SHORT STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14930, 1 March 1912, Page 4

SHORT STORY.

AT THE "QUILTIN' BEE." >

" Dwight Eldred is not fit for you wipe your shoes upon, Bessie declai Web Grant, his great muscular ban clenching unconsciously. Bessie Tompkins stares at him, at fii in surprise, and then •with' a flash of angi "Dwight is a gentleman, and more th one. My r father says he is studying i the ministry, and that lie has never m a more promising and brilliant young ma He is pleased to have so able an additi to his little parish." Bessie's retort is full of. spirit. . Revcrei Amos Tompkins, Bessie's father, has be heard to remark that his pretty daught possesses a great deal of spirituality and with a'grave shake 'of his head he wont to add: * ' " If she were a boy I should have tab out a little of this quality in her dispo; tion with a birchen rod, for it is a trait ' character which does not look well in minister's-daughter." Web flings up one hand with a grimac " A fine candidate* for the Christie ministry Dwight Eldred will make!" 1 returns, with a contemptuous curl of h bearded lips. What would you sa? Bessie, if I should tell you that I ha heard him swear like a trooper when oi of the society of ladies, and beyond tl: hearing of your father!" "1 should say that I did not believe word -of it!" utters Bessie, decisively. "Then you have more confidence in thi : man, whom you have known only a i& weeks, than in me, a companion and, plaj mate from your earliest remembrance? exclaims the young man, something- besid anger or indignation in his tone this time. The girl feels a pang of keen regret fo her words. Still she cannot credit th innuendo of the other. Webster Grant and Bessie Tompkin have indeed been friends and playmate from childhood. Years ago—and not so very many year eitherhe used ( to help build her play houses, v and he was always her boy husband in those days. That he loves her now in his whole souled, manly way there is not a doubt. He has told her more than once, and yei she has never admitted a reciprocal affec tion. # : , Still he has believed that she would d< so after her maidenly shvness had w*,-i off. ' : ' ■ ' But since Dwight Eldred has boardec with the Keverend Amos Tompkins, anc professed a heartfelt interest in thoologicai studies, Bessie has treated poor Web almost rudely. She has openly shown her preference fo? Dwight's society, and of, late it has seemed as though honest Web must give her up. To-day he has called her to account for her strange actions, and she has resented his remarks in the way we have shown. " I don't think you would utter a falsehood, Web, even to injure a rival. But I cannot believe Dwight Eldred '_' guilty of anything so ignoble as profanity. - No, Web, 1 don't believe it!" Bessie declares, as though she were trying to strengthen her own decision by repeating it. The young man looks away across the gray, dreary landscape, upon which the March rain is falling steadily. There are patches of snow here and there, like small white islands; and in the foreground are several trees, waving their naked arms in the blustering wind, as it sweeps past with its dismal wail. ' ; "Presently Web faces the girl again, and, in an odd tone he says: '■:'.'.-. •'Mrs. Deacon Watt's quiltin'-bee is tomono afternoon. The men folks are invited to come in the evening, and no doubt all will have a good time. Shall you go?" ■ "1 suppose so. We do not have many occasions of social or other gatherings in this vicinity, and one cannot well afford to miss a ' quiltin'-bee•'. at Mrs. Watts's." She speaks demurely, and there is another interval of silence. " It is quite a walk .from here, Sessie, and I thought : perhaps you would prefer to! ride home in the evening, so I have arranged to come with a team. I thought, too, that if it should be pleasant you would enjoy a ride. Will you not favour me?" Web speaks falteringly, as though he half expects to give offence. Bessie avert 3 her face. She cannot look into Web Grant's eyes and inflict mortal pain, as she knows she must do now. " No— sorry to disappoint you. Dwight Eldred has promised to carry mo and fetch me back!"; she declares. The young man gives her one quick glance, his cheeks growing very white. Then he turns away, opens the door and plunges out into the dripping storm with out uttering a word. s At the same moment Mr. Tompkins I enters by another door, and,, glancing toward the retreating form of Web Grant, he says: • ;>" You must not play with that, fellow's affections, Bessie, for I do not approve of that sort of thing. Of course you know 1 had rather you would dismiss him and accept the attentions of Mr. Eldred. You know I have set my heart upon your wedding a man of God, and Dwight Eldred, 1 am sure, will fulfill my ideal." - • Bessie shivers, but makes no response. And Mi". Tompkins diplomatically refrains from pushing the matter, for fear, doubtless, of arousing his daughter's ' peculiar "spirituality." v - Quilting, husking, and paring-bees are occasions of rare enjoyment in the rustic little farming town, for they' comprise about all the sources of general entertainment \o be had in the vicinity. ( Upon the day appointed Dwight Eldred comes round with a carriage, \ and Bessie is driven to the house of Deacon Watts, where a number of ladies, young and old, have already assembled..-..■■" * The afternoon passes merrily to all, for all are busy with the * work which has brought them hither. Bessie, with her sparkling vivacity, makes the old house ring with her laughter, and Mrs. Watts declares that she would "hold a quiltin'bee every day in the year if Bessie Tompkins would only attend, for she. keeps 'em all so good-natered!" Evening comes at last, and the "menfolks" begin to arrive. Popcorn, rosy apples and cider, which, is getting "hard," are placed at the disposal of the guests, and all make the most of the good cheer offered. . * • Dwight Eldred comes early, but Web Grant is one of the last- to make his appearance. Bessie gives him a single furtive glance as he enters, and a pang of keen self-reproach banishes the laughter and jest,from her lips for the next hour. Web look 3 so grave, and he seems to try fo hard to hide his feeling, that she knows he is suffering from the wound she has given him, and, somehow, the graceful attentions 'of Dwight Eldred seemed insipid to her during the remainder of the evening. v At last the hour for dispersing to their homes draws near. Suddenly all arc startled by a low, prolonged knock upon the outer door. It is thrown open by Deacon Watts. To the amazement of the good man, a woman, young beautiful, enters the room,-and glances swiftly about at the faces of the people present. At the same moment the feeble wail of an infant falls on the air,, and they see that the stranger holds a child close to her bosom. Then all are electrified by what the woman says. She stretches one hand out toward Dwight Eldrod, .who stands white and trembling in one corner of the apartment, and in a clear, intense voice, she cries: ... " 1 have found you : atV last, Dwight Eldred. I know the pretensions which you have made to these people who know yon not, and to them I will expose you in all the hideousness of your base character. Less than a year ago you wedded me pretending a love which would live through time and eternity.. But in two short months you deserted me, leaving me to the charity of strangers. Now I have come to claim an acknowledgment from you. of my rights, and the rights of our 'child— youths as -welljas .mine !'*' «jj!

,■ "It ia false, false!" gasps the young I" It false, false!" gasps rage and man, shivering with mingled rage and ■!■,: lerrcr. :"Sho is not'my wife; the carriage was a mockery, for he who performed the ceremony had no right to do so. y I shall listen to non© of her claims !" ; '.y He turns to flee from the apartment, but a brawny hand grasps his shoulder and to crushes him back against the wall. And •es the voice of Web Grant rings sternly ds through the room : •' If you have deceived this woman by , st a false marriage, then you shall make reparation hero and now by a genuine cere>r - mony. Gentlemen, shall it not Iks so?" an - A mjrmur of assent passes round the or room, several men spring to the assistance et of tho speaker. The beautiful stranger, n , almost fainting from a realisation of her ' situation,;is led forward by readv hands, and Mr. Tompkins, too nearly stunned by the shock of surprise; to dissent, is half id compelled, half persuaded to utter the »n words which make legal th© 'relations of or Dwighfc Eldred and his victim. It is a ... strange wedding, but tho young villain '. makes the best of the situation, and with 1S his wronged wife takes, a hasty departure-. "''-■ ;. " v n ''' - ••••.. J. * Bessie has witnessed the strange transD j action like one in a dream, from which she is not awakened until Web Grant comes to her and says, in a low voice: "It is beginning , to rain, and as Mr. s. Eldred is not likely to fulfill his promise ji -to. take you home, perhaps you will trans-: 10 . fer the honour to me?" - • j is With a blush of humiliation shoconsents. And when they, are alone, and > tucked snugly amid the carriage robes, the d girl bursts forth in a fit of weeping and it self-reproach, begging over and over for 0 Web's forgiveness. • "I did not really care for that villain _ any of the time, Web, for I know I have loved you all my life. But I was just like a groat many other girlsl liked to make s you think I ; was indifferent, just to keep v you in a state of uncertainty. And papa . favoured ray accepting Dwight, and—" ,»■: , He stops her utterance with kisses, and all is forgiven so freely that she is made to feel that she,, has hardly sinned at all. When Jnne comes, there is another wedr ding, which is very unlike the one which s terminated the festivities at the "quiltin'bee." i - .'-.-■;.'■■■ > 5' ■ '-; : {~, .. .. ; ... ===== .■-;