The Tomahawk., 1904-07-07
y The .
Short Cut Through
the AlderS

T HE village church was crowded with
decorous worshipers. The organ
voluntary had died away, and a silence,
broken only by the hushed footsteps and
gentle rustic of some late arrival, per-
vaded the place of worship.
The minister was just approaching the
altar by private entrance when Mrs.
Mary Ann McDougall passed up the
aisle, loudly heralded by the musical
squeak of new shoes, and paused by the
pew occupied by Lawyer Larkin and
family. Leaning over this village mag
nate with a benign smile, she presented
his wife with an immense bunch of pen
nyroyal, saying in shrill whisper, dis
tinctly audible in all parts of the church:
Here's them herbs I've been apron
isin' yer so long, Mis- Larkin!'
Then, with the air of one who has
faithfully performed an important duty,
she squeakily tiptoed her way to the pew
reserved by the town fathers for the
poor.
A suppressed smile swep, over
the congregation at this little diversion
in the regular exercises of the day. Mr..
Larkin bit his moustache with an air
of amusement, not unmixed with vexa-
ton; Miss Viola Files, Mrs. Larkin's
younger sister, flushed with mortifica-
ton; three-year-old Myrtle, the baby
idol of the family, reached an admiring
hand for the pungent bouquet; ten-year-
old Harold was too busy watching an un-
equal combat between a spider and
fly in corner behind the blind to no
tice the gift in any way; but his mother,
unrufled and serene, received the
aromatic offering with as gracious
thanks as if it had been a bouquet OF rare
orchids. bestowed by a royal princess.
Viola looked at her sisters serene
face reproachfully. Throw it out OF the
window!" she whispered behind her fan.
1T scents the whole church.
Mrs. Larkin shook her head. cts
the Lords incense and worthy of His
house." she whispered back whimsi-
cally, 'but if it is offensive to you,
will place it on the window ledge out
side,' and she did so, dimpling with
amusement at her sisters look of re-
lief.
This little episode would not have
seriously disturbed Viola if she had not
seen the quick smile which played over
George Wayne's face, and the responsive
giggle of pert Sadie Griggs, who sat
by his side in the choir. 1t is not pleas
ant for even the meekest of girls-and
Viola was far from meek-to have her
family made ridiculous before the eyes
of recreant lover and q triumphant
rival. Not that she cared about George
Wayne's good opinion, Viola told herself
over and over again during the sermon,
looking very proud and possessed.
Why should she care, when he had shown
himself so tickle and despicable
They had been playmates from baby
hood, and merely because she had told
him he seemed just like brother, and
persisted in accepting the escort of Carl
Bennington, city boarder at the hotel,
to the Shakespeare club picnic, George
had pretended to fly into a jealous rage.
All mere pretense, Of course, a scheme to
rid himself of his old playmate, for he
had taken Sadie Griggs to that very pic
mic, and the moonlight ride and tennis
tournament afterward, and Viola, to
show him how little she cared, had kept
up furious Irritation with Mr.. Benning-
ton although his presence bored her al
most to the point of insanity, as George
might know if he took the slightest in
terest in her happiness, but he did not.
Now, when they met, he called her
Miss Files. Miss Files! when they
had pulled hair over their peppermint
drops at four, fought like little savages
over croquet at ten, and been the frank
est and jolliest of chums from that date
to the opening of the present season.
She didn't call him Mr.. Wayne. She
would not be such fool. There was no
occasion to call him anything A frosty
bow was sufficient to express her present
attitude toward him.
But in another week he was going
west. Way out to Oregon! His cousin
told her so. She didn't care, of course,
but there was something very depress-
ing about the weather, and she wished
people wouldn't inquire so solfcitously
about her health and persist in telling
her how pale and thin she was growing.
1t was all Imagination on their part. She
felt perfectly we'll, only languid and