakfast everyone went to Christmas service the girls went uptown to the church they attended the city was very beautiful in the morning sunshine there had been a white frost in the night public squares seemed like glimpses of fairy land how lovely the world is said Jean it really is the very happiest Christmas morning I've ever known declared Nellie I never felt so really Christmassy in my inmost soul before I suppose said Beth thoughtfully that it is because we've discovered for ourselves the old truth that it's more blessed to give than to receive I've always known it in a way I've never realized it before blessing on Jean's Christmas inspiration said Nellie but girls let us try to make it an all year round inspiration I say we can bring a little bit of our own sunshine into Miss Allen's life as long as we live with her amen to that said Jean Hardley oh listen girls the Christmas chimes and all over the beautiful city was wafted the grand old message of peace on earth and goodwill world end of Christmas inspiration recording by Darcy Douglas Richland Washington Story 3 of Lucy Maud Montgomery short stories 1896 to 1901 this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Lucy Maud Montgomery short stories 1896 to 1901 by Lucy Maud Montgomery a Christmas mistake tomorrow is Christmas announced Teddy Grant exultantly as he sat on the floor struggling manfully with a refractory boot lace that was knotted and tagless and stubbornly refused to go into the eyelets of Teddy's patched boots ain't I glad though hurrah his mother was washing the breakfast in a dreary, listless sort of way she looked tired and down-spirited Ted's enthusiasm seemed to grate on her for she answered sharply Christmas indeed I can't see that it is anything to rejoice over other people may be glad enough but what with winter coming on I'd sooner it was spring than Christmas Mary Alice do lift that child out of the ashes and put its shoes and stockings on seems to be at sixes and sevens here this morning Keith, the oldest boy was coiled up on the sofa calmly working out some algebra problems quite oblivious to the noise around him but he looked up from his slate with his pencil suspended above an obstinate equation to declaim with a flourish Christmas comes but once a year and then mother wishes it wasn't here I don't then son number two who was preparing his own noon lunch of bread and molasses at the table and making an atrocious mess of crumbs and sugary syrup over everything I know one thing to be thankful for and that is that there'll be no school we'll have a whole week of holidays Gordon was noted for his aversion to school and his affection for holidays and we're going to have turkey for dinner getting up off the floor and rushing to secure his share of bread and molasses and cranberry sauce and pound cake ain't we ma? no you are not said Mrs. Grant desperately dropping the dishcloth and snatching the baby on her knee to wipe the crust of cinders and molasses from the chubby pink and white face you may as well know it now children I've kept it from you so far in hopes that something would turn up but nothing has we can't have any Christmas dinner tomorrow we can't afford it I've pinched and saved every way I could for the last month hoping that I'd be able to get a turkey for you anyhow but you'll have to do without it there's that doctor's bill to pay and a dozen other bills coming in and people say they can't wait I suppose they can't but it's kind of hard I must say the little grants stood with open mouths and horrified eyes no turkey for Christmas was the world coming to an end? wouldn't the government interfere if anyone ventured to dispense with a Christmas celebration? the gluttonous teddy stuffed his fists into his eyes and lifted up his voice Keith who understood better than the others the look on his mother's face took his blubbering young brother by the collar and marched him into the porch the twins seeing the summary proceeding swallowed the outcries they had intended to make although they couldn't keep a few big tears from running down their fat cheeks Mrs. Grant looked pityingly at the disappointed faces about her don't cry children you make me feel worse we are not the only ones who will have to do without a Christmas turkey we ought to be very thankful that we have anything to eat at all I hate to disappoint you but it can't be helped never mind mother said Keith comfortingly relaxing his hold upon the porch door whereupon it suddenly flew open and precipitated teddy who had been tugging at the handle heels overhead backwards we know you've done your best it's been a hard year for you just wait though I'll soon be grown up and then you and these greedy youngsters will be every day of the year hello teddy have you got on your feet again mind sir no more blubbering when I'm a man announced teddy with dignity I'd just like to see you put me in the porch and I mean to have turkey all the time and I won't give you any either all right you greedy small boy only take yourself off to school now and let us hear no more squeaks out of you help all of you and give mother a chance to get her work done Mrs. Grant got up and fell to work at her dishes with a brighter face well we mustn't give in perhaps things will be better after a while I'll make a famous bread pudding and you can boil some molasses taffy and ask those little smithsons next door to help you pull it they won't whine for turkey I'll be bound I don't suppose they ever tasted such a thing in all their lives if I could afford it I'd have had all of them into dinner with us that sermon Mr. Evans preached last Sunday kind of stirred me up he said we ought always to try to share our Christmas joy with some poor souls who had never learned the meaning of the word I can't do as much as I'd like to it was different when your father was alive the noisy group grew silent as they always did when their father was spoken of he had died the year before and since his death the little family had had a hard time Keith to hide his feelings began to hector the rest Mary Alice do hurry up here you twin nuisances get off to school if you don't you'll be late and then the master will give you a whipping he won't answer the irrepressible teddy he never whips us he doesn't he stands us on the floor sometimes though he added remembering the many times his own chubby legs had been seen to better advantage on the school platform that man said Mrs. Grant alluding to the teacher makes me nervous he is the most abstracted creature I ever saw in my life it is a wonder to me he doesn't walk straight into the river some day you'll meet him meandering along the street gazing into vacancy and he'll never see you nor hear a word you say half the time yesterday said Gordon chuckling over the remembrance he came in with a big piece of paper he picked up on the entry floor in one hand and his hat in the other and he stuffed his hat into the coal scuttle and hung up the paper on a nail as grave as you please never knew the difference till Ned's slokum went and told him he's always doing things like that Keith had collected his books and now marched his brothers and sisters off to school left alone with the baby Mrs. Grant betook herself to her work with a heavy heart but a second interruption broke the progress of her dishwashing I declare, she said with a surprised glance through the window if there isn't that absent-minded school teacher coming through the yard what can he want? you hope Teddy hasn't been cutting capers in school again for the teacher's last call had been in October and had been occasioned by the fact that the irrepressible Teddy would persist in going to school with his pockets filled with live crickets and in driving them harness to strings up and down the aisle when the teacher's back was turned all mild methods of punishment having failed the teacher had called to talk it over with Mrs. Grant with the happy result that Teddy's behavior had improved in the matter of crickets at least but it was about time for another outbreak Teddy had been unnaturally good for too long a time poor Mrs. Grant feared that it was the calm before a storm and it was with nervous haste that she went to the door and greeted the young teacher he was a slight pale boyish looking fellow with an abstracted, musing look in his large dark eyes Mrs. Grant noticed with amusement that he wore a white straw hat in spite of the season his eyes were directed to her face with his usual unseeing gaze just as though he was looking through me at something a thousand miles away said Mrs. Grant afterwards I believe he was too his body was right there on the step before me but where his soul was is more than your eye or anybody can tell good morning he said absently I have just called on my way to school with a message from Mrs. Miller she wants you all to come up and have Christmas dinner with her tomorrow for the land's sake said Mrs. Grant blankly I don't understand to herself she thought I wish I dared take him and shake him to find if he's walking in his sleep or not you and all the children every one went on the teacher dreamily as if he were reciting a lesson learned beforehand she told me to tell you to be sure and calm shall I say that you will oh yes that is I suppose I don't know said Mrs. Grant incoherently I never expected yes you may tell her will come she concluded abruptly thank you said the abstracted messenger gravely lifting his hat and looking squarely through Mrs. Grant into unknown regions when he had gone Mrs. Grant went in and sat down laughing in a sort of hysterical way I wonder if it is all right could Cornelia really have told him she must I suppose but it is enough to take one's breath Mrs. Grant and Cornelia Miller were cousins and had once been the closest of friends but that was years ago before some spiteful reports and ill-natured gossip had come between them making only a little rift at first that soon widened into a chasm of coldness and alienation therefore this invitation surprised Mrs. Grant greatly Miss Cornelia was a maiden lady of certain years with a comfortable bank account and a handsome old-fashioned house on the hill behind the village she always boarded the school teachers and looked after them maternally she was an active church worker and a tower of strength to struggling ministers and their families if Cornelia has seen fit at last to hold out the hand of reconciliation I'm glad enough to take it dear knows I've wanted to make up often enough but I didn't think she ever would we've both of us got too much pride and stubbornness it's the Turner blood in us that does it the turners were all so set but I mean to do my part now she has done hers and Mrs. Grant made a final attack on the dishes with a beaming face when the little grants came home and heard the news Teddy stood on his head to express his delight the twins kissed each other and Mary Alice and Gordon danced around the kitchen Keith thought himself too big to betray any joy over a Christmas dinner but he whistled while doing the chores until the bear welcome in the yard rang and Teddy in spite of unheard of misdemeanors was not collared off into the porch once when the young teacher got home from school that evening he found the yellow house full of all sorts of delectable odors Miss Cornelia herself was concocting mince pies after the famous family recipe while her ancient and faithful handmaid and Hannah was straining into molds the cranberry jelly the open pantry door revealed a tempting array of Christmas delicacies did you call and invite the Smithsons up to dinner as I told you asked Miss Cornelia anxiously yes was the dreamy response as he glided through the kitchen and vanished into the hall Miss Cornelia crimped the edges of her pies delicately with a relieved air I made certain he'd forget it she said you just have to watch him as if he were a mere child didn't I catch him yesterday starting off to school in his carpet slippers and in spite of me he got away today in that ridiculous summer hat you'd better set that jelly in the out pantry to cool Hannah it looks good I'll give those poor little Smithsons a feast for once in their lives if they never get another at this juncture the hall door flew open and Mr. Palmer appeared on the threshold he seemed considerably agitated and for once his eyes had lost their look of space searching Miss Miller I am afraid I did make a mistake this morning it has just dawned on me I am almost sure that I called it Mrs. Grant's I invited her and her family instead of the Smithsons and she said they would come Miss Cornelia's face was a study Mr. Palmer she said flourishing her crimping fork tragically do you mean to say you went and invited Linda Grant here tomorrow Linda Grant of all the women in this world I did said the teacher with penitent wretchedness it was very careless of me I am very sorry what can I do I'll go down and tell them I made a mistake if you like you can't do that groaned Miss Cornelia sitting down and wrinkling up her forehead in dire perplexity it would never do in the world for pity's sake let me think for a minute Miss Cornelia did think to good purpose evidently for her forehead smoothed out as her meditations proceeded and her face brightened then she got up briskly well you've done it and no mistake I don't know that I'm sorry either anyhow we'll leave it as it is but you must go straight down now and invite the Smithsons too and for pity's sake don't make any more mistakes when he had gone Miss Cornelia opened her heart to Hannah I never could have done it myself never the Turner is too strong in me but I'm glad it's done I've been wanting for years to make up with Linda and now the chance has come thanks to that blessed blundering boy I mean to make the most of it mind Hannah you never whisper a word about it's being a mistake Linda must never know poor Linda she's had a hard time Hannah we must make some more pies and I must go straight down to the store and get some more Santa Claus stuff I've only got enough to go around the Smithsons when Mrs. Grant and her family arrived at the yellow house next morning Miss Cornelia herself ran out bare-headed to meet them the two women shook hands a little stiffly and then a rill of lung repressed affection trickled out from some secret spring in Miss Cornelia's heart and she kissed her new found old friend tenderly Linda returned the kiss warmly and both felt that the old time friendship was theirs again the little Smithsons all came and they and the little grants sat down on the long bright dining room to a dinner that made history in their small lives and was eaten over again in happy dreams for months how those children did eat and how beaming Miss Cornelia and grim-faced soft-hearted Hannah and even the absent-minded teacher himself enjoyed watching them after dinner Miss Cornelia distributed among the delighted little souls the presents she had bought for them and then turned them loose in the big shining kitchen to have a taffy-pull and they had it to their hearts content and as for the shocking taffy-fied state into which they got their own rosy faces and that once immaculate domain well as Miss Cornelia and Hannah never said one word about it neither will I the four women enjoyed the afternoon in their own way and the school teacher buried himself in algebra to his own great satisfaction when her guests went home in the starlit December dusk Miss Cornelia walked part of the way with them and had a long confidential talk with Mrs. Grant when she returned it was to find Hannah groaning in and over the kitchen and the school teacher dreamily trying to clean some molasses off his boots with the kitchen hairbrush long suffering Miss Cornelia rescued her property and dispatched Mr. Palmer into the woodshed to find the shoe brush then she sat down and laughed Hannah what will become of that boy yet there's no counting on what he'll do next I don't know how he'll ever get through the world I'm sure but I'll look after him while he's here at least I owe him a huge debt of gratitude for this Christmas blunder what an awful mess this place is in but Hannah did you ever in the world see anything so delightful as that little Tommy Smithson stuffing himself with plum cake not to mention Teddy Grant it did me good just to see them End of A Christmas Mistake Recording by Tricia G All LibraVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibraVox.org Recording by Rashada Will you go to the code with me this afternoon? It was Marion Leslie who asked the question Esther Brooke Elliott unpinned with a masterful touch the delicate cluster of noisette rosebud she wore at her throat and transferred them to his buttonhole as he answered courteously Certainly My time as you know is entirely at your disposal They were standing in the garden under the creamy bloom of drooping akisha trees One long plume of blossoms touched lightly the soft golden brown coils of the girl's hair and cast a wavering shadow over the beautiful flower-like face beneath it Esther Brooke Elliott standing before her thought proudly that he had never seen a woman who might compare with her In every detail she satisfied his critical, fastidious taste There was not a discordant touch about her Esther Brooke Elliott had always loved Marion Leslie or thought he had They had grown up together from childhood He was an only son and she an only daughter It had always been an understood thing between the two families of the boy and girl should marry Marion's father had decreed that no positive pledge should pass between them until Marion was twenty-one Esther Brooke accepted this mapped out destiny and selected bride with the conviction that he was an exceptionally lucky fellow Out of all the women in the world Marion was the very one whom he would have chosen as mistress of his fine old home She had been his boyhood's ideal He believed that he loved her, sincerely but he was not too much in love to be blind to the worldly advantages of this marriage with his cousin His father had died two years previously leaving him wealthy and independent Marion had lost her mother in childhood Her father died when she was eighteen Since then she had lived alone with her aunt Her life was quiet and lonely Esther Brooke's companionship was all that brightened it but it was enough Marion lavished on him all the rich womanly love of her heart On her twenty-first birthday they were formerly betrothed They were to be married in the following autumn No shadow had drifted across the heaven of her happiness She believed herself secure in her lover's unfaltering devotion True, at times she thought his manner lacked a lover's passionate ardor He was always attentive and courteous She had only too utter a wish to find it had been anticipated He spent every spare minute at her side Yet sometimes she half wished he would betray more lover-like impatience and intensity Were all lovers as calm and undemonstrative? She reproached herself for this insipid disloyalty as often as it vexingly intruded its unwelcome presence across her inner consciousness Surely Esther Brooke was fond and devoted enough to satisfy the most exciting demands of affection Marion herself was somewhat undemonstrative and reserved Passing acquaintances called her cold and proud Only the privileged few knew the rich depths of the womanly tenderness in her nature Esther Brooke thought that he fully appreciated her As he had walked homeward the night of their betrothal he had reviewed with unconscious criticism his mental catalogue of Marion's graces and good qualities admitting with supreme satisfaction that there was not one thing about her that he could wish changed This afternoon under the Acheshas they had been planning about their wedding There was no one to consult but themselves They were to be married early in September and then go abroad Esther Brooke mapped out the details of their bridal tour with careful thoughtfulness They would visit all the old world places that Marion wished to see Afterwards they would come back home He discussed certain changes he wished to make in the old Elliott mansion to fit it for a young and beautiful mistress He did most of the planning Marion was content to listen in happy silence Afterwards she had proposed this walk to the Cove What particular object of charity have you founded the Cove now? This is the first Esther Brooke with lazy interests as they walked along Mrs. Barrett's little Bessie is very ill with fever answered Marion Then catching his anxious look she hastened to add It is nothing infectious Some kind of a slow sapping variety There is no danger Esther Brooke I was not afraid for myself He replied quietly My alarm was for you You are too precious to me Marion For me to permit you to risk health and life if it were dangerous and boundiful you are to those people at the Cove When we are married you must take me in hand and teach me your creative charity I'm afraid I have lived a rather selfish life You will change all that dear You will make a good man of me You are that now Esther Brooke She said softly If you were not I could not love you It is a negative sort of goodness I fear I have never been tried or tempted severely Perhaps I should fail under the test I am sure you would not Answered Marion proudly Esther Brooke laughed Her faith in him was pleasant He had no thought but that he would prove worthy of it The Cove so-called was a little fishing hamlet situated on the low sandy shore of a small bay The houses clustered in one spot seemed like nothing so much as larger shells washed up by the sea so gray and bleached were they from long exposure to sea winds and spray Dozens of ragged children were playing about them mingled with several disreputable yellow currs that yapped noisily at the strangers Down on the sandy strip of beach below the houses groups of men were lounging about The mackerel season had not yet set in The spring herring, netting, was past It was holiday time among the sea folks They were enjoying it to the full A happy, ragged colony, careless of what the morrows might bring forth Out beyond the boats were at anchor Floating as gracefully on the twinkling water as seabirds, their tall mass bowing landward on the swell A lazy, dreamful calm had fallen over the distant seas The horizon blues were pale and dim Faint purple hazes blurred the outlines of far-off headlands and cliffs The yellow sand sparkled in the sunshine as if powdered with jewels A murmurous babble of life buzzed about the hamlet pierced through by the shrill undertones of the wrangling children Most of whom had paused in their play to scan the visitors with covert curiosity Marion led the way to a house apart from the others at the very edge of the shelving rock The doorway was scrupulously clean and unlittered The little footpath through it was neatly bordered by the white clam shells Several thrifty geraniums and bloom looked out from the muslin-curtained windows Bessie's much the same as Leslie She said an answer to Marion's inquiry The doctor you sent was here today and did all he could for her She seemed quite hopeful She don't complain or nothing, just lies there in moans Sometimes she gets restless It's very kind of you to come so often, Miss Leslie Here, Madeline Will you put this basket the ladies brought up there on the shelf? A girl who had been sitting unnoticed with her back to the visitors at the head of the child's cot in one corner of the room stood up and slowly turned around Marion and Estherbrook Elliott both started with involuntary surprise Estherbrook caught his breath like a man who would be awakened from sleep In the name of all that was wonderful who or what could this girl be so little in harmony with her surroundings Standing in the corpuscular light of the corner her marvelous beauty shone out with the vivid richness of some rare painting She was tall and the magnificent proportions of her figure were enhanced rather than marred by the severely plain dress of dark print that she wore The heavy masses of her hair a shining auburn dashed with golden foam were coiled in a rich glossy knot at the back of the classically mottled head and rippled back from a low brow whose wax and fairness even the breezes of the ocean had spared The girl's face was a full perfect oval with features of faultless regularity and the large full eyes were of tawny hazel darkened into inscrutable gloom in the dimness of the corner Not even Marion Leslie's face was more delicately tinted but not a trace of color appeared in the smooth marble-like cheeks Yet the wax and pallor bore no trace of disease or weakness and the large curving mouth was of an intense crimson She stood quite motionless There was no trace of embarrassment or self-consciousness in her pose When Miss Barrett said This is my niece Madeline Crawford She merely inclined her head in grave silent acknowledgment As she moved forward to take Marion's basket she seemed oddly out of place in the low crowded room with her strange restraint over the group Marion rose and went over to the cot laying her slender hand on the hot forehead of the little sufferer The child opened its brown eyes questioningly How are you today, Bessie? Madeline, I want Madeline moaned the little plaintive voice Madeline came over and stood beside Marion Leslie She wants me She said in a low, thrilling voice free from all harsh accent or intonation She seemed to know always Yes, darling Madeline is here, right beside you She will not leave you She knelt by the little cot and passed her arm under the child's neck drawing the curly head close to her throat with a tender, soothing motion Esther Brooke Elliott watched the two women intently The one standing by the cot arrayed in simple yet costly apparel with her beautiful high-bred face and the other kneeling on the bare sanded floor in her print dress with her beautiful low over the child and the long fringe of burnished lashes sweeping the cold pallor of the oval cheek From the moment that Madeline Crawford's haunting eyes had looked straight into his for one fleeting second an unnameable thrill of pain and pleasure stirred his heart a thrill so strong and sudden and passionate that his face paled with emotion The room seemed to swim before his eyes in a mist out of which gleamed that wonderful face with its mesmeric, darkly radiant eyes burning their way into deeps and abysses of his soul hitherto unknown to him When the mist cleared away and his head grew steadier he wondered at himself yet he trembled in every limb and the only clear idea that struggled out of his confused thoughts was an over-mastering desire to take that cold face between his hands and kiss it until its passionless marble glowed into warm and throbbing life Who is that girl? he said abruptly when they left to the cottage she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen present company always accepted he concluding it with a depreciatory laugh the delicate bloom on Marion's face deepened slightly you had much better have omitted that last sentence she said quietly it was so palpably an afterthought Yes, she is wonderfully lovely a strange beauty I fancied there seemed something odd and uncanny about it to me she must be Mrs. Barrett's niece I remember that when I was down here about a month ago Mrs. Barrett told me she expected a niece of hers to live with her four time at least her parents were both dead the father having died recently Mrs. Barrett seemed troubled about her she said that the girl had been well brought up and used to better things than the cove could give her and she feared that she would be very discontented and unhappy I had forgotten all about it until I saw the girl today she certainly seems to be a very superior person she will find the cove very lonely I am sure it is not probable she will stay there long I must see what I can do for her but her manner seemed rather repellent don't you think hardly, responded Esther curtly she seemed surprisingly dignified and self-possessed I fancied for a girl in her position a princess could not have looked and bowed more royally there was not a shadow of embarrassment in her manner in spite of the incongruity of her surroundings you had much better leave her alone, Marion in all probability she would resent any condescension on your part what wonderful deep lovely eyes she has again the sensitive color flushed Marion's cheek as his voice lapsed unconsciously into a dreamy retrospective tone and a slight restraint came over her manner which did not depart Estherbrook went away at sunset Marion asked him to remain for the evening but he pleaded some excuse I shall come tomorrow afternoon, he said as he stooped to drop a careless goodbye kiss on her face Marion watched him wistfully as he rode away with an unaccountable pain in her heart she felt more acutely than ever that there were depths in her lover's nature that she was powerless to stir into responsive life had any other that power she thought of the girl at the cove with her deep eyes and wonderful face a chill of premonitory fear seized upon her I feel exactly as if Estherbrook had gone away from me forever she said slowly to herself stooping to brush her cheek against a duped cold milk white quiche bloom and would never come back to me again if that could happen I wonder what there would be left to live for Estherbrook Elliot meant or honestly thought he meant to go home Marion nevertheless when he reached the road branching off to the cove he turned his horse down it with a flush on his dark cheek he realized that the motive of the action was loyal to Marion and he felt ashamed of his weakness but the desire to see Madeline Crawford once more and to look into the depths of her eyes were stronger than all else and overpowered every throb of duty and resistance he saw nothing of her when he reached the cove he could think of no excuse for calling her at cottage so he rode slowly past the Hamlet and along the shore the sun red as a smoldering ember was half buried in the silken violet ram of the sea the west was a vast lake of saffron and rose and ethereal green through which floated the curved shallop of a thin new moon slowly deepening from lustrous white through gleaming silver into burnished gold and attended by one solitary pearl white star the vast concave of sky above was a violet infinite and flawless far out dusky amethystine islets clustered like gems on the shining breasts of the bay the little pools of water along the low shores glowed like mirrors of polished jasmine the small pine fringe headlands ran out into the water cutting its lustrous blue expanse like purple wedges as Esther Brook turned one of them he saw Madeline standing out on the point of the next a short distance away her back was towards him and her splendid figure was outlined darkly against the vivid sky Esther Brook sprang from his horse and left the animal standing by itself while he walked swiftly out to her his heart throb, suffocatingly he was conscious of no direct purpose save merely to see her she turned when he reached her with a slight start of surprise his footsteps had made no sound on the tide rippled sand as they faced each other so eyes burning into eyes with mute soul probing and questioning the sun had disappeared leaving a stain of fiery red to Marcus Grave the weird radiant light was startlingly vivid and clear little crisp puffs and flakes of foam scurried over the point like elven things the fresh wind blowing up the bay tossed the lustrous rings of hair about Madeline's pale face all the routed shadows of the hour found refuge in her eyes not a trace of color appeared in her face under Esther Brook Elliott's burning gaze but when he said Madeline a single hot scorch of crimson flamed up into her cheeks protestingly she lifted her hand with a splendid gesture but no word passed her lips Madeline have you nothing to say to me he asked coming closer to her with an imploring passion in his face never seen by Mary and Leslie's eyes he reached out his hand but she stepped back from his touch what should I have to say to you say that you were glad to see me I am not glad to see you you have no right to come here but I knew you would come you knew it how your eyes told me so today I am not blind I can see further than those Delfisher folks yes I knew you would come that is why I came here tonight and not to come again why must you tell me that Madeline because I have told you you have no right to come but if I will not obey you if I will come into finance of your prohibition she turned her steady luminous eyes on his pale set face you would stamp yourself as a madman then she said coldly I know that you are Miss Leslie's promised husband therefore you are either false to her or insulting to me in either case the companionship of Madeline Crawford is not what you must seek go she turned away from him with an imperious gesture of dismissal Esther Brooke Elliott stepped forward and caught one firm white wrist I shall not obey you he said in a low intense tone his fine eyes burned into hers you may send me away but I will come back again and yet again until you have learned to welcome me why should you meet me like an enemy why can we not be friends the girl faced him once more because she said proudly I am not your equal there can be no friendship between us there ought not to be Madeline Crawford the fisherman's niece is no companion for you you will be foolish as well as disloyal if you ever try to see me again go back to the beautiful high bread woman you love and forget me perhaps you think I'm talking strangely perhaps you think we bold and unwombly to speak so plainly to you a stranger but there are some circumstances in life when plain speaking is best I do not want to see you again now go back to your own world Esther Brooke Elliott slowly turned from her and walked in silence back to the shore in the shadows of the point he stopped to look back at her standing out like some inspired prophetess against the fiery background of the sunset sky and silver blue water the sky overhead was thick stone with stars the night breeze was blowing up from its lair in distant echoing sea caves on his right the lights of a cove twinkled out through the dusk I feel like a coward and a traitor he said slowly good god what is this madness that has come over me is this my boasted strength of manhood a moment later the hoof beats of his horse died away up the shore Madeline Crawford lingered on point until the last dull red faded out into the violet gloom of the June sea dusk then which nothing can be rare or diviner and listen to the moan and murmur of the sea far out over the bay with sorrowful eyes and sternly set lips the next day when the afternoon sun hung hot and heavy over the water Esther Brooke Elliott came again to the cove he found it deserted a rumour of mackerel had come and every boat had sailed out in the rose red dawn to the fishing grounds but down on the strip of sparkling yellow sand he saw Madeline Crawford standing her hand on the rope that fastened a small white dory to the fragment of a half embedded wreck she was watching a howl of gulls clustered on the tip of a narrow sandy spit running out to the left she turned at the sound of his hurried footfall behind her her face paled slightly and into the depths of her eyes a passionate mesmeric glow that faded as quickly as it came you see I have come back in spite of your command Madeline I do see it she answered in a gravely treble voice you are a madman who refuses to be warned where are you going Madeline she had loosened the rope from the wreck I am going to row over to Chapel Point for salt they think the boats will come in tonight loaded with mackerel look at them away out there by the score will be needed can you row so far alone easily I learned to row long ago for a pastime then since coming here I find it of great service to me she stepped lightly into the tiny shallow and picked up an oar the brilliant sunshine streamed about her burnishing the rich tints of her hair into ruddy gold she balanced herself to the swaying of the dory with a grace of a seabird the man looking at her felt his brain real time Mr. Elliott for answer he sprang into the dory and snatching an oar pushed against the old wreck with such energy that the dory shot out from the shore like a foam bell his sudden spring had set it rocking violently Madeline almost lost her footing and caught blindly at his arm as her fingers closed on his wrist a thrill as a fire shot through his every vein why have you done this Mr. Elliott you must go back to Masterfully looking straight into her eyes with an imperiousness that sat well upon him I am going to row you over to Chapel Point I have the oars I will be mastered this once at least for an instant her eyes flashed defiant protest then drooped before his a sudden hot blush crimsoned her pale face his will had mastered hers the girl trembled from head to foot and the proud sensitive mouth quivered into the face of the man watching her breathlessly flashed a triumphant passionate joy he put out his hand and gently pushed her down into the seat sitting opposite he took up the oars and pulled out over the sheet of sparkling blue water through which at first the bottom of white sand glimmered wavily but afterwards deepened to translucent dim depths of greenness his heart throbbed tumultuously once the thought of Mary and drifted across his mind like a chill breath of wind but it was forgotten when his eyes met Magdalen's tell me about yourself Magdalen he said at last breaking the tremulous charmed sparkling silence there is nothing to tell she answered with characteristic straight boardness my life has become a very uneventful one I have never been rich or very well educated but it used to be different from now I had some chance before before father died you must have found it very lonely and strange when you came here first yes at first I thought I should die but I do not mind it now I have made friends with the sea it has taught me a great deal there was a kind of inspiration in the sea when one listens to its never ceasing murmur far out there always sounding at midnight and midday one's soul goes out to meet eternity sometimes it gives me so much pleasure that it is almost pain she stopped abruptly I don't know why I am talking to you like this you are a strange girl Magdalen have you no other companion than the sea no why should I wish to have I shall not be here long Elliot's face contracted with a spasm of pain you are not going away Magdalen yes in the fall I have my own living to earn you know I am very poor uncle and aunt are very kind but I cannot consent to burden them any longer than I can help a sigh that was almost a moan broke from Esterbrook Elliot's lips you must not go away Magdalen you must stay here with me you forget yourself she said proudly how dare you speak to me so have you forgotten Miss Leslie or are you a traitor to us both Esterbrook made no answer out his pale miserable face before her self-condemned the breast of the bay sparkled with its countless gems like the breasts of a fair woman the shores were purple and amethystine in the distance far out, bluish, phantom-like sails clustered against the pallid horizon the dory danced like a feather over the ripples they were close under the shadow of Chapel Point Mary and Leslie waited in vain for her lover that afternoon when he came at last in the odorous dusk of the June night she met him on the Achesha-Shadowed veranda with cold sweetness perhaps some subtle woman instinct whispered to her where and how he had spent the afternoon for she offered him no kiss nor did she ask him why he had failed to come sooner his eyes lingered on her in the dim light taking in every detail of her sweet womanly refinement and loveliness and with difficulty he choked back a groan again he asked himself what madness had come over him and again for an answer rose up the vision of Madeline Crawford's face as he had seen it that day crimsoning beneath his gaze it was late when he left Mary and watched him out of sight standing under the Achesha's she shivered as with a sudden chill I feel as I think Vashti must have felt she murmured aloud when discrowned and uncleaned she crept out of the gates of Shushan to hide her broken heart I wonder if Esther has already usurped my scepter has that girl at the cove with her pale, priest-like face and mysterious eyes stolen his heart from me perhaps not for it may never have been mine I know that Esther Brooke Elliott will be true to the letter of his vows to me no matter what it may cost him but I want no pallet shadow of the love that belongs to another the hour of abdication is at hand I fear Esther Brooke Elliott will be left for throneless Vashti then Esther Brooke Elliott walking home through the mocking calm of the night fought a hard battle with himself he was face to face with the truth at last the bitter knowledge that he had never loved Mary and Leslie saved with the fond brotherly affection and that he did love Madeline Crawford with a passion that threatened to sweep before it every vestige of his honor and loyalty he had seen her but three times in his hand he shut his eyes and groaned what madness what unutterable folly he was not free he was bound to another by every court of honor and self-respect and even were he free Madeline Crawford would be no fit wife for him in the eyes of the world at least a girl from the cove a girl with little education and no social standing, I but he loved her in his misery a far down the slope the bay waters lay like an inky strip and the distant murmur of the sea came out of the stillness of the night the lights at the cove glimmered faintly in the weeks that followed he went to the cove every day sometimes he did not see Madeline at other times he did but at the end of the week he had conquered in the bitter heart-crushing struggle with himself if he had weekly given way to the first mad sweep of a new passion the strength of his manhood reasserted itself at last faltering and wavering were over though there was passionate pain in his voice when he said at last I am not coming back again Madeline they were standing in the shadow of the pine fringe point that ran out to the left of the cove they had been walking together along the shore watching the splendor of the sea sunset that flamed and glowed in the west where there was a sea of mackerel clouds crimson and amber tinted with long ribbon-like strips of apple-green sky between they had walked in silence hand in hand as children might have done yet with the stirrer and throb of a mighty passion seething in their hearts Madeline turned as Esther Rook spoke and looked at him in a long silence the bays stretched out before them tranced and shimmering a few stars shone down through the gloom of dusk right across the translucent greens as in blues of the west hung a dark unsightly cloud like the blurred outline of a monster's bat in the dim reflected light the girl's mournful face took on a weird unearthly beauty she turned her eyes from Esther Rook Elliott's set light face to the radiant gloom of the sea that is best she answered at last slowly best yes better than we had never met I love you you know it words are idle between us I never loved before I thought I did I made a mistake and I must pay the penalty of that mistake you understand me I understand she answered simply I do not excuse myself I have been weak and cowardly and disloyal but I have conquered myself I will be true to the woman to whom I am pledged you and I must not meet again I will crush this madness to death I think I've been delirious ever since that day I saw you first Madeline my brain is clearer now I see my duty and I mean to do it at any cost I dare not trust myself to say more Madeline I have so much for which I ask your forgiveness there is nothing to forgive she said steadily I have been as much to blame as you if I had been as resolute as I ought to have been if I had sent you away the second time as I did the first this would not have come to pass I have been weak too and I deserve to atone for my weakness by suffering there is only one path open to us Mr. Brook goodbye her voice quivered with an uncontrollable spasm of pain but the misty mournful eyes did not swerve from his the man stepped forward and caught her in his arms Madeline goodbye my darling kiss me once only once before I go she loosened his arms and stepped back proudly no no man kisses my lips unless he is my husband goodbye dear he bowed his head silently and went away looking back not once else he might have seen her kneeling on the damp sand weeping noisesly and passionately Mary and Leslie looked at his pale determined face the next evening and read it like an open book she had grown paler herself there were purple shadows under the sweet violet eyes that might have hinted of her own sleepless nights she greeted him calmly holding out a steady white hand of welcome she saw the traces of the struggle through which he had passed and knew that he had come off the victor the knowledge made her task a little harder it would have been easier to let slip the straining cable than to cast it from her when it lay unresistingly in her hand for an instant her heart thrilled with an unutterable sweet hope might he not forget in time need she snap and twain the weakened bond between them after all perhaps she might win back her lost scepter yet if womanly pride throttled the struggling hope no divided allegiance no hollow semblance of queenship for her her opportunity came when esther brook asked with grave earnestness if their marriage might not be hastened little could he not have his bride in august for a fleeting second marrying closed her eyes and the slender hands lying among the laces in her lap clasped each other convulsively then she said quietly sometimes I have thought esther brook that it might be better if we were never married at all esther brook turned his startled face upon her not married at all maryon what do you mean just what I say I do not think we are as well suited to each other after all as we have fancied we have loved each other as brother and sister might that is all I think it will be best to be brother and sister forever nothing more esther brook sprang to his feet maryon do you know what you were saying you surely cannot have heard I told you I have heard nothing she interrupted hurriedly no one has told me anything I have only said what I have been thinking of late I am sure we have made a mistake it is not too late to remedy it you will not refuse my request esther brook you will set me free good heavens maryon he said hoarsely I cannot realize that you are an earnest have you ceased to care for me the rigidly locked hands were clasped a little tighter no I shall always care for you as my friend if you will let me but I know we could not make each other happy the time for that has gone by I would never be satisfied nor would you esther brook will you release me from a promise which has become an irksome fetter he looked down on her upturned face mistily a great joy was surging up in his heart yet it was mingled with great regret he knew none better what was passing out of his life what he was losing when he lost that pure womanly nature if you really mean this maryon he said slowly if you really have come to feel that your truest love is not and never can be mine that I cannot make you happy then there is nothing for me to do but to grant your request you are free thank you dear she said gently as she stood up she slipped his ring from her finger and held it out to him he took it mechanically he still felt days and unreal maryon held out her hand good night esther brook she said a little warily I feel tired I am glad you see it all in the same light as I do maryon he said earnestly clasping the outstretched hand are you sure that you will be happy quite sure she answered with a faint smile I am not acting rashly I have thought it all over carefully things are much better so dear we will always be friends your joys and your sorrows will be to me as my own when another love comes to bless your life esther brook I will be glad and now good night I want to be alone now at the doorway I turn to look back at her standing in all her sweet statelyness in the twilight duskness and the keen realization of all he had lost made him bow his head with a quick pang of regret then he went out into the darkness of the summer night an hour later he stood alone on the little point where he had parted with magdalene the night before a restless night wind was moaning through the pines that fringed the bank behind him the moon shone down radiantly and the moon expanded the bay into a milk white sheen he took marion's ring from his pocket and kissed it reverently then he threw it from him far out over the water for a second the diamond flashed in the moonlight then with a tiny splash it fell among the ripples ester brook turned his face to the cove lying dark and silent in the curve between the crescent headlands a solitary light glimmering from the low eaves of the barred cottage tomorrow was his unspoken thought i will be free to go back to magdalene end of a straight allegiance recording by marshada story 5 of lucy maude montgomery short stories 1896 to 1901 this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information please visit libravox.org recording by joe carrabass lucy maude montgomery short stories 1896 to 1901 by lucy maude montgomery an invitation given on impulse it was a gloomy saturday morning the trees and the oak lawn grounds were tossing wildly in the gusts of wind and sodden brown leaves were blown up against the windows of the library where a score of girls were waiting for the principal to bring the mail in the big room echoed with the pleasant sound of girlish voices and low laughter for in a fortnight school would be closed for the holidays and they were all talking about their plans and anticipations only ruth manoring was as usual sitting by herself near one of the windows looking out on the misty lawn she was a pale slender girl with a sad face and was dressed in a rather shabby black she had no special friend at oak lawn and the other girls did not know much about her if they had thought about it at all they would probably have decided that they did not like her but for the most part they simply overlooked her it was not altogether their fault Ruth was poor and apparently friendless but it was not her poverty that was against her Lou Scott who was as poor as a church mouse to quote her own frank admission was the most popular girl in the seminary the boon companion of the richest girls and in demand with everybody but Lou was jolly and frank and offhanded while Ruth was painfully shy and reserved and that was the secret of the whole matter there was no fun in her the girls said and so it came about that she was left out of their social life and was almost as solitary at oak lawn as if she had been the only girl there she was there for the special purpose of studying music and expected to earn her own living by teaching it when she left she believed that the girls looked down on her on this account this was unjust of course but Ruth had no idea how much her own coldness and reserve had worked against her across the room Carol Golden was as usual the center of an animated group Golden Carol as her particular friends sometimes called her partly because of her beautiful voice and partly because of her wonderful fleece of golden hair Carol was one of the seminary pets and seemed to Ruth Manoring to have everything that she had not presently the mail was brought in and there was a rush to the table followed by exclamations of satisfaction or disappointment in a few minutes the room was almost deserted only two girls remained Carol Golden who had dropped into a big chair to read her many letters and Ruth Manoring who had not received any and had gone silently back to her part of the window presently Carol gave a little cry of delight her mother had written that she might invite any friend she wished home to spend the holidays Carol had asked for this permission and now that it had come she was ready to dance for joy as to whom she would ask there could be only one answer to that of course it must be her particular friend, Maude Russell who was the cleverest and prettiest girl at Oakland at least so her admirers said she was undoubtedly the richest and was the acknowledged leader the girls had affectionately called her princess and Carol adored her with that romantic affection this found only among school girls she knew too that Maude would surely accept her invitation because she did not intend to go home her parents were traveling in Europe and she expected to spend her holidays with some cousins who were almost strangers to her Carol was so much pleased that she felt as if she must talk to somebody so she turned to Ruth isn't it delightful to think that we'll all be going home in a fortnight yes very for those that have homes to go to said Ruth drearily Carol felt a quick pang of pity and self-reproach haven't you she asked Ruth shook her head in spite of herself the kindness of Carol's tone brought the tears to her eyes my mother died a long time ago she said in a trembling voice and since then I've had no real home we were quite alone in the world mother and I and now I have nobody oh I'm so sorry for you cried Carol impulsively she leaned forward and took Ruth's hand in a gentle way and do you mean that you'll have to stay here all through the holidays why it will be horrid no I shall not mind it much said Ruth quickly with study and practice most of the time only now when everyone's talking about it it makes me wish that I had some place to go Carol dropped Ruth's hand suddenly in the shock of a sudden idea that darted into her mind a straight girl passing through the hall called out Ruth Miss Civeter wishes to see you about something see Ruth got up quickly she was glad to get away for it seemed to her that in another minute she would break down altogether Carol Golden hardly noticed her departure she gathered up her letters and went abstractedly to a room unhating a gay call for golden Carol from a group of girls in the corridor Maude Russell was not in and Carol was glad she wanted to be alone to fight down that sudden idea it's ridiculous to think of it she said aloud with a petulance very unusual in golden Carol whose disposition was as sunny as her looks why I simply cannot I have always been longing to ask Maude to visit me and now that the chance has come I am not going to throw it away I'm very sorry for Ruth of course must be dreadful to be all alone like that but it isn't my fault and she is so fearfully quiet and dowdy what would they all think of her at home Frank and Jack would make such fun of her I shall ask Maude just as soon as she comes in Maude did come in presently but Carol did not give her the invitation instead she was almost snappish to her idol and the princess soon went out again in something of a huff oh dear, cried Carol now I've offended her what has got into me what a disagreeable thing a conscience is although I'm sure I don't know why mine should be prodding me so I don't want to invite Ruth Manning home with me for the holidays but I feel exactly as if I should not have a minutes piece of mine all the time if I didn't mother would think it all right of course she would not mind if Ruth dressed in calico and never said anything but yes and no how the boys would laugh they simply won't do it conscience or no conscience in view of this decision it was rather strange that the next morning Carol Golden went down to Ruth Manning's lonely little room on corridor 2 and said Ruth will you go home with me for the holidays mother wrote me to invite anyone I wish to don't say you can't come dear because you must Carol never as long as she lived forgot Ruth's face in that moment it was absolutely transfigured she said afterwards I never saw anyone look so happy in my life a fortnight later unwanted silence reigned at Oakland the girls were scattered far and wide and Ruth Manning and Carol Golden were at the latter's home Carol was a very much surprised girl under the influence of kindness and pleasure Ruth seemed transformed into a different person her shyness and reserve melted away in the sunny atmosphere of the Golden home Mrs. Golden took her into her motherly heart at once and as for Frank and Jack her verdict Carol had so dreaded they voted Ruth splendid she certainly got along very well with them and if she did not make the social sensation that pretty Maude Russell might have made the Golden's all liked her and Carol was content ah just four days more sighed Carol one afternoon and then we must go back to Oakland can you realize it Ruth Ruth looked up from her book with a smile even in appearance she had changed there was a faint pink in her cheek and a merry light in her eyes I shall not be sorry to go back to work she said I feel just like it because I've had so pleasant a time here that has heartened me up for the next term I think it will be very different from last I began to see I kept to myself too much and brooded over fancied slights and then you are to room with me since Maude is not coming back said Carol what fun we shall have did you ever toast marshmallows over the gas why I declare there is Mr. Swift coming up the walk look Ruth he is the richest man in Wesley Ruth peeped out the window over Carol's shoulder he reminds me of somebody she said absently but I can't think who it is of course I have never seen him before what a good face he has he is as good as he looks said Carol enthusiastically next to father Mr. Swift is the nicest man in the world I've always been quite a pet of his his wife is dead and so is his only daughter she was a lovely girl died only two years ago and nearly broke Mr. Swift's heart and he has lived alone ever since in that great big house up at the end of Warner Street the one you admired so Ruth the last time we were uptown there's the bell for the second time Mary can't have heard it I'll go myself as Carol showed the caller into the room Ruth rose to leave and thus came face to face with him Mr. Swift started perceptibly Mr. Swift this is my school friend Miss Manoring said Carol Mr. Swift seemed strangely agitated as he took Ruth's timidly offered hand my dear young lady he said hurriedly I'm going to ask you what may seem very strange question what was your mother's name Agnes Hastings answered Ruth in surprise and then Carol really thought that Mr. Swift had gone crazy for he drew Ruth into his arms and kissed her I knew it he said I was sure you were Agnes' daughter if you are the living image of what she was when I last saw her child you don't know me I am your uncle Robert your mother was my half sister oh Mr. Swift cried Carol and then she ran for her mother Ruth turned pale and dropped into a chair and Mr. Swift sat down beside her to think that I have found you at last child how puzzled you look did your mother never speak of me how is she where is she mother died last year said Ruth poor Agnes and I never knew don't cry little girl I want you to tell me all about it she was much younger than I was and when our mother died my stepfather went away and took her with him I remained with my father's people and eventually lost all trace of my sister I was a poor boy then but things have looked up with me and I have often tried to find her by this time Carol had returned with her father and mother and there was a scene laughing crying explaining and I don't really know which of the two girls was more excited Carol or Ruth as for Mr. Swift he was overjoyed to find his niece and wanted to carry her off with him then and there but Mrs. Golden insisted on her finishing her visit when the question of returning to Oglon came up Mr. Swift would not hear of it at first but finally yielded to Carol's entreaties and Ruth's own desire I should graduate next year uncle and then I can come back to you for good that evening when Ruth was alone in her room trying to collect her thoughts and realized that the home and love that she so craved were really to be hers at last Golden Carol was with her mother in the room below talking it all over just think mother if I had not asked Ruth to come here this would not have happened and I didn't want to I wanted to ask Maud so much and I was dreadfully disappointed when I couldn't for I really couldn't I could not help remembering the look in Ruth's eyes when she said that she had no home to go to and so I asked her instead of Maud how dreadful it would have been if I hadn't and of an invitation given on impulse recording by Joe Carabas Vallejo, California 1896 of Lucy Monmont-Gummery short stories 1896 to 1901 this is a LiberVox recording all LiberVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LiberVox.org recording by Piper Hale Lucy Monmont-Gummery short stories 1896 to 1901 by Lucy Monmont-Gummery detected by the camera one summer I was attacked by the craze for amateur photography became chronic afterwards and I and my camera have never since been parted we have had some odd adventures together and one of the most novel of our experiences was that in which we played the part of chief witness against Ned Brook I may say that my name is Amy Clark and that I believe I am considered the best amateur photographer in our part of the country that is all I need to tell you about myself Mr. Carroll had asked me to photograph his place for him when the apple orchards were in bloom he has a picturesque old-fashioned country house behind a lawn of the most delightful old trees and flanked on each side by the orchards so I went one June afternoon with all my accrutiments prepared to take the Carroll establishment in my best style Mr. Carroll was away but was expected home soon so we waited for him as all the family wished to be photographed under the big maple at the front door I prowled around among the shrubbery at the lower end of the lawn while squinting from various angles I at last fixed upon the spot from which I thought the best view of the house might be obtained then Gertie and Lillian Carroll and I got into the hammocks and swung at our leisure enjoying the cool breeze sweeping through the maples Ned Brook was hanging around as usual watching us furtively Ned was one of the hopeful members of a family that lived in a tumbledown shanty just across the road from the Carroll's they were wretchedly poor as he was called and Ned were employed a good deal by Mr. Carroll more out of charity than anything else I fancy the Brooks had a rather shady reputation they were notoriously lazy and it was suspected that their line of distinction between their own and their neighbor's goods was not very clearly drawn many people censored Mr. Carroll for encouraging them at all but he was too kindhearted to let them suffer actual want and as a consequence one or the other of them was always lodging about his place Ned was a lank, toe-headed youth of about 14 with shifty twinkling eyes that could never look you straight in the face his appearance was anything but prepossessing and I always felt when I looked at him that if anyone wanted to do a piece of shady work by proxy Ned Brook would be the very lad for the business Mr. Carroll came at last and we all went down to meet him at the gate Ned Brook also came shuffling along to take the horse and Mr. Carroll and at the same time handed a pocketbook to his wife just as well to be careful where you put that he said laughingly, there's a summon not to be picked up on every gooseberry bush Gilman Harris paid me this morning for that bit of woodland I sold him last fall five hundred dollars I promise that you and the girl should have it to get a new piano so there it is for you thank you said Mrs. Carroll delightedly however you'd better put it back in your pocket till we go in Mr. Carroll took back the pocketbook and dropped it carelessly into the inside pocket of the light overcoat that he wore I happened to glance at Ned Brook just then and I could not help noticing this sudden crafty, eager expression that flashed over his face he eyed the pocketbook in Mr. Carroll's hands furtively after which he went off with the horse in a great hurry the girls were exclaiming and thanking their father and nobody noticed Ned Brook's behavior but myself just out of my mind come to take the place are you Amy said Mr. Carroll well everything is ready I think I suppose we better proceed where shall we stand you would better group us as you think best whereupon I proceeded to arrange them in due order under the maple Mrs. Carroll sat in a chair while her husband stood behind her Gertie stood on the steps with a basket of flowers in her hand and Lillian was at one side the two little boys Teddy and Jack climbed up into the maple and little Dora the dimpled six year old stood gravely in the foreground with an enormous gray cat hugged in her chubby arms it was a pretty group in a pretty setting and I thrilled with professional pride as I stepped back for a final knowing squint at it all then I went to my camera slipped in the plate gave them due warning and took off the cap I took two plates to make sure and then the thing was over but as I had another plate left I thought I might as well take a view of the house by itself so I carried my camera to a new place and had just got everything ready to lift the cap when Mr. Carroll came down and said if you girls want to see something pretty come to the back field with me that will wait till you come back won't it Amy so we all be took ourselves to the back field a short distance away where Mr. Carroll proudly displayed two of the prettiest little Jersey cows I had ever seen we returned to the house by way of the back lane and as we came inside of the main road my brother Cecil and said that if I were ready I better go home with him and save myself a hot dusty walk the carols all went down to the fence to speak to Cecil but I dashed hurriedly down through the orchard leaped over the fence into the lawn and ran to the somewhat remote corner why I left my camera I was in a desperate hurry for I knew Cecil's horse did not like to be kept waiting so I never even glanced at the house but snatched off the cap, counted two and replaced it then I took out my plate put it in the holder and gathered up my traps I suppose I was about five minutes at all and I had my back to the house the whole time and when I laid all my things ready and emerged from my retreat there was nobody to be seen about the place as I hurried up through the lawn I noticed Ned Brook walking at a smart pace down the lane but the fact to not make any particular impression on me at the time and was not recalled until afterwards Cecil was waiting for me so I got in the buggy and we drove off on arriving home I shut myself up in my dark room and proceeded to develop the first two negatives of the Carol House there were both excellent the first one being a trifle the better so that I decided to finish from it I intended also to develop the third but just as I finished the others a half dozen city cousins swooped down upon us and I had to put away my paraphernalia emerge from my dark retreat and fly around to entertain them the next day Cecil came in and said did you hear Amy that Mr. Carol has lost a pocketbook with $500 in it? no I exclaimed how? when? where? don't overwhelm a fellow I can answer only one question last night as to the how they don't know and as to the where well if they knew that there might be some hope of finding it the girls are in a bad way the money was to get them their longed for piano it seems and now it's gone but how did it happen Cecil? well Mr. Carol says that Mrs. Carol handed the pocketbook back to him at the gate yesterday and he dropped it into the inside of his overcoat I saw him do it I cried yes and then before he went to be photographed he hung his coat up in the hall it hung there until the evening and nobody seems to have thought about the money each the posing that someone else had put it carefully away after tea Mr. Carol put on the coat and went to see somebody over at Netherby he says the thought of the pocketbook never crossed his mind he had forgotten all about putting it in that coat pocket he came home across the fields about eleven o'clock now that the cows had broken into the clover hay and he had a great chase before he got them out when he went in just as he entered the door the remembrance of the money flashed over him he felt in his pocket but there was no pocketbook there he asked his wife if she had taken it out she had not and nobody else had there was a hole in the pocket but Mr. Carol says it was too small for the pocketbook to have worked through however it must have done so unless someone took it out of his pocket at Netherby and that's not possible because he never had his coat off and it was in an inside pocket it's not likely that they will ever see it again someone may pick it up of course but the chances are slim Mr. Carol doesn't know his exact path across the fields and if he lost it while he was after the cows it's a bluer show still they've been searching all day of course the girls are awfully disappointed a sudden recollection came to me of Nedbrook's face as I had seen it the day before at the gate coupled with the remembrance of seeing him walking down the lane at a quick pace someone like his usual shambling gate while I ran through the lawn how do they know it was lost I said perhaps it was stolen before Mr. Carol went to Netherby they think not said Cecil who would have stolen it Nedbrook I saw him hanging around and you never saw such a look as came over his face when he heard Mr. Carol say there were five hundred dollars in that pocketbook well I did suggest to them that Ned might know something about it after having seen him go down the lane while I was waiting for you but they won't hear of such a thing the brooks are kind of protégés of theirs you know and they won't believe anything bad of them if Ned did take it however there's not a shadow of evidence against him no I suppose not I answered thoughtfully but the more I think it over the more I'm convinced that he took it you know we all went to the back field to look at the jerseys and all that time the coat was hanging there in the hall and not a soul in the house and it was just after we came back I saw Ned scuttling down the lane so fast I mentioned my suspicions to the carols a few days afterward when I went down with the photographs and found that they had discovered no trace of the lost pocketbook but they seemed positively angry when I hinted that Nedbrook might know more about its whereabouts than anyone else they declared that they would soon think of suspecting one of themselves as Ned and altogether they seemed so offended at my suggestion that I held my peace and didn't irritate them by any more suppositions afterwards in the excitement of our cousins visit the matter passed out of my mind completely they stayed two weeks and I was so busy the whole time that I never got a chance to develop that third plate and in fact I had forgotten all about it one morning soon after they went away I remember the plate and decided to go and develop it Cecil went with me and we shut ourselves up in our den lit our ruby lantern and begin operations I did not expect much of the plate because it had been exposed and handled carelessly and I thought that it might prove to be underexposed or light struck so I left Cecil to develop it where I prepared the fixing bath Cecil was whistling away when suddenly he gave a tremendous woo of astonishment and sprang to his feet Amy Amy look here he cried I rushed to his side and looked at the plate as he held it up to the rosy light it was a splendid one and the carol house came out clear with the front door and the steps in full view and there just in the act of stepping from the threshold was the figure of a boy with an old straw hat on his head and in his hand the pocket book he was standing with his head turned towards the corner of the house as if listening with one hand holding his ragged coat open and the other poised in midair with the pocket book as if you were just going to put it in his inside pocket the whole scene was as clear as noon day and nobody with eyes in his head could have failed to recognize Nedbrook goodness I gasped and with it quick I moused the thing into the fixing bath and then sat down breathlessly and looked at each other I say Amy said Cecil what a sell this will be on the carols Nedbrook couldn't do such a thing oh no the poor injured boy at whom everyone has such an unlawful pick I wonder if this will convince them do you think they can get it all back I asked it's not likely he would have dared to use any of it yet I don't know we'll have a try anyhow how long before this plate will be dry enough to carry down to the carols with circumstantial evidence three hours are thereabouts I answered but perhaps sooner I'll take two prints off when it is ready I wonder what the carols will say it's a piece of pure luck that the plate should have turned out so well after the slap-dash way in which it was taken and used I say Amy isn't this quite an adventure at last the plate was dry and I printed two proofs we wrapped them up carefully and marched down to Mr. carols you never saw people so overcome with astonishment as the carols were when Cecil, with the air of a statesman unfolding the evidence of some dreadful conspiracy against the peace and welfare of the nation, produced the plate and proofs and held them out before them Mr. carol and Cecil took the proofs and went over to the brook shanty they found only Ned and his mother at home at first Ned, when taxed with his guilt, denied it but when Mr. carol confronted him with the proofs he broke down in a spasm of terror and confessed all his mother produced the pocketbook and the money they had not dared to spend a single cent of it and Mr. carol went home in triumph perhaps Ned brook ought not to have been let off so easily as he was but his mother cried and pleaded and Mr. carol was too kind-hearted to resist so he did not punish them at all saved by utterly discarding the whole family and their concerns the place got too hot for them after the story came out and in less than a month all moved away much to the benefit of Mapleton detected by the camera recording by Piper Hale