Evening star., 1908-01-15

XIII himself?' said the doctor cheer
fully. No indeed. The people who
threaten to kill themselves. never do.
Come, now. forget all about him. And
William. smiling. drew one of her hands
down from her eyes. "Gracious. what
wrist! Did David scratch you?''
She pulled her hand away and hid it in
the folds of her skirt. oh l. do hope
YOU are right: but DR.. King. he said
something-and was SO frightened. Oh.
if | could just know he had got home. all
safe,'
Well. it's. easy to know that" said
William. Come. let us walk down to
Mr.. Wright's; bet a hat We'll find the
young gentleman eating a late supper
with an excellent appetite. Love doesn't
kill, Mrs. Richie-at Sans age.
She was silent.
William took his lantern out of a closet
and made a somewhat elaborate matter of
lighting it. wlping off the oozing oil from
with cheerful snap. 1t would give her
time to get hold of herself. he thought.
Il must apologize to Mrs. King" Helena
said. Il was so frightened. that I'm
afraid l was abrupt
''Oh. that's all right" said Martha $
husband, easily. and opened the outer
door of the Office Come.
She followed him down the garden path
to the street; there in the darkness.
broken by the gay zigzag of the lantern
dcTCSS tie 11dSSlOneS VI Ll6 SlOeWdlh, VIII
liam found it easier to speak out:
II hope you don't mind my referring to
Sans being in love. Mrs. Richie? OF
course. we have all known that he had
lost his heart. Boys will. you know And,
honestly, l think If ever a boy had ex-
cuse for-that sort of thing. Sam had.
But it has distressed me to have you
bothered. And tonight is the climax. For
him to talk like IA jack-donkey. be-
cause YOU very properly snubbed him
s.,l,-
have understood the whole thing from
the beginning-makes me mad. You're
really worn out. Confound that boy.
You are too good. Mrs Richie, that's the
trouble. You let yourself be imposed
upon.'t Il, ~ \.
Her broken .'no-.no": seemed to him a
lovely humility, and.he laughed and shook
his head.
Yes yes. When I see how gentle
women are with us clods of men, really.
1-you know William. had never since
his counting days got into such a bog of
sentiment. and he stammered his way out
of 1t by saving that Sam. was a perfect
nuisance.
When they reached the gateway Of, the
senior warden's place, Mrs Richie said
that she would wait. TN stand here in
the road. and If you will make some ex-
cuse and find out
Very well,'' he said. I'll come back
as quickly as l can, and tell YOU he's all
for anxiety. but it's better setative for
you than bromide. That's why I'm do
ing it, said William. candidly lie
gave her the lantern and said he did not
like TO leave her You won't be fright
ened? You can see the house from here,
and can call if you want me. I'll have to
stay about ten minutes. or they wouldn't [
understand my coming in"
She nodded. impatient at his delay, and
he slipped into the shadow of the NAPLES
l1clnna1rp6 a to O.
hear the crunch of his footsteps on the
gravel Of the driveway She sat down on
the grass by the roadside and leaned her
head against the big white gatepost The
lantern burned steadily beside her. casting
on the ground shower of yellow spots
that blurred into a widening circle of
light. Except for the crickets all was
STILL Tie cooler air of night brought
out the heavy scents of damp earth and
leaves. and over in the deep grass a late
heavy odor of death. A bob-white fiuted
in the darkness on the other side of the
road
Her acute apprehension had ceased
William King was so certain that. had
the reality been less dreadful. she would
have been ashamed Of the fuss she had
made. She wanted only this final assur-
ance that the boy was at home. safe and
sound. then she would think of her own
affairs. She watched the moths fly about
pair of wings touched the hot. domed top
and fell f1ustering into the road. she bent
forward and looked at it. wondering what
she could do for it. To kill it would be
the kindest thing-to put it out of its pain.
But some obscure connection OF ideas
made her siludder back from death even
moths death: she lifted the little crea-
ture gently and laid it in the dewy grass.
Down the Wright's carriage road she
heard a footstep on the gravel: a step
hat nd 1nt.d hn f.
dent. comforting step of the kind friend
on whom she relied as she had never re-
lied on any human being.
What did / tell you?' William called
into the circle of light from the lantern
''He is all right?" she said, trembling;
you saw him?'
II didn't see him. but
oh. she said. blankly.
Il saw those who had. ten minutes be-
fore; won't that do?" he teased her. Il
found the Wright family just going TO
bed-where you ought to be this minute
| said had. just stopped in to say how
do you do. Samuel at once reproved me
because ! hadn't been to evening church,
| And he--Sam? Was he
"He was in the house, upstairs his
mother said / asked about him sort of
casually, and she said he had just come
in and gone up to his room. His father
made some uncomplmentary remarks
about him. Samuel oughtn't to be SO
hard on him. William said. thoughtfully;
he said he had told Sam that he sup
posed he might look forward to support
| ing him for the rest of his lfe-'as if he
| were a criminal or an idiot Imagine a
father saying thing like that.' Will
! liam lifted his lantern and turned the
wick up. Now. I'm only hard on him
| when he is goose; but his father
What was that?",
| william King stood bold upright. mo-
tionless. his lips parted. Mrs. Richie
caught at his arm. and the lantern swing
ing sharply, scattered flying shower Of
light: they were both rigid. straining
their ears, not breathing. There was no
sound except the vague movement of the
leaves overhead. and family. from across
the meadow-'Bob- white! bob-whiten'
i thought heard the doctor said.
in whisper. Helena, clutching at his
arm. reeled heavily against him.
Yes. 1t was That was what 1t was
mo. Impossible." he stammered And
| they stood listening breathlessly: then.
| just as the strain began to relax. down
through the darkness from the house be-
hind the trees came cry:
DIR. king
| An instant later the sound of flying
steps on the gravel and girls shriii
voice DIR. King"
| Here. Lydia.' William said, running
toward the little figure; what the mat
ter
Helena in the shadow of tho ~.+o....