The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-10

place Tor bunch of benevolent work CTS to locate In the heart of the sub merged tent or whatever you call 1t. and do things, churn the milk of hu-
 man kindness into--"
 f.Don't laugh at me-" pleaded Edith.
 You've laughed at me from the be-
 ginning! What is 1t you wore that 1 you had to tell me?"
 Garrett. called Betty from the front
 room, shall write Cupid or Eros on these arrow favors that you bropght?'
 As ,ou please" said Barrett Tt doesn't matter. You can't. spoil their aim"
 "Betty enjoys it all so. sho's only .chiid----'
 shes IS" protested Barrett, auiet- ly. but with intention. How old are you yourself. grandma, about 2@, aren't you? Now sec here" He bent forward suddenly and took both her hands In his. Lets stop lodging the question. It's got to be told and you
 will have to bear it.
 "Therc is nothing to bear" Edith's 1 voice was soft and gracious. Not for the world would she let him guess
 what this one St. Valentines eve was ! costing her She had guessed It all along. his love for Betty, most of all | since the letter she had recel ed from him at Naples. Fragments of It re-
 cured to her. fragments she had read 1 but once. yet never could forget as 1 long as she lived.
 "You would hardly know Betty. She | Is so tender with the little ragamuffins and the big ragamuffins. too. by the 1 way do not think you realize that l she is a woman not child. She Is the little mother of the whole neigh
 borhood. The children gather every evening on tho steps and she tells them fairy tales. Mrs Lester and I play I chaperons to the Music Club nearly 1 every evening. You sec how faithful have grown to your little old Help | House
 Tine iittis old Help House Tn the 1 front room Betty had started some l game Back and forth passed the chill dren half dancing. half marching, while Betty and Tonic stood at one l side, beating time and calling direc- tions. Betty's face was flushed and | her brown eyes sparkled with excite l fent. Watching her, Edith knew that | Barrett was right. Betty was a wom- | an 6ow, not child. a woman to come Into the heritage of love, Edith turned impulsively to Barrett, her eyes full of I tears.
 | "oh, I am glad for you both, Tom, | she said You mustn't think differ .ently. I knew a little before I left. | Even your interest in the settlement | and all your work with us, it has just l been for Betty'@ sake. You have ai-
 ways laughed at it and at me. do
 not blame you. One works and works
 and after all reaches so few to really help them Tonic Is our only real con- vert isn't he?''
 "Tonio." said Barrett deliberately, ''Is the most noble Marchqse di Catta
 poni. As a reformed submerged tenth
 atom with Suicidal tendencies and l grand opera gifts, I think we may consider him the one great success of Help House, His name is really the I six yards long and came down from I pre-Dante days. so he can't help that | we still call him Tonic here" | Was that what you had to tell me?' Did you get the letter I sent to I Havre?"
 Edith rose breathlessly. The laugh 1 ter of the dancing children filled her | cars like sweetest music. Che sought l glimpse of Tonio's dark, handsome face above Betty's. The Marchese ali | Cattaponi and she had thought that Barrett loved Betty. that he was try 1 Ing to break the news to her gently, to her, whom he knew loved him T tried to catch you before you sail- l cd and tell you they were married 1 Betty wanted me to. She has had
 stage fright ever since she became the | Marchesa etc, But Tonic only receiv- l ed word week ago that everything | was all right. He had quarreled with | his elder brother and left sunny Italy
 in hun, prepared to do anything to l earn a living and be true American. | We happened along at the finish of
 the good intentions. The boy was l young and alone. Edith. and all he had left in the world was his sense of humor. But he left even that in
 the fountain. Are you angry?" "Angry?" she repeated. leaning back
 against the heavy dark green curtains
 at the window, with closed .eyelids.
 Dear God, he was asking her if she
 was angry Couldn't men understand?
 '"They arc to sail Saturday" went
 on Barrett. "It is a shock to you, dear,
 I know, but what's the difference. Look
 at the youngsters. how joyous they arc.
 And you needn't give up the settle
 ment. We can carry it on. you and I. I'll be a resident worker if you'll let
 me, but please let's have a summer
 home where there isn't any local color,
 will you, Edith?"
 Light the gas out there, Barrett,
 please" called Betty. "Tonio is going
 to sing for us"
 Just a minute" answered Barrett,
 calmly, and for a minute there was si-
 lence out in the shadowy study and St. Valentine reigned supreme at Help