The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1910-07-28
CHAPTER XII.

CHRISTMAS Lay tndt ATOcd was aDle 70
slip away from her guests long enough
to run over to apprise herself of the
condition OF things at the Gordon
house.
Tom opened the door for her. and he
made her come to the fire before he
would answer her questions Even
then he sat glowering at the cheerful
blaze as If he had forgotten her pres
ence; and she was womanly enough.
or amiable enough. to let him take his
own time. When he began, it was
seemingly at a great distance from
matters present and pressing.
Say. Ardea; do you believe in mir
acles?" he asked abruptly. How do
you account for them. Did God make
His laws so that they could be taken
apart and put together again when
some little human ant loses its way on
a grass stalk or drops it's grain of
sugar."
Il don't know" she confessed. frank
". Il am not sure that 1 ever tried 10
account for them; 1 suppose 1 have
swallowed them whole. as you say |
have swallowed my religion"
We'll, you believe in them, anyway"
he said, land that makes it easier to
hit what I'm aiming at Do you reck-
on they stopped short in the Apostles
timer"
You are the queerest boy" she COM
mented Il ran over here just for a
minute to ask how your mother is, and
you won't tell me-"
I'm coming to that he rejoined,
gravely. But l. wanted to get this
other thing Strengthened out first Now
tell me this: did you pray for my moth
er last night, like you said you would ?''
You can be so barbarously personal
when you try. Tom." she protested.
And then she added: But I did"
We'll. the miracle was brought.
Early this morning mother came 10
herself and asked for something to eat.
Doctor Williams has been here. and
now he tells us all the things he
wouldn't tell us before. 1t was some
little clot in one of the veins or ar
teries OF the brain. and nine times out
OF ten there Is nc hope"
20 Tom!-and she will get well
AGAIN."
she has more chances to-day of get
ting well than she had last night of
dying-so the doctor says. But it's a
miracle. just the same"
I'm so glad And now 1 really must
go home"
What's your rush? I'm not trying
to get rid OF you now"
II positively must go back. We have
company. and 1 ran away without say
ing word"
Anybody I known" inquired Tom.
s0rhraa eopo oha1fac u-bor, Won Irpotv
or ought to know, very we'll: Mr.. Dux-
bury Farley. Mr.. Vincent Farley. Miss
Eva Farley"
I'D like to know how under the sun
they managed TO get on your grand
fathers good side!" he grumbled.
why do you say that?" she retort-
ed. Eva was my classmate for years
at Miss De Wales"
He made a boyish face OF disap-
prevail, saying bluntly: II don't care If
she was. You shouldn't make friends
of them. They are not fit for you 70
wipe your shoes on"
You ought to be ashamed of your
self, Tom Gordoni Less than an hour
ago, we were speaking of you, and Of
what happened at Beersheba. Mr.. Far
ley and his son both stood up for you"
And you took the other side, reck-
on" he broke out, quite unreasonably.
1t had not as yet come to blows be-
tween him and his fathers business as
sociates, but it made him immeasura-
bly, dissatisfied to find them on social
terms at Deer Trace Manor.
Perhaps / did. and perhaps l did
not" she answered, matching his tart
ness.
well. YOU can tell them both that
I'm much obliged to them for nothing"
he said. rising and going to the door
with her. They would be mighty glad
to see 1t patched up again and me back
in the Beersheba school"
"Of course they would: so would all
Of your friends"
But they are not my friends. They
have fooled my father. and they'll fool
your grandfather, If he doesn't watch
out. But they can't fool me-"
That is the first downright coward
~ thing / have ever known you 20
say!" she declared And | wish you
to know, Mr.. Thomas Jefferson Cor
don, that Mr. Duxbury Farley and Mr..
Vincent Farley and Miss Eva Farley
are my guests and my friends." And
with that for her leave taxing, she
turned her back on him and went
swiftly across the two lawns to the
great gray house on the opposite knoll.
For the first fortnight of his mothers
convalescence Tom slept badly, and
his days were as the days of the &C
cused whose sentence has been sus-
pended. The time drew near when his
continued stay at home must be ex-
planned TO his mother.
Ardea had gone back 10 Carroll the
Saturday before New Years and there
was no one to talk to. But for that
matter. he had cut himself out of her
confidence by his assault on the Far
leys. Every morning for week after
the Christmas Gay clash. Scipio came
over with the compliments OF NAV