The Western news., 1903-04-15

oiation, there was another rupture, un-
I'll the existing state Of affairs could
pe endured no longer.
1t was then Julie Mason wrote for
the little niece who had been the
mower girl at her wedding to come out
and spend the winter with them.
the prospect of having child in the
house. albeit borrowed one, put new
interest into both their broken lives.
They grew less Indifferent to their
manners and appearance, and even
tfled to establish a better understand
ing with each other-for the chld's
sake. The trap was overhauled and
repa1nted. a pony was bought, and
Kitten was saved from the drowning
for pet for 'Lisbeth.
| But when 'Lisbeth arrived, with the
added weight of ten years upon her
curly head, she was not the little tot
they had left behind them ten years
ago. and that they, in their blindness,
had still expected to see. Elisabeth
was now woman. and keenly alive
to the fact.
| MuSSOA LUX 1AlSUctu 10 ucI
arms, as she would have taken any
human soul for the sake of compan-
ionship. but there was still an ache in
her heart for the child she had ex-
| pected to see. And Elisabeth. in her
turn, took her aunt, her aunt's hus-
band, and everything on the ranch,
straight to her heart. And every live
creature about the place felt the spell
Of her presence; the dear little pigs,
the cunning little chickens, the sweet
| little calves, all brought gurgles Of
| delight to her lips. The mettlesome
horses Mason himself had difficulty
in mounting We're cajoled by sugar
and kisses into carrying her safely.
The great st. Bernards were un-
chained and allowed to romp with her
| through the halls. The out-of-tune pi-
| ano was banged and thumped from
morning till night, and buoyant, bub-
bling springtime reigned supreme all
winter long.
The trap, as smart and new as ever,
was again heard Gathering over the
roads, for Jack somehow seemed al
ways able to find time to show Lis
beth the great rolling valley, now
growing fresh grains and young again
under the touch of the winter rains.
If Jack had to 60 down to the village,
'Lisbeth had to go. too, because she
was the only one who could hold
Prancing Billy steady. If he had to
| ride horseback over the fields, still
| 'Lisbeth must go along. because Black
bird went so much better if some one
| rode Dick. And it was surprising, to
| Mrs Mason at least, how many ex-
| cursions Of the sort seemed suddenly
| necessary.
AS Julie Mason watched them day
| after day, starting off together, Jacks
shoulders growing straighter, his step
| brisker, his manner gentler, the ache
in her heart took a different form and
| grew deeper. And when she met them
| on their return, 'Lisbeth sparkling and
dimpling and Jack gallant and gentle
she sighed for her old desolation a
| deuX.
That Julie seemed to grow Trailer
| and thinner since Elisabeth's arrival
instead Of better, as they had hoped,
Jack did not seem to notice. In fact,
nobody seemed to notice Julie much
| any more. 'Lisbeth was sweet and
thoughtful enough when they We're
alone together, but 'Lisbeth was not
shrewd enough to keep her aunt from
seeing her ear was atruned for GER
tain step on the walk, certain whistle
down the road, a certain voice in the
hallway. She felt her superfluity with
| a poignance pressed down and run
ming over.
You don't look we'll this morning.
old girl Mason surprised her by say
ing one morning. when Elisabeth was
kept in her room by cold and they
were eating their meal in cheerless
| silence.
Dredging her memory for some rea
son to which to ascribe this sudden
solicitude on his part, she forgot to
answer HIM. After moment he re-
peated his observation-casual enough
in itself.
You are not looking well this morn
ing. julie
Miss Mason looked up quickly. Was
this the first time during the winter
he had noticed her i'll looks. she won
dered.
II am as we'll as usual" she an
swered. quietly still wondering at his
| sudden interest.
The meal was finished in silence.
They had so long ceased to pretend to
have a common interest that it was
not necessary to sham. The child. as
she insisted upon calling 'Lisbeth. had
not seemed to notice their attitude to-
ward each other. or had accepted it as
matter of course between people
who had been married ten years. and
| did not know-or did she know?-it
was her presence that was widening
the breach This was the question
Julie asked herself every day as she