La Junta tribune., 1907-06-15

near and yet 30 far from her. Perhaps
when come hack lie mounted the
stairs and closed tho door OF his room.
win sigh. hls sister went back to
her embroidery.
In the meantime Berfie, with quick
glance over his shoulder. had deiIber-
utcly turned his back on home and
long instiiled obedience II Mr. Henry
was not going To share th. pleasures OF
tea. sponge cakes and new tronscrS.
what was III. use of having them ut
all: And over there. beyond the rail-
road track. lived a little boy who has
three big brothers and u Jolly father
who smoked a pipe and whose mother
did not write letters and cry.
A minute later II came 10 Aunt
Helen. one sharp. shrill cry Of boyish
terror. She sprang to her feet. terri
fed and trying TO figure the direction
from which II had come. When she
reached the street. Nrs. johnson. white
Of face. was leaning against II tree
"Bertie-he's caught on the railroad
track. The express is backing down,
Ny heart-I can't rum
But Aunt Helen could run. and down
the street toward the track she sped
She could see the small dark blue fig
ure huddled In the middle OF the
tracks. She could hear the warning
whistle OF the express, backing from
the transfer depot to the local sta ton,
and then something dreadful happened
"Berte. Bertie. I'm coming" she
cried and then fell. her dainty slipper
tangled In mass OF lace frippefies.
In vain she struggled TO her feet. A
fresh enta nglemenf of lace threw her
back TO the ground. She could hear
people screaming In every direction.
She heard the rush OF hurrying feet.
and then strong voice called. Com.
Ing. Just as she got Ia her own feet
she saw Henry Strong slide down the
pillar OF his sisters porch He had
sprung through his window TO the roof
Of the porch and WINS not wasting
time on stairways. Straight ahead Of
her he new like streak. bounded over
the nrst track. bent over the hoy and
then something came between her and
the two dark fgures-so something that
rumbled and thunderc-l away Into a
horrible .i!ei.t, 20 Helen did not
When Mrs. johnson came she found
her lying unconscious and white on the
edge Of the curb.
II WIS Mr. Henry who carried Aunt
Helen home to the dim sitting ROOM
and Bertie ilmped soberly. for, like the
boy In the song. he had one shoe oH
and one shoe on. Later when Aunt
Helen was quite herself Mrs. Johnson
brought In what WAS lef; of the miss
Ing shoe when the express had passed
over II. and then Aunt Helen learned
how Mr.. Henry had ripped open the
shoe. which had caught In n frog on
the track. and with Bcrtie In his arms
had rolled down the bank TO safety.
That night after Berthe had eaten two
sponge cakes and had been tucked Into
bed Mr.. Henry. who had forgotten that
dinner engagements ever existed, sat
In his old corner In Aunt Helen's sit
ting room. and Aunt Helen sat beside
him in her Lttle wicker rocker.
Henry" she said softly. II was
wrong. aud you were right Bertie
needs you-nnd | need You. ! have
missed YOU
He did not answer. and there was
troubled look in his eyes. She rose
suddenly and crossed TO her desk.
See. dear, 1t was not because OF
what happened this afternoon. was
writing TO you when he ran away, poor
lonely laddic. He knew something was
wrong"
Henry Strong read the half finished
letter and Kissed her.
And now he knows II is all right
again. Let's go upstairs and make
sure he Is not having bad dreams.
Poor chap, He had great scare"
And SO Bertic. waking from restless
siumbcr. saw the two faces dearest Ia
all the world bending over him. and.
reaching out for two protecting hands.
he fell Into peaceful sleep.