El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-06

an expression of acute suffer-
ing on her countenance.
1 approached her on tiptoe.
Where is it@' I inquired, in tones
suitably hushed.
Where's what?' she snapped with
an impatient frown.
The pam. Isn't it a pain?"
Don't be a perfect idiot. Sit down
and keep quiet"
IT'S the brain then" 7 diagnosed,
half to myself, after a pause.
Betty gave a restless jerk Of her
head Her lips moved noiselessly.
suddenly she gave a sigh Of relief
and looked at me triumphantly.
one plain and one purl," she in
formed me.
"Oh," I said in bewilderment.
4 knew 1 should remember if only
you kept quiet Make a note Of it,
viii You, in case 1 forget a gain ?"
One plain and one pearl" wrote
down Obediently. Though what good
one pearl is, I don't know. Or plain
either, come TO that unless-nOt going
in for cattle raising, are your
It's a stitch" she explained.
"A stitch in time saves nine, / re-
marked with a smile. I didn't know
what else to say, and it seemed to me
a humorous sort OF remark. Betty
received 1t, however, with some ap-
preaching Indignation.
IF you cant be sensibIer' she
snapped.
How do you mean can't2' pro-
tested aggrievedly- DO you mean
'won't?' Anyhow what's the gamer"
Game" She looked at me with
sort Of melancholy anger. do you see
these% She flashed two long wooden
sticks before my eyes.
Good Lord 1 cried. Fencing
Knitting" corrected Betty tragic
knit. 1 echoed aghast. What's
the idea-socks?"
Socks You don't make socks with
these. At least, do you? I'm making
e comforter, anyhow.
I won't wear it" I cried. Il will
not wear it. Hang i, haven't half
worn out that tie you made me yet
Besides why should it always be me!
Why not give the poor turn? So
long as it's warm that's the main
thing for them"
Il am making these for the poor. j"
Betty explained coldly- Poor things"
Poor things" 1 echoed unthinkingly.
II mean they ought to be jolly
grateful"
Betty said nothing.
These things you buy" I contin-
ued. anxious to say something pleas
ing, "of course they're cheaper, and
better; but it's the thought That's
what we got to consider-the kindly
thought"
Betty regarded me stonily.
81 suppose you think you're being
funny" she commented reflectively.
You're not a bit"
I made no reply. lit a cigaret
instead. Smoking is q useful habit
nobody can expect you to light up and
talk at the same time.
Suppose you help me wind my
WOol2" she suggested, after a pause
producing a skein from somewhere be-
hind her.
I nodded agreeably. 1 knew-and
presume Betty knew tOO-that 7
should only get it tangled, but it's
rather fun getting it disentangled.
Both hands," she instructed, and
stick your thumbs out
why, you know howl Have you
done this before?"
NO" I said. I never had-with
Betty I suppose that was what she
She shook her head distrustfully as
she began winding.
do you mind knocking my ash
Off asked presently. I inclined
my head in her direction. MY hands
aren't free you know"
Betty gave a vexed smile, and lean
ing forward, took his cigaret.
You'd better not smoke at all, had |
you2 Shall throw it away%' I
It's one of those you gave me- ] ]
interpOsed hurriedly. AN ordinary 4
one I shouldn't mind, Of course. But l
II simply hate wasting these"
suspicious, half gratified, she 4
replaced NLue GlEdEGL between my l4Db. /
For a while she wound in silence.
why this sudden spasm of phil !
anthrophy?' I inquired curiously.
"Huh," said Betty scornfully. IT'S /
the mater and aunt Clarice who have /
been egging on me I'm not bit keen /
on # myself. Only they said I didn't 4
because I couldn't"
Didn't couldn't what?" I repeated 4
blankly.
Betty held her knitting needles,
which had somehow become hopelessly
entangled with the wool, UP for in
spectiOn
Knit a comforter. of course. So ] !
said I would" Somewhat half-heart-
edly she wound a length Of wool !
round her needles and jiggled them up
and down experimentally. And ] /
will" she concluded vlciously.
HIN" I commented. so that's il
is it? But why not buy 'em-they're
cheap enough. surely?"
Because it's not the same thing"
explained Betty.