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I told my father of the first words, where we had found him, tolling the bell, and of his mother's death, and his sister's illness. "Incomprehensible people!" was my father's sole ejaculation, as he went to look after the deranged patient. I occupied myself for an hour in picking up the reins of government that I had thrown down when I went to Redleaf.
"'I remember when he wrote this, he went on, as carelessly as if his words had all been known to me. 'You did not see him, perhaps; he was with me the first time I came to Redleaf, was here the night he describes. "It was so strange that he did not ask where I obtained the letter! but he did not. He gave me an epitome of his cousin's life and death.
The gentleman looked up suddenly; he was quite near then, and no more light than that the stars gave was needful for me. I saw Mr. Axtell, and Mr. Axtell must have seen Miss Percival, for he said, "This is a great surprise. I did not hear of your being in Redleaf, Miss Anna." "Why should you, when I have only been there one day?" "Did you see my sister?" he asked.
They bore no resemblance: but I remembered that two years make changes in all things; they might have effected this. The signatures were unlike; the latter contained the initial H. What if they were not written by the same person? The question was too mighty for me. I was compelled to await the answer. "Bernard would be in Redleaf in November. He named the day, appointed the place of meeting.
And in mute wonder at this most wondrous wrong, that crept into mortal life when the serpent went out through Eden and left an opening in the Garden, I forgot for the while my present responsibility, in compassionate pity for the pale, beautiful lady in Redleaf, into whose heart this man had come, unwillingly, I knew, when I looked into his face, and yet, having come, must grow into its Eden, even unto the time that Eternity shadows; and I sent out the arms of my spirit, and twined them invisibly around her, who truly had spoken when she said, "I want you," with such hungry tones.
I had just time to bid a hasty farewell, and hear a plank-man say, "Better hurry, Miss, if you're going on," and in another minute I was at sea. I had so much to think of, I knew it would be impossible for sleep to come to me; and so I went on deck to watch the twinkling lights of Redleaf and the stars up above, whilst my busy brain should plan a way to keep my promise to Miss Axtell.
We knew, before it came, why Doctor Percival's little white office held Abraham so many hours in the day. It was because the Mountain-Pine found in the moss of Redleaf the sweet Trailing-Arbutus."
She hastily put away the gift I had given, and said, "You like the old tower in the church-yard, Miss Percival, I believe?" "Oh, yes: it is a great attraction for me. Redleaf would be Redleaf no longer, if it were away." "Have you visited it since you've been here this time?" "Once only." "Were there any changes?" she asked. "A few," I said.
Abraham would be home at sunset. "'Don't go, if it is only to please me, he said. "'I am going to please myself, I answered; 'only I wish to be at home on Abraham's coming. "That afternoon, Bernard McKey for the first time told me of himself, and what the two years in Redleaf had done for him. One month more, and he should leave it.
"Do you know any Herbert in Redleaf?" I ventured to ask, with as careless a tone as I knew. "No, Anna; let me think; I thought I knew, but no, it is not here. Why?" "It doesn't matter. I thought there might be a person with that name. Don't you get very tired of this hum-drum life?" "But it isn't hum-drum in the least, except in bee-time, and on General-Training days."
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