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THEIMAGEOFDREAD
Inthecomfortablelittlesitting-roomoftheScottcottageDorisstood，lookingeagerlyfromthewindowwhichgaveupontheroad。
Behindherontheothersideoftheroom，couldbeseenthroughapartlyopeneddoor，aneatlyspreadbed，withahandlyingquietlyonthepatchedcoverlet。Itwasastronglookinghandwhich，evenwhenquiescent，conveyedtheideaofpurposeandvitality。AsDorissaid，thefingersnevercurleduplanguidly，butalwayswiththehintofaclench。SeveralweekshadpassedsincethedepartureofSweetwaterandtheinvalidwasfastgainingstrength。To-morrow，hewouldbeup。
WasDoristhinkingofhim?Undoubtedly，forhereyesoftenflashedhisway；buthermainattentionwasfixedupontheroad，thoughnoonewasinsightatthemoment。Someonehadpassedforwhosereturnshelooked；someonewhom，ifshehadbeenaskedtodescribe，shewouldhavecalledatall，fine-lookingmanofmiddleage，ofacultivatedappearanceseldomseeninthissmallmanufacturingtown；
seldomseen，possibly，inanytown。Hehadglancedupatthewindowashewentby，inamannertoomarkednottoexcitehercuriosity。
Wouldhelookupagainwhenhecameback?Shewaswaitingtheretosee。Why，shedidnotknow。Shewasnotusedtoindulginginpettysuppositionsofthiskind；herlifewastoobusy，heranxietiestookeen。Thegreatdreadloomingeverbeforeher，-thedreadofthathourwhenshemustspeak，-leftherverylittleheartforanythingdissociatedwiththiscomingevent。Foragirlofseventeenshewasunusuallythoughtful。Lifehadbeenhardinthislittlecottagesincehermotherdied，orrathershehadfeltitsresponsibilitieskeenly。
LifeitselfcouldnotbehardwhereOswaldBrothersonlived；neithertoman，norwoman。Thecheerofsomenaturespossessesadivinefaculty。Ifitcanhelpnootherway，itdoessobytheaidofitsownlight。Suchwasthecharacterofthisman’stemperament。Thecottagewasahappyplace；only-sheneverfathomedthedepthsofthatonly。Ifinthesedayssheessayedattimestodoso，shegavefullcredittotheDreadwhichroseeverbeforeher-roselikeaghost！She，Doris，ledbyinscrutableFate，waswaitingtohurthimwhohurtnobody；whosemerepresencewasablessing。
Butherinteresthadbeencaughtto-day，caughtbythisstranger，andwhenduringhereagerwatchthesmallmessengerfromtheWorkscametothedoorwiththeusualdailysupplyofbooksandmagazinesforthepatient，shesteppedoutontheporchtospeaktohimandtopointoutthegentlemanwhowasnowrapidlyreturningfromhisstrolluptheroad。”Whoisthat，Johnny?sheasked。”Youknoweverybodywhocomestotown。Whatisthenameofthegentlemanyouseecoming?”
Theboylooked，searchedhismemory，notwithoutsomeshowofmisgiving。”Aqueername，headmittedatlast。”Ineverheardthelikesofitherebefore。Shallysomething。Shally-Shally-””Challoner?””Yes，that’sit。Howcouldyouguess?He’sfromNewYork。Nobodyknowswhyhe’shere。Don’tseemtohavenobusiness。””Well，nevermind。Runon，Johnny。Anddon’tforgettocomeearlierto-morrow；Mr。Brothersongetstiredwaiting。””Doeshe?I’llcomequickthen；quickasIcanrun。”Andhespedoffatapacewhichpromisedwellforthemorrow。
Challoner！TherewasbutoneChallonerintheworldforDorisScott，-Edith’sfather。Wasthishe?Itmustbe，orwhythishau
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