Evening star., 1908-01-12

ceived her dispatch; because he was away
from home: because he was coming or
| Saturday: because he was sorry Fred.
| erick was dead.
| Saturday morning she and David
watched the hill read from o'clock unit
stage time. From the green bench under
the poplar the tavern porch on Mair
street could just be seen. and at a little
| before II Jonas's lean, sham5ling nags
drew up before it. Mrs. Richie was very
the morning, asked her some question. but
she did not hear him. and he pulled al
her skirt Does everything GROVE"
Yes. dear. yes: l suppose So"
How big is everything when 1t begins
"0h. dear little boy. don't ask so many
questions.
When you began to grow, how big
were you? Were you an inch big?'
"If he has come she said. breathless-
ly 1.-The stage will get up here in fifteen
minutes!"
D5h,0 hoh' S'sSe0 WsS don't they ztart?" she
painted; what is the matter.''
IT'S starting" David said.
Come. David. hurry. she cried: we
and ran down the path to the gate in the
hedge. AS she stood there, painting, she
pressed her fingers hard on her lips; they
must not CULVER before the child. She
time yet to see them: it will take Jonas
ten minutes to get around to the foot OF
the HILL
Overhead the flicker of locust leaves
cast checkering lights and shadows on
her white dress and across the strained
anxiety of her face. She kept her eyes
on her watch. and the ten minutes passed
in silence. Then she went out into the
road and looked down its length of noon
tide sunshine: the stage was not in sight.
sDarh otn hn ,rhf tol>
twenty minutes to get to the foot of the
hill? I'll not look down the road for ten
minutes more" After while she said,
family. is it-comingo"
Nom" David assured her. Mrs.
Richie. what does God eat?"
There was no answer.
Does he eat us?'
mo. of course not"
"Why not?"
Helena lifted her head. suddenly TT
would take twenty-five mnutes-1'm sure
it would
She got UP and walked little way
down the road. David tagging thought
fully behind her. There was no stage in
sight. David. run down the hill to the
turn and look
The little boy. nothing loath, ran; at
the turn he shook his head and called
back Nom. Mrs Richie. He must.
| cause there's nothing goes to heaven
but us. Chickens don't" he explained,
chAiooSAy. ooe SiAO Sio l1oI iOliCS his
alarm.
I'm wait another five minutes" she
said. She waited ten, and then another
ten David" she said. in a smothered
voice, "go; tell Maggie he isn't coming
to dinner. You have your dinner, dear
little boy. I-dont want any"
She went upstairs to her own room, and
shut and locked the door. All was over.
Yet when, in the early afternoon, the
mail arrived she had a pang of hope that
was absolute agony, for he had written
There was only a dozen lines besides
the Dearest Nelly:
II am Just starting out west, rather un-
expectedly, on business. I am taking Alice
along, and she is greatly delighted at the
idea of. a journey-her first. l don't know
just when I'll get back; not for six weeks
anyhow. Probably eight. Hope you and
your youngster are all right. Yours,
your dispatch received We must talk
! things over the next time I come to Old
| Chester
She passed her hand over her eyes in a
bewildered way; for a moment the words
had absolutely no sense. Then she read
them again: I'VE must talk things
Over-'
What things? Why. their marriage, of
course! Their marriage? She burst out
laughing. and David. looking at her,
shrank away.
CTo be Continued Tomorrow