Evening star., 1901-11-23
era trust her with more than that, the

4
| her down to The 3slopfng sands. where she
| threw aside the thoughts which crowded
upon he like thick fog. With forced gay
| ETY. she reused herself and chatted voiubly
| until they reached her mothers cottage.
| Mrs Maitland metsthem in the door, Her
oaking had turned out marvelously well.
| She was at peace with the world, and hos
| pitalfty incarnate,
Won't YOU come, over to dinner tomor-
row, Mr.. Warner? / think Ged Harper's
Iolk can spare You, and four looks better
| round my table than three
| Warner bowed coarteously over the out
stretched, work-woEn hand.
You are very kind, Mrs. Maitland. l
snail come with pleasure. Then he turned
10 Helen. Again she had turned pale, ana
! her lips moved stiff1y.
| Mr.. Warner
| Tomorrow-and in the morning Graham
would be here! Who or what would he
| bring with him.? Only once had Helen
Maitland seen handouts, but now the iron
| bracelets In hideous guise appeared before
her aching eyes. :.
Wake up, Helen. It's real Thanksgiv
| ing morning The weather changed in the
night, and the ground is covered with
| snow"
| Helen tried to smile into her mothers
| cheerful face. 1t had been a bad night for
her, and now-in two hours Graham would
| be at Ged Harpers!
| The moments fairly flew for Mrs. Matt
land, on hospitality and good cheer intent.
There were geraniumS to pick for the table,
the old-fashioned silver to be given final
polishing. and never did a turkey require
such incessant basting. Helen tried to be
OF some assistance. but her hands trembled
when she cut the flowers and twice she
spilled the succulent juice when she basted
the turkey
Ten o'clock! Graham must be at Ged
Harper's! Half-past! There came a knock
at the door, but Helen dared not move. Her
| mother hustled back to the kitchen, puZ-
Zled look on her face.
''Lawzee, Helen,' she whispered, closing
the door carefully, its the man You work
for-Mr. Graham-and he's got a valise. l
But Helen was out of hearing. At the
! front-room door she paused to gain time
and courage.
| Graham stood with his back to her, star
ing intently at a letter in his hand. He
turned abruptly.
We'll, he's gone!'
'Gone! Helen echoed the word blankiy.
| What had she said or done to rouse War
ner's suspicious?
Left on the 1O47 train last night con-
| tinued GrahamS blunt, unwavering tones.
This bag and letter he ordered Mr.. Harper
to send to YOU
Mechanically Helen took the letter and
bent to open the bag. But her thought was
of Graham. Was he mentally accusing her
| of duplicity? She gave sudden gasp. The
| bag was filed with papers Graham knelt
| beside her, a light of triumph Illuminating
| his stern face. She tore open the letter,
Iedu IL HaStly, ana 1nen Win a great SOD
| dropped her face on her claSped hands.
Graham watched her in silence; then the
| veins on his throat and wrists stood out
| like great cords, and an angry light shone
| in his eyes.
What had Worrel -done-added to his
| other crimes the unforgivable sin of break
| ing this girls heart? And the man who
would have protected her, had he dared to
| ask the right, stood tensely watching the
| sob-shaken figure before him.
| Miss Maitland"
| She raised her head, and at the great joy
In her face Graham felt load fall from
| his heart.
Read it,, she said simply, and handed
him the crumpled letter.
MY Dear F'riend-I told you yesterday I
would not bore you with the story of my
| life. To tell you the truth, 1 lacked the
| courage to tell it. But if you will take this
| grip to the Manhattan Security and In
vestment Company. inc, and turn it over
| to Mr. Forbes. the president, he will doubt
| less give you all the information obtaina-
| pie in regard to my iniquities. 1 am trust
| ing you with this because I know I can
| and with something more. I want you to
see my mother, and tell her what passed
| between us yesterday on the point. AS for
| myself, m going after that chance. Where
never mind. You'll hear from me in time
-"hen I've something decent to write I've
known for months L fool, but it
needed just you to show me the way out.
hope the knowledge that you've done me
a good turn will add zest to your Thanks
| giving dinner, and that your mother won't
think me unpardonably rude to thus break
our engagement
Your faithfully and gratefully.
GROVER WORRELI.'
The moist sheet fiuttered from Graham's
hand to the floor and he grasped roughly
the curved back of Mrs. Matlands ances-
trail chair.
"Helenr'
The girl raised her beautiful gray eyes
to his in wonder at the tone.
Helen, you don't care?"
A puzzled look came into her face
Don't care-what?"
That he has gomez" There was world
Of entreaty in his voice Her eyes fell.
mo" mighty wave of joy thrill al her
and a spirit of mischief rang in her next
words. Not if you'll have THANKSGIVING
dinner with us, We have places for four
Then Graham forgot the Worrell case
the property of the Manhattan Investment
Company scattered at his feet, the fact
mat ne had never told Helen Of his love
He simply held out his arms-and she l1n-
derstood. "i'
Mrs. Mrs: Maitland Mai had just brought in the
aloft with a contemplative air, when she
remarked with startling abruptness:
We'll if this hasn't been the uueerest
Thanksgiving day I ever put IN Who'd
| ever thought of your coming all the wav
| from New York to eat real Rhode Island
turkey? declare, it's wonder this whole
dinner amt burnt to a cinder.
1t has been surprising sares of
| events" answered Graham with almost
boyish enthusiasm '.Al day yesteriay I
was dreading that Thanksgiving dinner at
| a cafe. 1t just goes to show that some
| times one cannot tell what he has 10 he
| grateful for until almost time to carve the
| turkey. And then blessings come thick and
| fast Allow me, Mrs. Maitland, as your
| future son-in-law,. to relieve Won of tbat
| task" ~
And Mrs. Maitland weakly rclinaufshed
the carver, murmuring family: "Wen,
| might have told me-"
how could l. mother dear, when I
| didn't know it myself?"
| Teeth Cleaning Hints.
The proper way to clean the teeth is to