Evening star., 1908-01-28
CHAPTER xxxIv-Continued.

And Martha. in great spirits. told her
dar. was failing. she had to admit he could
still see peoples good qualities. II told
him hadn't put on any airs of regret
about Mrs. Richie. and he said he had al
ways noticed my frankness.'
William helped himself to COOS cherry
jam In silence.
You do leave things SO catacornered:
Martha observed. laying the thin silver
spoon straight In the dish. William.
never knew anybody so incapable as that
woman. ! asked her how she had packed
her preserves for moving. She said she
hadn't made any. Think Of that. for a
housekeeper. Oh, and ! found out about
that perfumery. / just asked her. It's
nothing but ground orris!''
William said he would like cup of
tea.
Il can't make her out Martha said.
touching the teapot to make sure II was
hot: I've always. said she wasn't her
brothers equal. mentally. But you do
expect a woman to have certain feminine
qualities: now the idea of adopting a
child and then deserting him.
''She hadn't adopted him." William said
ITS the same thing: she took him. and
now she gets tired Of him and won't keep
him. She begins thing, but she doesn't
go on with it
II suppose it's better not to begin it?''
William said. And there was an edge In
his voice that caused Mrs. King to hold
her tongue Martha. the doctor said
after a while and with evident effort
''can you give me an early breakfast to-
morrow morning? I've got to go back
into the country and / want to make an
early start"
Helena Richie. too. meant to make al
early start the next morning: II was the
day that she was to leave Old Chester
The plan of going to the western city
had gradually sha ped itself. and while DR.
Lavendar was writing to those friends OF
his. and Helena corresponding with a
real estate agent, the packing up at the
Stuffed Animal House had proceeded
Now 1t was all done: Maggie and Sarah
had had their wages and several presents
besides: the pony had been shipped from
Mercer: the rabbits boxed and sent dowr
to the rectory: all was done-except the
saying goodbye to David. But Helena
told herself that she would not say good.
bye to him. She could not. she said. She
would see him. but he should not know 1,
was goodbye. And SO she asked DR.
Lavendar to send the child up to her the
day before she was to go away-by him.
self. You'll trust him with me for ar
hour?" she said.
him the forty kisses which. at last. he
was ready to accept. and let him chatter
of all his multitudinous interests. Then
she would send him away and begin her
empty life. The page which had held a
promise OF joy would be turned over: a
new, dreary chapter. with no promise in
1t. would begin.
David came in the afternoon. He was
a little late. and explained his hardness
by saying that he had found toad and
tying a string around Its waist. had tried
to play horse with IT up the hill. But
he wouldn't drive" David said. disgusted-
ly: maybe he was lady toad: l don't
know"
Perhaps the poor toad didn't like to
be driven" Helena suggested. David
looked thoughtful. David she said, Il
am going away. VIII you write l..,Ie
letter TO me sometimes?"
Maybe" said David. And slapped his
pocket in great furry: DIR. Lavendar
ga me letter for YOU
She glanced at II to see if 1t needed an
at the rectory before she left town the
next morning.
Tell DR.. Lavendar / will. darling" she
said. and David nodded.
She was. sitting before the parlor fire;
the little boy was leaning against her
knee braiding three blades of grass; he
was deeply absorbed. Helena took his
face between her hands and looked at 1t;
then. to hide the trembling of her lips,
she hid them in his neck.
You tickle.' said David. and wriggled
out Of her arms with chuckles of fun.
I'm making you ring he said.
She let him push the little grass circlet
over her finger, and then closed her hand
on ii lest II should slip of. You won't
forget me. David, will you?"
NO. he said. surprised: Il never for
get anything. l remember everything
tfo ocrtY n n ~ ,flor n
l was born
"Oh. David!"
II do. 1 remember my brothers candy
horse. My brother-was-was oh. seven
or eight weeks older an me. Yes. I'll
not forget you: not till I'm old. Not till
I'm twenty. maybe. guess I'll go now.
We are going to have Jim Crow for des-
sert. Mary told me- You're prettier
than Mary Or DR.. I4avendar.' This
was very long speech for David. and to
make up for 1t he was silent for several
minutes. He took her hand. and twisted
the little grass ring round and round on
her finger. and then. suddenly. his chin
quvered. Il don't like you. You're go
ing away" he said: he stamped his foot
and threw himself against her knee in a
paroxysm of tears. Il hate you!"
1t was so unexpected, and so entirely
unlike David. that Helena forgot her own
pain In soothing him. And. indeed. when
she had said she would send him some
candy-'and false face! David blub-
bered-"yes. dear precious." she prom
ised-he quite cheered up and. dragging
at her hand. he went skipping along be-
side her out to the green gate in the
hedge.
''I'll stop at the rectory in the morn
ing" she said, When she kissed him.
bravely in the twilight: so I'll see you
again. dear"
BY" said David. And he had gone.
She stood staring after him. fiercely
brushing the tears away. because they
dimmed the little joyous figure. trotting
into the November dusk.
The morning broke gray and cloudy.
William King had had his early break
fast: Of course he had! Rather than fail
in a housekeeper's duty Martha would
have sat up all night. When the doctor
started for that call out into the country
Helena was just getting into the stage at
the Stuffed Animal House. Once. as the
coach went jolting down the hill. she
lowered the misted window and looked
back-then sank into her seat and put her
hands over her eyes. Just for a while
there had been little happiness in that
house. !,
They were half way down the hill when
Jonas drew I'm his horses so sharply that