"Well, this morning, when I woke up--I didn't sleep much to speak of
last night--I got to thinking about--her. And I made up my mind that
I'd go look her up, and--and be a friend to her anyhow." His voice
broke. "I was fond of her, Miss Milo."
"She was gone?"
He nodded. "She'd been gone since the night before. Went out, the
maid said, with no hat on and a letter in her hand--for the post. And
she hadn't come back. I tell you, that worried me. I was half-crazy."
He tried to control his voice, to keep back the tears.
"Then it's very bad news," ventured Farvel. He laid a hand on the
other man's sleeve.
"I went over to the St. Clair house," Hull went on. "Clare hadn't been
there. Then--I knew. So I went to the one place--that was likely----"
"You mean----" asked Farvel. "Oh, not that! Not that!"
"She was there. She'd spoken about the river. That's why I was sure."
"The river!" gasped Sue. "Oh, what are you saying?"
"She'd done as she said," answered Hull, quietly.
Sue sank to a bench. "Oh, that cry of hers, yesterday!" she reminded,
breaking down. "Do you remember, Mr. Farvel? When she saw you--'It's
all over! It's all over!' Oh, why did I let her out of my sight!"
"It's my fault," declared Hull, hoarsely. "I was too hard on her. Too
hard." He turned away.
Farvel went to him and held out his hand. Hull took it, and they stood
in silence for a long moment. Then Hull drew back. There was a queer,
distorted smile on his face. "This comes of a man's thinking he's
smart," he declared. "I wanted to show her I was on--instead of
letting her explain it all to me. But I've always been like that--too
smart--too smart." He turned and went out, walking unsteadily.
It was Sue who broke the news to Hattie. And when the latter had left
to rejoin her mother at the hotel (for it was agreed that it would be
better if Farvel and the girl did not see each other again until
later). Sue came back into the Close--to wait for Barbara.
She waited beside the dial. There was nothing girl-like in her
posture. Her shoulders were as bent as Hull's had been. The high
color was gone from her face. And the gray eyes showed no look of
youth. She felt forsaken, and old, and there was an ache in her throat.
"Well, the poor trapped soul is gone," she said presently, out loud to
herself. She looked down at the dial. "Time is not for her any more.
But rest--and peace."
What changes had come while just these last twenty-four hours were
flying! while the shadow on that dial had made its single turn!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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