The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1905-01-13

81 must leave this package at tne
dressmaker's, and then-well. there's
really nothing else you a do, thank
you"
"You are going to see Mrs. Green!
Well, I'm going too"
From the dressmaker'S they walked
down the beach road to the humble
house of mourning. Excited voices
welcomed them. Frowzy neighbors
were gathered on the front porch. Mrs.
Green was bordering or hysteria. Ion
watched in interested fashion While
Grace brought order out of chaos.
One by one the useless neighbors took
their departure. The children were
coaxed into the shadow of an upturn
ed boat to play store with real COOKIES,
candies and raisins which Grace pro-
duced from the depths of her Boston
bag. and Mrs. Green, comforted with
a bandage around her aching head and
many kind words. was induced to lie
down. Then Grace picked up the baby
and carried him around to the shady
side of the house. Tom followed. drag
ging a big rocking chair in which he
insisted she should sit, while he sprawl
ed in the sand at her feet. In the little
room whose shutters were closed just
behind them lay the man who had Of
ten risked his life that they might
make merry in the water. A sorrow
that was not personal fell upon them.
and the man lay quite still looking out
across the dancing water and thinking
of many things.
Suddenly above his head sounded
the soft, melting 'coo' of a baby's
voice. Without shifting his position,
lest he should break the charm, Tom
took in the picture. The laughing
y e of the girl were liquid and ten
der as she watched the baby on her
knees. The dimples had disappeared
and the lips were curved in a serious
sweetness. This was not the girl who
had been such a jolly good comrade
on fishing and sailing jaunts. This
was the woman he had been looking
for all these years. And to think that
he had not recognized her at once!
Her slender white hand was so
close to his that he could hardly keep
from clasping it. He pulled himself
together and asked in a voice that
sounded rather harsh by reason of his
effort at self control:
eff you will do all this, why won't
you help with the benefit up at the
hotel?"
Grace started. She had been wor-
dering whether the little mite in her
lap would some day grow up and fight
against the sea for human lives.
ooh, they're such silly things, you
know! Everybody hates you for ask
ing them to pay two or three times
what a things worth, and by the time
you have paid all the expenses the
beneficiary doesn't get very much; be-
sides it would be two weeks before
the thing came off and Mrs. Green
needed the clothes and the money now.
1 suppose a great many people think
It's very queer. but father has always
insisted on my keeping inside my al
lowance, and-well-I couldn't help
with the benefit and help Mrs. Green
today" She was Laundering along al
most blindly under the fierce light that
glowed in Toms eyes. "And so-and
so"-
Tom had utterly forgotten what she
was talking about. Her hand was ca
ressing the baby's face. The mar rose
On one knee and drew her hand away
from the chubby cheek, holding it firm
ly in his own.
"Grace, dear, I'm not half good
enough for you, but do you think you
could love me just a little"
She looked at him tenderly. ri think
I could love you a great DEAL" And
the baby ''cooed' and dimpled as he
looked at the two heads so close to-
gether above his own.