Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-28

which had grown heavy with blossoms, when mother
came nome after an errand down the street She
sent to Gibraltar. 1t had returned unopened. We
wrote another letter and enclosed the hrst one,
ter evenings in making-two splendid valentines. Be
fore the letter was sealed added some pink roses
from our porch and heavy-headed yellow from
superb bush in he Holbrook yard which always
thrust its blossoms through our fence.
Send your letter to Australia 10 await the arrival
OF the Kennebeck, advised Lawyer GeIrish. The
Holbrooks will get there sometime in February"
Mails travelled slowly in those days. 1t worth
waiting however, for the letters, covered with Aus
tralian stamps which came for Sudie and me in the
the Joy of friendship made whole again, the anti
cipation of a meeting: The "Kennebeck' coming
old happy life would begin again We sent letters
each port where the "kennebeck' was due, during
months come letters filled with simple village news
school gossip everything there was to tell Zoe and
Martha covered sheets and sheets of flmy with
the story of their travels.
Sudie and sitting the little porch with its
shadowing honeysuckle one hot afternoon in August
90y ran up the street 5 Ws heard ba HIM shout bout The
Sudie and I dashed bareheaded down the street AT
the corner we met ?arIlase It was driving quickly
looked old and worn We turned back; the carriage
old and empty, leaving the Hobrook yard when
we past our little brown house.
Old Emma, the housekeeper at Hobrooks,
opening shutters on the front porch.
Emma turned her kind old. face toward me- The
tears had made long burrows her plump rosy
cheeks thought she would answer me. Zoe
Zoe will never" l stopped and turned to look
at Sude She staring at me with frightened
face.
Enma's voice broke once twice with sobs while
she told the story. Foes been struck blind in the
glare O the Pacific Ocean. She's lynn up there
she pointed to Zoes room with its suffered windows,
as white an still death The captain turned the
ship home fast it would 90 They stopped at
San Francisco an took her a great doctor there
so he said. Take her home quick you can
Zoe blind! We I'D not speak Old Emma went in
and closed the door. We crept home through the
binding sunshine 1t seemed a journey miles long,
back to the shadow of the porch and its green honey
suckles. Sudie tried to comfort while I sat TN
needing in the wide old rocking chair 1t not at
the white, hot dusty street staring / seemed to
little girl rosy-cheeked, with bright eyes and
flying curls, little impatient girl with her jacket
half foundering through the snowdrifts and cry
ing cheerily: Wait for Lcttce Please wait for
I'll catch up with you in a second" Then she
dashed after another girl fnging her arm about her
waist The other girl turned upon her with cold
dignant eyes and freezing glance which seemed to
kill instantly happy friendship.
zoe loves you dearly STILL" cried Sudie, brokenly.
you know it."
Two days later Martha came see us-a new
Martha-sad and wan whose voice broke into sobs
while she tried to say comforting words She brought
little box which opened slowly. These little
things Zoe gathered for you, Lettice she said "She
was thinking of you everywhere went don't
know when you see her. she told to bring
these across and tell you she loves you very, very
muchS