The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-04-29

and paused at AIMS Kitchen door.
Mrs. Bart's heart almost stopped
ing Tar ansinstant. tdhen1d&k
heavy angry throbs.
En- DaIia Priddy accua heras stst
ing the Supper. sic vi bid M1gnAan
her face!
There was the sound Of a low knock
1ar-.rfes-
swiftly across the floor and threw the
door wide open. There stood Della
4-wtth-her NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
the black cat curling about her skirts.
Good evening. h~esftated Della with:
one look at Ann1s.face. IL II rat.3@.f
Good evening"" snapped Mrs. Bart,
with questioning brows.
MAY come IA for a few minutes! Z"
asked Deliasi Il want tosay something
to4you, Mrs. Bart"
"Come in." said Ann ungracfously.
leading the way into the dining room
anda pulling forward "a stiff. rocker.
"Sit down. q 7a4 y: tl !.
But Della stood, tail and slender and
very pale. her pitcher held in the curve
Of her long arm. The black cat still
arched its back, against her sflken
skirt.
Ann watched her and waited, fierce
IL expectant of the accusation. she
imagined that Della had seen her dey-
astated supper table through the win
dow, or she may have observed Ann
in the very act of despoiling the la
BILE. ~, e s~-fa.. f. r
II want you to come to my supper
party" blurted forth Della at last. 1t
know I've. never been very friendly to
you, Mrs. Bart, but l mean to do bet
ter. and I've put off asking you every
day because l thought maybe you'd
resent It,. Now, at the very last mo-
ment, i Just made up my mind to rush
in. and have it out! I've got a place
all laid for you, and l expect we'll all
have a r%ealEgood time together. VIII
you come"
Delia's blue eyes were lifted for an
instant Efto the. erayonl portrait d TJamesii
Bart Oh Tie wall oyer Sae z, TIE i amlannteer
piece; then her glance fell on the
sffange 81 sf ws1bfIasIng e cultures iptf Ann
Bart5s. ( { 81 i .st$}s 4 aJEEf III
II can't come. said Ann in a chok-
syvGy saa asked Della t, gently: q s12a.
"You1lsk know why when y9{u go into
your rooms,",. retorted Ann bitterly.
81 am sor,rryy.IS44 hope you'll change
your mind" said-D elia.-turning to the
door. ~. n ~ s4r5s.4r s4g 6gsW
/ When the door had, closed Ann
reached down and took the box out
of her workbasket and thrust 1t in a
small cupboard in the chimneypiece..
1t slipped forward and before Ann
could catch it fell to the floor, distrib-
uting its contents over the hearth rug.
With a little cry of dismay Ann bent
down to pick. up the scattered letters
and photographs: As she placed the
last one in the box her arm stiffened.
and she held the picture before her
eyes with thss e llstFFa9ffsaj set s smile ells % her
It was a picture Of her husband.
James Bart taken in his handsome
young manhood The bold dark eyes
looked confidently into her own and
seemed'to challenge her to criticise the
few words written In his grabbed writ
ing across the bottom Of the card: :
ITO Della. from James. April 2.
1882. That, was year before he had
married Ann. -
Ann rose stifay to her feet and closed
the box with q .snap; then she walked
deliberately to. Della Priddy's door and
Knocked loudly. go '''> '"77l' ''''@
"come ny said Delia's voice. 81 :
Miss . Priddyfi was, sitting near the
devastated supper table. her eyes red
from crying. The tall clock In the
corner was slowly ticking away the
minutes toward 6. when the expected
guests would arrive. .i'a'!'id%' az
Instead Of feeling triumphant at the
downfall Of her. eneny's hopes Ann
Bart felt very small and mean. But,
she could be as magnanimous. s5 at
81 was mad at you. Della Priddy."
she said in a low, even tone. because
you've always snubbed me and because
you didn't ask me to. your party. so
came, IN, and carted all your food up
into the attic. and it's there now. just
as coed as ever! $ I'ntg0 uplin a minute
and bring it down. l want to ask you
a question: and you needn't be Offend
ed. You used ITO know my husband
before / was married, didn't you?"
Delia's head lifted proudly, and she
broke the bitter silence of years. az
was engaged. to him once; but be Tilted
me to marry you. / never felt that l. l.
wanted to have much to do with either
!of you when :youi came Il 1stillwater:rT
81 didn't. know 1t. Della. but you
needn't have felt resentful. You ought
to he Tgladl, you never married James,
He was hateful. He. was a hard man
to live WITH. / had a hard life "'a'T Two
crimson spots glowed Iii AIMS cheeks
as she bent over Della IP.riddy and kiss,
ed her softly. I'm going up to get
that food now I hope syvou'N forgive
me-" she added !Ei tt5 r
"Of course / do. I'm sorry l acted
mean. but u couldn't see muchE0f3 kfln.
and It makes ne, feel better to;; know
he wasn't perfect" half laughed Della
an shdE; Observation-Disclosures s"Y0l'l
go AND get ready for spppl2ee.r,, ] now,
Won't YOU? And we'll all like to see