The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-12-05

she need not ask her father for cent.
Obi how charming it would be not to
think of meals, nor Kate's clothes, nor
soiled carpets and windows; TO be free
like the girls about her, and enjoy the
lovely time her aunt's letter promised
her She surely had earned this bit of
Eden after the past two years of daily
duties carefully performed.
She went down to dinner that even
ing, her face rejecting all her happy
| anticipations. Even her father was
struck by the shining, happy eyes OPP
posite him.
SIS anything the matter, daughter?"
| he asked, with misty feeling that
young girls faces ought to look that
way often. And then Adelaide's hap
piness overhowed, and she told him of
Aunt Eleanor's plan.
"Yes, it is time you had holiday"
said her father, rousing himself, land
if Myra will come you can 60" he
added, feeling very unselfish and
paternal in thus giving his sanction.
Just here Rob came in--he was late
quite often nowadays-and the conver-
sation took another turn. But Ade-
ladies keen eyes noticed that Bob hard
ly touched his dinner, and that he
looked pale and tired.
Poor boy, he can't be wellp' she
thought, but wisely said nothing then.
But as he was hurrying off as usual
towards the front door, Adelaide laid
her hand on his arm: Rob, I'm
afraid you're not we'll; won't you stay
at home this evening? I'll do any
thing to amuse you," she added, with
her brightest smile.
As he turned towards her, the light
from the hall lamp fell on his boyish,
attractive face. Instead of its usual
easy, good-natured look, Adelaide was
shocked by it's pallor, and the strange
expression about the eyes
Don't mind me, Ada he said, try
lug to smile, Pm all right and must
go down to Carter's; he said he would
help me out on my 'trig,' he added.
But his face kept coming between
Adelaide's plans for her visit all even
ing. Was it sickness that made Rob
look so? Ought she to have pale
blue or one of the new green's for an
evening dress? And that lovely bon
net at Stevens'-could she afford to
buy that? She certainly could, if she
had her cloth suit fixed over. If Rob
should be sick--he had never been
since she could remember but what
if there was something on his mind?
What if he worried about his studies
more than they supposed, and that the
coming examinations weighed on him?
What if he were learning to smoke
like that horrid Carter, whom she
never did like? Oh, if her blessed,
| wise little mother could only have
stayed with them, she would know
what to do. She herself must do more
to make home attractve-she would
coax her father to let her have more
company in the evenings now and
{ then.
Kate had gone to bed, and Louis was
studying in his own room. Mr.. Bar
ringer always buried himself in his
books and magazines i'll his sanctum
upstairs. Adelaide sat in the pretty
library, her hands busy on an apror
for Kate, her thoughts keeping pace
with the needle flashing in and out ot
her work.
How foolish she was! Rob would
come home soon, and laugh at hel
fears. How loud that door sounded
, Was that scream upstairs? That Ger
tainly was the front door-how nerv
, GUS she was getting, and she alwayi
:, despised nerves There, at last, thai
was his step in the hall.
She threw down her work and raj
:, out: "Oh, Rob, I've been so worried
about you! Are you sure" Sh'
. stopped suddenly, as she saw that i
! was not Rob, but Alan Gregory, Rob
old friend, whom he had seemed t.
, drop lately. Adelaide turned cold witt
y sudden foreboding, but she said a
= once: 81 beg your pardon, Alan.
= thought it was Rob; he has not com
: home yet"
II know. I wanted to see you, AIDE
laide Can we go in here?" asked tn
;, young fellow, indicating the library.
, Adelaide led the way with what coui
= age she could muster. what is it?
" she asked, and Alan answered at once
Its Rob; he is in trouble, and deter
!, mined to come to you. | managed
:, get Robs key, though he didn't wan
- me to come. You sec he has some wa
been getting more and more under til
Z influence of Carter, who is a bad 10
D. and he owes Carter quite sum. Ca
ter has been threatening to write
10 your father, until Rob was desperat,
II I'll run away first; anything but that
u he said, and Carter said: No, my maj
~ you don't play that game and the fir
u thing tonight he had Rob arrested
-" Alan paused, full of pity for the whi
face before him.
y And where is he now?" Adelait
n asked in voice which sounded as if
~ ~ belonged to somebody else.
~ 'At the station house. I'm awful
y sorry; but had so little money, and
II didn't know anything better than
w. come to you," stammered poor Ala
- the son of a poor, hard-working mi
,o lister, who was going through COLES
~, ~, at the very hardest
a "You did just right; have money!;
" shall be ready to go with you in m
Cd ment," said Adelaide, eagerly. 81
a was hurrying off when Alan stopp
at her with "Your father must not lno'
~, Rob insists on that"
MS Adelaide looked at him bewildere
re- for, strange as it may seem, the idea
I'm going to her father had never occurr
do to her She had always been so accl
ed toned to both seeing and making
ne way easy that she only felt now tn
les he must not be troubled with Il
af. worst trouble of all.