Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-08

have used such patience as that tc fasten
the door after him. Please hang your arm
down by your side"
1 obeyed. 1 looked at my arm, then at
his own.
Have you tape measure?" he asked.
L brought one out of my work basket.
He measured his arm. then mine, and then
the distance from the cat door to the hook.
Il have two tasks for you today and to-
morrow" he said. u shall come here very
little. Find all your fathers old letters and
read them. Find man or woman in this
town whose arm Is six inches longer than
yours Now I must go home. or my board
ing mistress will get curious"
He went through the house to the front
door, looked all ways to be sure no eyes
were upon him, made three strides down
the yard and was pacing soberiy Up the
street with his cyclopaeia under his arm
l made myself a cup of coffee; then went
about obeying his instructions. l read old
letters all the forenoon; found packages
In trunks in the garret-there were quanti-
Ties in fathers desk. have selected several
to submit to Mr.. Dix. One of them treats
of an old episode in fathers youth. which
must have years since ceased to interest
him. 1t was concealed, after his favorite
fashion-tacked under the bottom of his
desk 1t was written forty years ago, by
Maria Woods,two years before my fathers
marriage-and 1t was a refusal of an offer
OF his hand. 1t was written in the s.ilted
fashion of that day; it might have been
copied from complete letter writer"
as dearly as love Henry 20 keep that let
ter so carefully all these years. I thought
he cared for my mother. He seemed as
fond of her as other men CT their wives
although did use to wonder if Henry and
I would ever get to be quite so much accus-
toned to each other
Maria Woods must have been as beautiful
as an angel when she was girl. Mother
was not pretty-She was stout, too, and
awkward. and l suppose people would have
called her rather slow and dull. But she
was good woman. and tried to do her
duty.
Tuesday evening.-This evening was my
first opportunity to obey the second of Mr..
Dix's orders. 1t seemed to me the best
way to compare the average length of
arms was to go to the prayer meeting.
could not go about the town with my tape
measure and demand of people that they
should hold out their arms. Nobody knows
how l dreaded to go to that meeting, but
l went, and l looked not at my neighbors'
cold. altered faces. but at their arms.
1 discovered what Mr. Dix wished me to,
but the discovery can avail nothing, and 1t
is one he could have made himself. Phoebe
Dole's arm is fully seven inches longer than
mine. l never noticed it before, but she
has an almost abnormally long arm. But
why should Phoebe Dole have unlocked
that door?
She made q prayer beautiful prayer.
1t comforted even me little-she spoke of
the tenderness of God in all the troubles
of life, and how it never failed us.
When we We're all going out heard sew
erdl persons speak Of Mr.. Dix and his
Biblical cyclopaedia. They decided that he
was a theological student. book canvassing
to defray the expenses of his education.
Maria Woods was not at the meeting.
Several asked Phoebe how she was, and she
replied, Not very WELL"
1t was very late. I thought Mr.. Dix
might be over tonight. but he has not been
here.
Wednesday, can scarcely believe what
i about to write. Our inyeStiga tons
seem all to point to one person, and that
perS on-it is incredible! l will not believe
1t. Mr.. Dix came, as before at dawn. He
reported, and 1 reported. 1 showed Maria
Woods letter. He said he had driven to
Acton and found that. the jeweler there had
engraved the last date in the ring about
six weeks ago.
Il don't want to seem rough, but your
father was going to get married again."
said Mr.. Dix.
man since mother died." l protested.
Nevertheless he had made arrangements
to be married" persisted Mr.. Dix.
who was the woman?'
He pointed at the letter in my hand.
maria Woods?"
He nodded.
1 stood looking at him-dazed. Such a
possibility had never entered my head.
He produced an envelope from his pocket
and took out little card with blue and
NE see those threads you found" he said
l got the box, and We compared them
He had number of pieces of blue sewing
silk and brown wooden rawlings, and they
matched mine exactly. Where did you
find them?" 1 asked.
I'm my boarding mistress piece bag"
1 stared at him. What does it mean?'
gasped out.
What do you think?"
TT Is impossible!
Ito be concluded tomorrowl