Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-01

what he wanted, however-a look at
Edna's face, set part against the on
coming visible doom.
Speaking of letters" he began,
examining the prongs of his fork,
"Lettersr' Mrs. Galbraith burst out
IT, a wall of disgust. Good heavens,
we've talked nothing else but letters
since we sat down. 1 feel as if mad
been dining off ink and foolscap!"
Willis answered only with a turn of
his grave eyes, and she found herself
being pressed back, steadily, insuffera-
bly,. before them.
Don't look at me like that, Willis"
she said, in choice Saxon. And she
ended with what you were saying"
ITS about one time went off camp
ing with Will Hobart and Bob,' Willis
began again, "up at Sun lake."
"And a very silly place to co. said
Mrs. Galbraith severely.
"That lust what Aunt Jane said. So
Of course we went. Bob and Hobart
had charge of the rations and when we
unpacked I noticed that there was
good deal more to drink and smoke
than there was need of. And mem
toned it,
Edna couldn't laugh; and Wills
merely waited with all a quiet mans
stately patience for other peoples noise.
"Then a letter came" he went on, in
the pause that ensued; Bob got it and
it was from a girl. There were several
things in it, but it was mainly about
me. I don't know where the lady got
her information; all / know, is that it
was mentioned several times. Then
when I'd done-that seemed out OF the
ouestion-but she mentioned very par
ticularly what protested. won't
have it. Go on with an earnest hope
that Bob wouldn't let me corrupt his
morals.
"Of course Bob had the time Of his
life with that letter. He read selections
of 1t to Hobart, and said wasn't 1t
dreadful and who'd have thought 1t,
wagging his head solemnly like crazy
old woman. And in the evenings they'd
get together over their favorite mixture
and talk dolefully about the innocent
and unwary being led astray by them
that was hardened in sin. And they'd
point their cigars at me and turn up
their eyes and shake their heads and
groan. Oh, it was lovely to hear them!
And they kept it up till we broke camp
two weeks later
Meanwhile had been thinking, and
the conclusion 1 came to was, that that
girl must be punished 1 didn't have
more than a bowling acquaintance with
her. but that was enough to begin on.
So 1 put off moving my work to Chi
| cago. as l, had intended, till could get
| this little personal matter off my mind.
| The thing took longer than I had
thought it would, took months, in fact,
and the upshot was that 1 never went
to Chicago at all"
The last sentence fell with a note of
fnality, which showed, so far as he
was concerned that the story was
ended His aunt stared at him in sur
prise.
why, is that all? I thought you
were going to tell how you punished
her."
mo, no." said Willis. "You must
guess that. I give you three guesses.
"Nonsense!" said the old lady i'm
patiently 1t was one of her rules never
| to be kept waiting. Come, Willis" she
urged, don't be silly"
"Why, isn't three enough?" His eye
brows went up innocently. make it
four then" he offered. -Four ought to
be plenty"
whilst" Mrs. Galbraith was inexor-
able. "I don't want to have to spank
you again."
Willis was visbly, inordinately mysti-
fled.
But what is 1t you want? What am
1 to say?"
'I want you to tell me this instant
what you did to that girl"
"Oh' Judging from his tone her idea
had just begun to glimmer family in
his mind. "What did to her? 1 see.l
Well, then, If you really insist upon
knowing, Il" Again he faltered and
the smile left his face. 1t had seemed,
long way off, so easy to say. Now
coming nearer, it could hardly be
spoken without sacrilege.
"Willis!"
He rat quiet for moment more, as
il he had forgotten where he was. Then
his tone lowered to note of strange,
deep repression.
81 married her." he said.
When he turned, Ednas face was
aglow and her eyes brimming with new
salvation.