Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1909-07-24
(Copyright. by Daily Story Pub. Co..

hAu was nlu6 lhIO lhC hai INV hioh
way when he heard the woman call
ing him. He waited. Presently she
reached the fence opposite, breathing
heavily.
She's gone,' he said, briefly. His
voice was blunt and hoarse. He did
not look at her.
We'll, WE'LL" said Mrs. Martin. A
sudden solemnity fastened upon her
little figure. Her eyes sought the
house behind him. II was square
house, cut out black and sharp
against the fare of orange in the west.
The few apple trees struggling around
IL crooked forward keenly, bough by
dough, in the clear evening light.
" I'm going down to see about
things
The woman opened her gate and
pushed across to where he stood. Did
they-did they make up?" she said,
almost in whisper
Yes"
We'll, well, your mothers gone"
she said. I'm sorry; I'm sorry, John. "
The words sounded high and broken
in the wind that was pouring down
the highway.
IL" quavered the boy. His face
worked. For a moment he looked like
a little, thin, distressed child. The
next he had pushed past her and with
hard strides was going down the gray
road.
Mrs. Martin reached her gate.
Adam! ADAM" she called.
The kitchen window went up with
q creaking noise.
What you want, Clarissy?"
She loked up breathlessly at the ell
derby face bent towards her.
She's gone, Adam. Poor Henrietty
Skaters gone at last
Il thought it likely" His slow
glance settled upon her where she
stood on the edge of the yard in the
wind and the dusk. You better cone
v out of the cold"
Il amt coming in. I'm going over
and see If they want me. When il
comes time to eat, you eat"
You got anything else to tell me?'
She drew nearer the window, q
small. quick, vivid figure, with gray
hair and wide, bright eyes. Adam
her and Andy made up before she
died"
The man leaned farther out into the
paling light. That so, Clarissy?"
She was already half way down the
path before she answered him. Yes
John told me-" she called back across
the wind.
Adam drew his head in and pulled
down the sash.
An hour passed. 1t was dark il
the kitchen except for a small hal
circle of delicate, waving light tina
the fire cast upon the walls and cell
ing. In this circle sat Adam smok
ing his pipe. All at once the dool
Gew open.
"Mr. Martin"
Adam stumbled to his feet. "Why
John, John Shafer!'
The latch went shut with a click
There was sudden silence in tn,
room.
"Wait-wait. I'll get the lamp"
Mono" The boy pushed crop
Ing forward with quick labored pant
ings for breath, his face shown,
white in the pale gloom. Mr.. Martin.
What is 1t, John?"
What made my father treat m,
mother the way he did,"
The very suddenness of the cues
ton gave it at the moment the sim
plicity of a primal one. Adam re
sponded at once:
Il don't know, John"
My Cod" The boys slim form
shook like a candle flame in a higl
wind. His words came in hard We
hement gasps. Il think I'll die If
don't know why!"
Adam put out a horny hand. "Com
and sit down and rest awhile-you'l
feel better"
III make him tell me! I'll max
him!" gasped the boy.
Adam stood dumb.
He never gave her a good WORD
Mr.. Martin
II guess / wouldn't rake up ther
=, old times, john"
T. The lad stared at Adam with eve
that were like those of a stricken an
NAL. All at once his strange passio
seemed to desert him. He turned an
CROPPED with tense hands towards tn
door. There he stopped. The thro
of silence cut into the air like
knife. "You're-you're all COMING
amt you?" he asked, blindly.
Yes, john" answered Adam.
The latch clicked again. A bit @
the wild, dark country, without shown
~ the doorway for a moment and wa
gone.
MY Lord" said Adam Martin. II
stood in the middle of the floor. TIL
large, loose figure of Andrew Shafel
heavy of brow but thin and sensitiv
of lip, shaped itself out of the dimnes
before him. The eyes wore the deeI
remote, smoldering expression con
mon to them, the look of a passionat
man grown careful and patient. Tn
years went by like smoke through tn