Evening star., 1908-01-10

80 you think there is no fire in Old
Chester?t Shes pretty creetur, Law
endar, amt she? Poor thing
DR.. Lavendar did not follow the con-
nection of ideas in the older mans mind
but he did say to himself, as he and Go
Hath went away. that it was queer how
possessed Benjamin Wright was that
Sans love-making was dangerous. Then
he sighed. and his face fell into troubled
lines For all his brave words. he wished
he knew where the boy was. and though
he was already late for dinner. he drew
up at William Kings door to ask the doc
tor if he had any new ideas on the sub
ject.
But Willy was not at home. Martha
was sitting under the grapevine trellis al
the back door. topping and failing goose
berries. From the kitchen behind her
came the pleasant smell of preserving
She had a big yellow eafthenware bowl
in her lap. and excused herself for not
rising when DR.. Lavendar came round the
corner of the house to find her.
II am a housekeeper. DIR. Lavendar
William thinks it's pretty not to under
stand housekeeping: but l expect if he
didn't have preserves for his supper. he
wouldn't think it was so pretty. No. he
| isn't at home. sir. He's gone out-with
the thermometer at ninety-to see about
that party he is getting up for Mrs
| Richie So long as he has time to spare
from his patients. | should think he
would like to take up my spare-room car
pet IOT me. But. OH dear no. lie mas tC
see about parties.
William is always doing friendly
things, said DIR. Lavendar. sitting down
on the doorstep and helping himself to a
gooseberry from Martha's bowl "You
are going to make some fool for the sup
per, Of course?' He took off his hat and
| wiped his forehead with his big red hand
kerchief.
"Oh. of course. I'm very tired and !
| have my housekeeping to attend to. but
| can make gooseberry fool. That's what
| I'm for.
when is this party said DR.. Laven-
dar. Il declare. I've been SO worried
about Sans Sam. I've forgotten"
Its next week. Thursday. Yes. she
can send that boy to his death. maybe
| but we must have parties to cheer her
up
"Oh come now" DIR. Lavendar rernon-
strated: Il don't believe a glimpse of the
world will kill him. And nobody can
blame Mrs. Richie for his foolishness.
suppose we are all going?"
, Everybody Martha King said scorn-
fully: even Samuel Wright. He told his
wife that he wouldn't have any nonsense
about Sam, and she'd got to go 1 think
it's positively cruel; because, of course
everybody knows that the boy was in love
with this housekeeper that doesn't know
how 10 make soap!' Martha shook her
bowl sharply. and the toppling green
pyramid crumbled. Dr. Lavendar look ed
face redeemed and she tossed her head
| "Of course, you understand that haven't
the slightest personal feeling about it.
| That's one thing about me. Dr. Lavendar
| may not be perfect, but nobody despises
anything like-that more than l do.
merely regret Williams Judgment
Regret Williams judgment, Why
think of the judgment he displayed in
choosing Wife said DR.. Lavendar. But
| when he climbed into his old buggy he
had the grace to be ashamed of himself
he admitted as much to Danny. For
she's a sensible woman. Daniel. and, at
bottom. kind" = Danny yawned. and Dr.
| Lavendar added. Poor Willy
Mrs. Riches first hint of Dr. King
proposed festivity came week later
from David, who happened TO be at home
| to dinner. and who fit to mention
that Lydia Wright wasn't to be allowed
to come UP with her father and mother
Come up where?" Mrs. Richie said
idly. She was leaning forward. her ell
bows on the table. watching the child
eat When he said. ITO your party to-
MY what? David! Tell me-exactly.
Who is coming? Oh. dear" she ended
tears of distress standing in her eyes.
David continued to eat his rice pud-
ding. "Can l sit up till 9?''
| Mrs. Richie pushed her chair back
from the table and caught her lower lip
between her teeth. What should she do
But even as she asked herself the ques-
ton, DR.. King stood. smiling. in the
| French window that opened on to the
| lawn.
MAY 1 come IMP he said
! The fact was. a misgiving had risen in
| Williams mind: perhaps complete sur
prise would not be pleasant. Perhaps
| was going to happen. Perhaps she might
| want to dress up, or something. And so
he dropped in to give hint: Half a
dozen of US are coming in tonight to say
| how do you do he confessed (''Whew
she doesn't need TO dress up" he com
meRted inwardlyo The red rose in her
| hair and her white cross-barred muslin
with elbow sleeves seemed very elegant to
| William. He was so lost in admiration
| of her toilet. that her start of angry as
tonishment escaped him.
| 'Dr. King" said David. scraping up the
] sugar from his saucer. lis God good be-
cause He likes to be. or because He has
| to be?'
David said William King. you will
be the death Of me.''
Because. If He likes to be- David
murmured. II don't see why He gets
praised. and if He has to be. why
Dr. King said Helena. breathlessly
I'm afraid-really, I'm not prepared for
| company, and
oh. said William. cheerfully. don't
bother about that. Mrs. King is going Ia
bring up one or two little things and l
believe Mrs. Barkley has some ideas on
| the subject. Well. l must be going along.
hope you won't be sorry to see US?
The fact is, you are too lonely up here
with only David to keep you busy:
| though. / must say. if he fires off ques-
tions like this one. l should think you
would be pretty we'll occupied
When he had gone Helena Richie sat
looking blankly at David. What on
earth shall l do!' she said. aloud.
Did God make Sarah?' David de-
manded.
Yes. dear. yes!'
Did He make me, and the queen and
my rabbits?
why. of course Oh. David you dc
ask SO many questions.
! "Everything has to be made.'' he rumi-
mated.
She agreed absently. David put his
spoon down. deeply interested.
WHO made God?-another god higher
up?'
Il think" she said. that I'll send word
/ have a headache!
David sighed and gave up theological
research DIR. King didn't look at my
scar. but l made Theophilus Bell pay M
penny to show it to him. Mrs Richie
when l am a man. I'm never going to
wash behind my ears. l tell Sarah Sc
every morning. I'm going TO see my rab-
bits now. Goodbye"
He slipped down from his chair and left
her to her perpleXity-as if she had no,
perplexity enough without this! For the
last few days she had been worried al
most to death about Mr.. Benjamin
Wright. She had not written to Lloyd yet
of that terrible interview in the garden
which would drive her from Old Chester:
she had been afraid to. She felt in
stinctively that his mood was not hos
pitable to any plan that would bring her
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