THE SHADOW
"Listen, Connie! Do you hear that train whistling? I'm sure it's Mary's
train."
Marjorie Dean peered anxiously up the track in the direction of the
sound. In the distance her alert eyes spied the smoke of the approaching
train before it rounded the bend and appeared in full view, and her
heart beat high with the thought that the longer-for moment had come at
last.
Since her return to Sanford, five days before, Marjorie had been in a
quiver of affectionate impatience. How slowly the days dragged! She
read and re-read Mary's latest letter, stating that she and her father
would arrive at Sanford on Wednesday on the 4.30 train and her
impatience grew. It was not alone that she desired to see Mary. There
was the "mysterious mission" to be considered. What girl does not love a
mystery? And Marjorie was no exception. At that moment, however, as she
waited for her childhood's friend, all thought of the mystery was swept
aside in the longing to see Mary again.
As the train rumbled into the station and after many groans and shudders
stopped with a last protesting creak of wheels, Marjorie's anxious gaze
traveled up and down its length. Suddenly, at the far end, she spied a
tall, familiar figure descending the car steps. Close behind him
followed a slender girl in blue. With a cluck of joy and a "There she
is!" Marjorie fairly raced up the station platform. Constance followed,
but proceeded more slowly. To Marjorie belonged the right to the first
rapturous moments with her chum. In her girlish soul lurked no trace of
jealousy. She understood that with Marjorie, Mary must always be first,
and she was filled with an unselfish happiness for the pleasure of the
girl who had braved all things for her and would forever mean all that
was best and highest to her.
"Mary!" Marjorie exclaimed, her clear voice trembling with emotion.
"Oh, Marjorie, it's been ages," quavered Mary Raymond. Then the two
became locked in a tempestuous embrace.
"Here, here, where do I come in?" asked an injured voice, as the two
young women continued to croon over each other, all else forgotten.
Marjorie gently disengaged herself from Mary's detaining arms and turned
to give her hand to Mr. Raymond.
"I'm so glad to see you," she said fervently. "Mother is waiting in our
car, just the other side of the station. But first, let me introduce my
friend, Constance Stevens. Why, where is she? I thought she was right
behind me. Oh, here she comes. Hurry up, Connie!"
Constance approached rather shyly. In spite of the fact that the old
days of poverty and heartache lay behind her like a bad dream, she was
still curiously reserved and diffident in the presence of strangers. The
decision of her aunt, Miss Susan Allison, to take up her abode in
Sanford in order that Constance might finish her high school course with
Marjorie had brought many changes into the life of the once friendless
girl. Miss Allison had purchased a handsome property on the outskirts of
Sanford, and, after much persuasion, had, with one exception, induced
the occupants of the little gray house to share it with her. Soon
afterward Mr. Stevens, Constance's foster-father, whose name she still
bore and refused to change, had accepted a position as first violin in a
symphony orchestra and had gone to fulfill his destiny in the world of
music which he loved. Uncle John Roland and little Charlie, once puny
and crippled, but now strong and rosy, had, with Constance, come into
the lonely old woman's household at a time when she most needed them,
and, in her contrition for the lost years of happiness which she had so
stubbornly thrust aside, she was in a fair way to spoil her little flock
by too much petting.
The fact that from a mere nobody Constance Stevens had become the social
equal of Sanford's most exclusive contingent did not impress the girl in
the least. Naturally humble and self-effacing, she had no ambition to
shine socially. Her one aim was to become a great singer, and it was
understood between herself and her aunt that when she was graduated from
high school she was to enter a conservatory of music and study voice
culture under the best masters.
It seemed to Constance that she now had everything in the world that she
could possibly hope for or desire, but of the great good which had come
to her in one short year she felt that above all she prized the
friendship of Marjorie Dean and in whatever lay Marjorie's happiness,
there must hers lie also.
This was her thought as she now stepped forward to meet Mary Raymond.
She was prepared to give this girl who was Marjorie's dearest friend a
loyalty and devotion, second only to that which she accorded Marjorie
herself.
"At last my dearest wish has come true!" exclaimed Marjorie when
Constance had been presented to Mr. Raymond and she and Mary had clasped
hands. "I've been so anxious for you two to know each other. Now that
you're here together I can see that resemblance I've told you of.
Connie, you look like Mary and Mary looks like you. You might easily
pass for sisters."
Constance smiled with shy sweetness at Mary and Mary returned the smile,
but in her blue eyes there flashed a sudden, half-startled expression,
which neither Constance nor Marjorie noted. Then she said in a tone
intended to be cordial, but which somehow lacked heart, "I'm awfully
glad to know you, Miss Stevens. Marjorie has written me often of you."
"And she has talked to me over and over again of you," returned
Constance warmly.
"Now that you know each other, you can postpone getting chummy until
later," laughed Marjorie. "Mother will wonder what has happened to us.
She'll think you didn't come on that train if we don't put in an
appearance."
Possessing herself of Mary's traveling bag she led the way with Mary
through the station and out to the opposite side where Mrs. Dean awaited
them. Constance followed with Mr. Raymond. In her heart she experienced
an odd disappointment. Was it her imagination, or did Mary's cordiality
seem a trifle forced? Perhaps it would have been better if she had not
accompanied Marjorie to the station to meet Mary. Perhaps Mary was a
trifle hurt that her chum had not come alone. She decided that she would
not ride to Marjorie's home with the party, although she had been
invited to dine with them that night. She could not bear to think of
intruding. She managed to answer Mr. Raymond's courteous remarks, but
her thoughts were not centered upon what he was saying. Without warning,
her old-time diffidence settled down upon her like an enveloping cloak,
and her one object was to slip away as quickly and as unobtrusively as
possible.
"I think I had better not go home with you, Marjorie," she said in a low
voice. They had reached the waiting automobile and Mary and Mrs. Dean
were exchanging affectionate greetings.
"Oh, why not, Connie?" Marjorie's happy face clouded. "You know we'd
love to have you, wouldn't we, Mary?"
"Of course." Mary again smiled at Constance, but again her smile lacked
warmth.
Constance shook her head almost obstinately.
"I think I had better not come," she repeated, and in her speech there
was a shadowy return of the old baffling reserve that had so greatly
disturbed Marjorie in the early stages of their friendship.
"But you promised to take dinner with us to-night," remarked Marjorie.
"I--I have changed my mind. It will be best for me to go home, I think.
I'll come over to-morrow."
Mrs. Dean added her persuasions, but Constance was firm, and, after
bidding a courteous farewell to the Deans' guests, she hurried away,
more agitated than she cared to admit.
"Why, what ails Constance, Marjorie?" asked Mrs. Dean in surprise.
"Nothing--that is, I don't know." Marjorie looked after her friend's
rapidly disappearing figure, a puzzled expression in her brown eyes.
Mary Raymond viewed Marjorie with a faint frown. It was rather provoking
in Marjorie to express so much concern over this Constance Stevens.
After their long separation she felt that her chum's every thought ought
to be for her alone. And in that instant a certain fabled green-eyed
monster, that Mary had never believed could exist for her, suddenly
sprang into life and whispered to her that, perhaps, after all, she was
not first in Marjorie Dean's heart.