He called a carriage, and the porter stowed away the boxes and bags and mgs, piling the mass of pine and spruce on the seat in front of them till the carriage was filled with its subtle fragrance.
Simeon leaned forward in the half light and plucked a little spray of the cedar, placing it in his coat. “That is for me,” he said, smiling a little, as he buttoned the coat over it, “the rest is for her.”
The great office building loomed at the right as they drove, and he glanced out quickly. “Same old place!” he said. His face wore a contented look and his hand reached out, in the dim light, to the stubby one resting on the boy’s knee and closed upon it for a moment with firm grasp.... “Tomorrow, Boy,” he said, “we begin again.”
He entered the house lightly, but not so lightly that her sensitive ear did not catch the sound and hold itself attent to listen--“John?” Her voice searched the darkness. “John?--Is it you?”
He came in swiftly--“Bad mother!” He dropped on his knees beside her and laid his cool cheek to hers.... “Bad mother--to lie awake!” Her hand reached up to stroke his face.... “How fragrant you are--like the woods!”
The fingers strayed a little and touched the feathery sprays and lingered--questioning. “It is the woods! You have brought me the woods!” The little cry of joy trembled in her voice. “I shall sleep now.”
He bent and kissed her. “Good-night, mother.”
In the dusky, fragrant room she fell asleep, like a child, and she dreamed that she was-a child and wandered in a wood and that an angel with shining eyes came to her and walked with her under the green branches and when he went away she cried to him and he turned and kissed her and said--
“I have brought your breakfast, mother.” So she wakened to another day.
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Simeon Tetlow’s Shadow, by Jennette Lee