Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-02

hardly more than seventeen, but well de-
reloped for her age, showing the effect of
mountain air and training.
Glad to see YOU" she extended her
hand, grimy with ashes and charred sticks.
The old woman looked up without any
interest at the arrival-no light in her
faded gray eyes.
Mother" Kit waved her hand, by way of
Introduction. in the direction of the frying
pan.
The old woman grimly nodded.
Dill her voice softened as she stepped
near the couch. The man looked up with
CLEAN of interest as Mary Fenton came
forward and offered him the fruit.
hhahks. He spoke in a fretful voice,
oTokeh by Coughing. I'm powerful tired
Oh pacon. Them cherries look cool"
Kits hands hung iistiessIy by her side
- -, LOON OF distress crept into her soft eyes
KNOW, Bill. it's powerful hard The bacon
, - sai' ana hard; but it's all L can do just
ened-"Im going to get some lilies for Miss
fenton, and they'll let me have a little beef
just for you. at the hotel"
win shrug OF fretful impatience the
man turned his face away from them and
lay silently munching the fruit
our brother is quite ILL., Miss Fenton
road. e
My brother, Why, it's Bill, Kit ioolxaa
up into her face with surprise. and then
SAID in explanation: Il forgot-everybody
knew about us in Oregon. Bill and | are
sweetnearts-have been since We were little
Kids. We are going to be married she
Strengthened herself up with a cor al air
OF dignity when Bill gets " A." Her
voice faltered. Miss Mary-ma. AZ / call
you that! 1 heard the old lady the hotel
say your name. and / liked win YOU
walk up the road a piece with me this even
ing, the way You see Shasta? We see the
MnIte mounting at home and when a lump
comes into my throat and feel a bit down,
IL does me good to see IL up there In The
sky. looking down upon me iust as a aoes
at home. All the time when we were COM
ing Kept looking over my shoulder ana
me whlte mounting kept following US. as
AZ IL WAS going TO take keer of ali of us :"
she drew her sleeve across he- ewes as ar
70 prush away a little moisture then
pulled the old cigarette hat down low over
ner race giving IL a sort Of rough pat
ITS one OF Bins old ones" she said in a
half aside N 'i4 q
IT was growing dusk. The long shadows
OF the pines on either side heightened unite
across the road, until their tips were lost in
the wayside. ''
The Sacramento kept up a gurgie ana a
rush lust below, which blended in with
tne soft soughing OF the pines Mary Fen
Tor her to speak.
Well. Miss Mary. You are so good to
hlm' III tell you just from the beginning:
ana 4 mink. Miss Mary. knowed the first
minute that j saw You setting there in maj
rocking chair that You was an angel md
maybe could help Bill
mother and rne lived all alone in q cabin
IN southern Oregon. Father was killed
when i was born-spree' she exnlain.
shortly. Mother has always had sort 90
a misery since. She's never happy even
mere she didn't want to come Bilis folks
n I next to us. bout two miles away.
bilfs older than me- but he was aluays
sickly; didn't like boys; SO when i was rio
enough We played together and BIN was
good to me. and 1 used TO fight for Bin.
blils folks went home to Missouri and
Bill stayed. He's a wood chopper and me
and Bill, we've always loved each Other
Me ana mother farmed our ground our
selves and we've always been dirt moor.
but me and Bill was always happy. You
see, MISS mary. II folks have got each
oeher IN TINS world, they'v got all that's
warted. Then Bill took cold, last winter
mad a fever. l took him home and uursed
MIN. he was pretty bad. 1t was a hard
winter. wet. and 1 thought it never would
STOP. Bill got punier and punier. Mother
said 1t was the. way of the Lord, because
knowed better"
They reached the view of Shasta. and
walked 70 little spot away from the road.
MT picked out a smooth log. folded Miss
Fenton's shawl over it, and made her sir
down, while she stood facing the great
white mountain.
4
Doctors ten miles from our cabin. and he
said TO bring Rill here. where the air was
dryer, and give MIN a chance. so 1 didn't
walt but hitched up to our little wagon
ana We came. 1t has rained here, but II
amt going to any more and he viii get
Wei; know it," Her voice grew more
cheerful with hope.
she stood silent for a moment, with face
uph1ted In thought. and then, noticing the
stars beginning to come out one by one
above Shasta, she said: WHY, Miss Mary
It's getting cold You'll have a chill. We
must be going home
All the way back Kit chatted rbeerf,,tv
telling little stories OF her home AN en-,
praises. Va ANs
As they neared the camp the same hack
Ing cough broke the stiffness of the nirht.
Kit started as IL IL hurt her
shouldn't have left him. Wait a mo-
ment, Miss Mary. / must give him his medi-
cine, then I'll see you home"
Miss Fenton declined her offer as n was
only a short distance to the tavern ana as
she turned away she heard the ouerulous
tones OF the invalid scoiding Kit who an
swered MIN with CHEEKY tenderness
One or the fishermen Joined her as she
neared the tavern showing her his basket
OF two-pounders. Her thoughts were up-
lifted. and she half absent-mindedly admired
his booty and sought her room.
Poor little Kit, ignorant half-for,ned
child, had raised Mary Fenton TO heights
she had not dreamed Of If Richard Drake
nad been there that night TO press his suit
she could have put herself in the back
ground and been ready to face the world
with him.
Daylight often brings us down from our
peoestais; 50 IL was with her She WAS not
quite so sure in the morning. II is easier to
be heroic by the glamor of moonlight than
IN the clear rays Of the midday sun
The letter was still unwritten, but the
mountains possessed a new interest for her
Mrs. Pendragon wrote privately to Mrs
Fenton that Mary was gaining color and
appetite. and never mentioned the oblec-
uonable young man, but turned her atten-
ton to dirty lot of Oregon campers"
Kit ran In for a few moments every day,
bringing white Shasta lilies. rare ferns from
away up Sody creek" or burning tiger
lilies regal in brown and gold; and Miss
Fenton kept the invalid. who was rapidly
failing, supplied with dainties
She found out very soon that Bill Was
commonplace and selfish. He had a rather
handsome, weak face, and Kit was blind to
his weaknesses and faults. He grew so
much worse that Kit could hardly leave him
at last. The wea Their was warm, and she
worked all day and often sat up all night to
watch by his side and humor his fancies
He was not able to walk; the dry air could
not help. And then Kit never came to the
tavern, and Mary Fenton went to her every
day.
Mrs. Jones fretted to go home "Bilrs as
good one place as another" she grumbled:
but Kit chung to the belief that there he
must get well.
AS the days passed on the sick man grew
weaker and weaker and more fretful Kit
sat by him all the time. his hand in hers
There were dark rings widening under her