The Somerset reporter., 1906-10-25

| tell you" she began.
Oliver recalled that delicious little
habit she used to have of tempting the
fates shyly, of hesltatlng when she
meant to be right down outrageous.
"Of course you ought" he urged.
"You always do in the end, you know,
and 1t Will save time" Under her
playfulness he had allowed himself to
grow light hearted.
We'll, them she began, but her
voice tralled off vaguely. Her cheeks
took on pinker bloom; she forgot the
| handkerchief and finished her thought
with mature dignity that became her
like the armor of her sex.
Our little boy, Maverick-our little
boy has changed me-"
"Ah! Our boy Oliver broke off
abruptly, for something had suddenly
clutched him by the throat.
The woman hastily brushed her tears
away and went on practically:
You'd be proud of him, Maverick
such strong, agile llmbs-and he has
the will of a little savage"
.
STOPPING over the platforms edge and
plucking a buttercup stalk that had
ambtiously grown up from the gravel
"He must be eleven months now"
"Yes. He was five when-when you
last saw him" She kept her eyes de-
lberately fixed upon the high railroad
trestles in the blue distance. "Do you
know, he's been such a help to me.
I've told him all the things | wanted
to tell you-told him that his mother
had been a vain, silly, girllsh tyrant
who, coming straight from the convent,
wanted to have everything this world
had to giye-money, fame, position
all those things that are bought In the
market place-and had wanted to buy
them with his fathers conscience"
Over the trestles the smoke of the
incoming train was seen. There We're
the usual hustle and running to and
fro on the platform, seizing of hand
bags, cartlng of trunks, and so on.
Whatever swift, mutual, soul revela-
tions Oliver and his wife had been on
the point of making dissolved into
nothingness, Jared by the prosaic COM
motion of traffic. 1t was pity, too,
for with Eleanor's last words her face
had melted into plant sweetness,
her exquisite mouth had taken on sud
den quivering little curves. She had
seemed about to say, ambition, self
ishness, the cruelty of pride-all these
things have gone, Maverick"
She didn't say that, however. In
stead she rose from the wooden step
which her husband had busted for her
I'm glad you found me changed" she
said merely. Something in the mans
honest soul OVERLOADED.
81, tool, too Eleanor, will changer
cried he
"Ah, you've no need to-" answered
she, meeting honesty with honesty
you've been growing like the trees
yonder"-she nodded in the direction
of the woodland-"for years, straight
and strong l had to be pruned.
had
The trains screechlng whistle dead
ened her words. 1t came rushing In
and stopped. Oliver still held Eleanors
tiny suit case and umbrella in his
hand. There was confused sound of
greeting to the passengers who had
alighted and the clamor of hotel run
ners and bus drivers,
"Now, then, step liyelyw cried the
brakeman as the last much bundled
old woman descended, allowing the
impatient travelling men to climb
aboard Oliver and his wife were the
last of the crowd.
He helped her aboard, found her
chair for her In the parlor car, then
turned mserably to meet her eyes.
"All aboardw came the strident
voice Of the conductor. The train be-
gan to move almost imperceptibly.
"Goodbyr' cried Oliver battling with
strong emotion, but conscious of the
increasing movement of the train.
Then as he bent over her seat the
woman laid trembling hand on his
arm, and her eyes were brlmming with
slow tears
"Goodby, Maverick? Don't you want
to go with me to our baby?'
Good heavens! Eleanor. do l want
to-"
Some lonely passengers at the other
end of the car wondered what had sud
denly illumlned the mans handsome
face with that electric thrill of joy.
Then the telegraph poles began to
whiZ bV Oliver Ind forpnttpD New
York.