Evening star., 1900-10-13

but It's good. plain stun; good enough for
Us: NO; sa don't j Hayes1 yea' Cartier. can,
But Joe's wife hurried QUITO the kitchen,
leaving Joe and Hunch in the front room
Take off your coat. man. said Joe.
What you getting so bashful about all Of
Hunch buttoned his coat 1srvously.
rs she staying here yet. JoeY'
Who's that you mean, Hlnch? Bruce's
wife? She's going to her fathers tomor-
Wei. RI lite tell sSDs You. Hunchg you won't say
nothing about it. Of course; but when Bruce
that girl didn't have cent anywheres. and
worsen that II you count his debts, l Just
thought kind OF that the old man he didn't
know quite how things stoodj or he wouldn't
Hunch nodded.
And Of course ! couldn't say nothing
to her, you know, cause she'd think first
thing l meant something about the rent
SO 1 says to Martha, Martha, you just
take your work'-this was Thursday
Martina, l says, you just take your work
and go up to Mis- Banks and set down and
nave good old jaw with the old lady.
She'll let you talk to her. 1 says, cause
she used to be your Sunday school teacher,
and she's alway took a shine to you. And
you Just lay out the whele thing, and tell
respect OF one grocer in this town she'd
better just leave go OF one of them mis-
s1onary societies Of hers and watch out a
little for her own daughter Martha, she
felt kind Of delicate about going but she
went down, just the same, and tackled the
old lady. and when she come back her eyes
was like she'd been crying SO I knowed
twas all right, and 1 didn't say nothing
And. sure enough that night old Bankers
himself came around and stood up stiff
IN the door and says Is my daughter here,
cartier? He always calls me Joe, you
know, and l calls him George. but that
upstairs, and then Martha and 1 we just
Keeps out of the way in the kitchen sos
ne could go out without running into any
of us But long about $50 he comes out
and knocks on the kitchen door and says:
My daughters coming to my house. joe
And L says, When? and he says Mon
day. and Let me know what the board'H
amount to- And, you see, Hunch, I was
right. George and then he goes out So
the girls going to keep alive, anyhow. and
that's something
Hunch rose, and slowly buttoned his
ulster.
You give her them things, won't you,
joe I dunno as I'd say anything about
my bringing 'em down"
why, hold on, man. you amt going
now. Martha's out getting some dinner
for you"
Sorry" said Hunch 'I got to get
back"
80. pshaw. Hunch. this amt right Wait
would like to see you. She's right up
stairs
No" said Hunch slowly. "she don't
want to see me-
CARTER looked at him little surprised
then suddenly grew embarrassed.
II forgot" he said; II clean forgot No.
1 don't s'pose she does"
Hunch turned and felt for the doorknob.
Mrs. Cartier coming in from the kitch-
en- and she hurried forward.
Don't let him go now. Jue. His dinners
all ready
That's right" Joe urged "You see you
can't go. Hunch."
I'm sorry" said Hnnch. "Good day."
He hurried out and left Joe, and his wife
looking at each other.
Hunch had been back in Manistee nearly
a week. when one day he received Iet-
ter in a perfumed envelope like the ones
Bruce used to get, when they were to-
gether ON the schooner.
He. carried it in his pocket all the after
neon. and at night. wondering what she
could have to say and yet not daring
to open it and find out he set 1t upon
his bureau, taking 1t up every few min
utes and turning it over In his hand. In
the morning when he awoke and got out
of bed to light the lamp and dress it was
there on the bureau staring at him. He
held it up to the light seveEa1 times then
tore off the end of the. envelope and drew
out the letter. 1t was a stifiiy worded lit
tie note. thanking him for ,bringing Bruce's
things, and was signed, .s.s,Y Yours. truly.
Mary Considne.i HuncA G9tld not tell
why it made him happy. lie read 1t over
and over. the first letter. she had ever writ
ten to him, almost the first letter any one
had written to him. He stood by the
lamp holding 1t in his hand.
Then suddenly he thought of Bruce, and
the letter dropped to the table and lay
there for long time untouched. while he
dressed with clumsy fingers. But before he
went out to work he put 1t away In his
inside pocket. 1t stayed there for a long
time, and sometimes in the evenings, long
afterward, he would take it out and read
1t again. ..5,
(To be continued)