The Washington herald., 1907-12-26
BY CARL WILLIAMS.

Grayce looked grim as he threw open
the door and stumbled over the roll Of
rugs that lay just within.
Another night has come and that land
lord still lives his evil life," he called.
and from the dimly lighted parlor came
an answering sniff.
Bert Grayce hung up his coat on the
half-shrouded hatrack and entered the
room. The furniture was swathed In bur
lap and excelsior, the piano was covered
with old blankets and other soft wrap
pings, and Ntrunks and boxes were piled
with some attempt at order along the
bare walls and upon the equally bare
floor.
On top of the upturned soap box a
group OF candles guttered dismally. their
feeble rays serving to accentuate the alb
sence OF gas. Desolation-the desolation
Of an exodus-broOded everywhere, even
upon the face Of the woman who sat in
low rocker beside the candles. and
vainly made pretense OF reading.
Hers was a lovable face. framed in
masses Of silver hair, and Grayces smile
softened and grew more tender as he
bent to kiss the still smooth forehead.
Cheer UP. mother mine" he said
laughlngly. IAN is not yet lost, though
the painters remain on strike. TO-mOr-
row the new home will be painted. By
Saturday we shall be comfortably set
tied"
Are you sure?" demanded Mrs. Grayce
wistfully. ''If you are, we will not have
the gas turned on again"
There are electric lights in the new
home" he reminded. You viii forget
these nights of Egyptian darkness. and
the next time we move We shall not
order the current turned of until we are
safely out Of the house"
''To think that at the last moment,
with all packed and ready to move this
strike should have come up" said Mrs
Grayce with a groan. Are you positive.
Bert, that the painter you have engaged
viii not be won over by the strikers .
Never more certain OF anything in my
life" was the laughing response. THE
painter is no less a person than your
accomplished son. I stopped in and or
dered the paint sent over this morning
Tomorrow I shall go and WELD the
early. 1 must put in a full day
Bert passed on to his own ROOM light
ing his way with matches and his mother
heaved q sigh OF relief. For eight days
they had virtually camped in the apart
ment they had given up, waiting for their
new quarters 10 be finished. The packers
had done their work, the man had come
. cut off the gas. and the moving vans
were backed up 70 the door when tele-
phone message came to the effect that
owing TO a strike Of the painters the new
rooms were not yet ready for occupancy.
From day to day the landlord had prom
ised that something would be done at
once, bur now a full week had passed and
hope had commenced TO fail. until Bert
decided 10 do the work himself
He made an early start, and s o'clock
found him IN a suit Of jeans applying the
paint with as sl1illful a brush as though
painting were his regular occupation. He
worked rapidly and WELL and the rooms
, had begun 10 assume a habitable aspect.
when he heard the hall door open and
close. and looked up, expecting to see the
landlord
Instead ne faced about to encounter the
gaze OF pair Of brown eyes. which
seemed TO pierce his paint-stained jacket
and give him an oddly queer sensation
about the heart. The possessor Of the
eyes was a fragile slip of a girl. whose
pure oval face was oddly Ike a picture by
some old master. The slender form was
wholly concealed by a brown holland
piEIfore. and this was splashed with
color. a dab Of blue. which had sought
higher resting place, made a saucy beauty
patch against the dimpling chin.
so you have come she said at length.
Il was beginning to think that you would