The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-10-18

Aou nOtY'
with each ether In efforts TO stuff them
to repletion. Over this uproarious feast
presided the tall slip of damsel with
whom poor Ned had parted SO mourn
fully when he went away in February.
Ada's was the only face in all the NOR
ry party that seemed to have known a
trace of sorrow. Her big, dark, mourn
full eyes and shaggy hair, her sallow
face and shabby frock, twice let down
and still "skimpy," told a pathetic
story. Thirteen years of age, the child
had already seen much of anxiety and
trouble, much indeed beyond the ken of
many an elder and the week going by
brought hour after hour of nervous wear
and tear, the cause Of which only one
woman knew and strove in vain to
Danish. Ada shrank with actual dread
and repulsion from the thought of hav-
ing to meet the man who had come to
take her loved fathers place.
Thrice had Barclay spoken to Mrs.
Blythe of a desire to see the children ct
Colonel Lawrence; now he felt confident
that he knew the cause of her evasion
and pressed no more. But all through
dinner, even while speaking in the low,
somewhat measured tones habitual &,
him, he lost no talk in which the chill
dren were mentioned, and at Blythe i
they were never forgotten. 1t was net
long before he discovered that the
Blythes and Lawrences-they young peo-
ple-were at the DOCTORS, Ada presd-
ing. Indeed, with much gusto, almost
as soon as soup was served, Collabone
began telling of her matronly, mother
ly ways. Half an hour later a nessen-
ger came to the door and asked ii Dr.
Collabone would please step over and
see Mrs. De Lancy moment "Tell
her I'll be there in just one hour, . said
the doctor, looking at his watch Then
he added for the benefit of the party
present, There's nothing in the worth
the matter with Mrs. De Lancy, and ~
that time she'll have forgotten she s,ii
for me-" Ten minutes later came an
other call. 1t was the Collabones' do
nestle this time. Little immy's &. :
his hand, and Miss Ada -l't stop tA !,
bleeding" Say I'll come insta!.tl7,
said he, springing from the table az,
making his excuses to the lady of til.
house.
Barclays face shone with insta,
sympathy and interest. Dessert w..,
nearly over. He turned to the mothesly
woman, whose own gentle face betrayed
her anxiety.
sWill you think me very rude?" I'a
said. "You know do not smoke, a..d
l do want SO much to meet those chill
dren. I feel that Ada purposely sllrns
me, and this is an opportunity not to
be lost. May be excused? will soon
return" Mrs. Blythe's eyes were elo-
quent as she babe him CO.
Three minutes later he softly entered
the DOCTORS sitting room. There in a
big easy chair sat a tall, sallow faced,
tumble haired girl, holding in her arms
burly little fellow whose frightened
sobbings she had at last controlled and
who, with only an occasional whimper,
was now submitting to the DOCTORS ex-
animation and deriving much comfort
from his professional and reassuring
manner.
"Why, this is no cut at all, Jimmy,
my boy. The reason you bled so much
is that you are so uncommonly healthy
and full of blood. This won't keep you
out of mischief six hours Hold the ba-
sin steady, Purlina. Kick all you want
to, Jimmy. Don't you dare to laugh,
Kittie Blythe. Well, if here isn't Cap
tain Barclay, too, come in to see you.
Here is the little wounded soldier, cap
tain. You had your arm in sling six
months, didn't you? The Sioux did that
for him, Jimmy, and you've only got
to be done up in q bandage till tomor-
row night Let Captain Barclay hold
you? Indeed l won't. He doesn't know
how to hold little boys-lilse Ada. He's
got no little boys nor big Ada either
Bet your boots he wishes he had. .1in,-