The Washington herald., 1906-12-16

morning. and meant TO postpone the re-
hearsal until tomorrow. How much
later must I put it to get my star per-
former IMP
At another time Davis would have
heard all things sweet In her rebuking
possessive. but now he was too troubled
by her misunderstanding 10 take COM
fort
"Oh. I'm not coming back. that Is. not
until after the holidays" he said awk-
wardly.
But my theauicals. my house party.
she exclaimed in dismay.
Il am overwhelmed he said. abiect-
edly. but perhaps Dick Adams"
She sometimes had a way Of putting
| him beyond the pale Of her conscious
ness with a careless droop of her lids
She did it now.
"Of course Dick will do capitally. He
sings almost as well as you, and he has
played the part before. he told me. a
merry Christmas TO you then, and a
/ happy New Year. Don't let the matter
/ trouble your good time.
Thank YOU" he replied. chilled to the
heart He wanted TO explain, but that
would seem Ike playing on her sym
pathy. So he said namely: I'm going
| home FOR a few weeks"
"Oh," she said, coldly, you thought
| last week you couldn't go. I'm glad you
are freer." And then he looked so dis
tressed that she added appealinGly;
| Must you 90? Why not stay with us
before last week
| IEa uraFkad
Mother has been asking me for eight
years. The fact that 1 put your invitation
first shows how selfish / am" he replied
soberly; and il the meaning in his words
could be mistaken the light in his eyes
could not. The flush in her delicate face
deepened and she looked past him TO the
street, but her mouth remained cold.
There comes Mr.. Adams now" she
said suddenly.
| Adams came IN cheerily.
Going away" he repeated as Miss
f Chester explained. Yes. / know. / stood
/ behind him in the Office while he sent
word to Mary that he was coming. He
WAS so engrossed that he never noticed
me-
1T was my sister" said Davis. with q
cold dignity that made Adams grin.
! He went out into the street with a
heart unattuned 10 the Christmas JOY in
| the atmosphere. He was fercely Jealous
Of these coming days which Dick Adams
/ would have with Myrtle Chester. And
she was displeased with his going. That
hurt him most. for II warred with his
| conception OF the woman he loved that
she did not understand.
He Strengthened resOlutely. He would
not go home TO his mother in self-sac-
riicing mood. He passed a florists win
dow and he stopped to get some flowers
to take with him. Just inside the door
stood a large vase filed with glossy
thick green sprays, and tucked between
the leaves was card bearing the words
Myrtle, which is chiefly for love"
Davis swung into the shop and bought
the whole green mass No one else
should have aught of il SeraWling the
quotation across his card he slipped II
into the box himself, and wrote Myrtle
Chester's address for the man. Whatever
his doubts were. she should have none
went 10 his train.
When he turned in al his fathers gate
he saw his mother coming from the
chicken yard, and a pang shot through
him as he noted how bowed she was Il
was showing and she put her hands VI
20 shield her eyes as she looked TO Sc,
who was coming. AS Davis leaped Ovel
the flower mound covered with evergreen
bOughs she dropped the pan and spo0r
she carried and hObbled toward him Will
Outstretched hands. Even before h'
reached her he noted the great knot:
, on the knuckles-the rheumatism Of which
Mary had written. and he kissed then