The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-16
II ". sk
I'd
AN ICE MAIDEN

wakes at 10 and wants q drink Of
water. and YOU know how heantlio !.
peuefope ie with Dottic In her arms.
you schemer." said her Zig nus
hand
Roy panford didn't reach the stan
ford house early He hadn't under
stood Mrs Stanfords message In
deed. she hadn't intended that he
should understand. She preferred
that he should come expecting 70
md her and her husband, He would
he less prepared to he stiff. The sight
of Penelope alone would appeal to his
chivairy
As a matter of fact, however. when
he arrived and Penelope met him
panford was seized with sudden shy
ness. and instead Of unbending he
grew seif-ConscioUs.
Penelope. on the other hand. un~
bent a little She tried to play hos
tess aaxil4 Allt found II difficult. Dan
ford simply looked at her and an
swcred her in monosyilabies. Thus
they sat until NJ TO-, there vas lit
tie cry from the floor above.
1t Is Dottie." Penelope said breath
leSsiy. and ran up the stairs.
pottie's mother had provided and
had hoped for the climax that would
come with Penelope getting the drink
Of water with her hrooding tender
ness and its effect on Danford. but
she had not dreamed that Penelope
would find feyerish. whimpering
baby who was not quieted by the
drink of water. but who moaned in
pain.
oh, I'm afraid she's ILL.," Pene-
lope said, and bending over pottie
took her in her arms. II wonder
what we should do:
The next half hour was the fight Of
inexperience. Neither Penelope nor
nanford knew anything about such
simple emergencies, and at last Dan
ford telephoned for the doctor. He
came back TO find Penelope walking
the floor with the baby held close, her
! cool cheek against the hot one of the
child
"Oh, the darling, dear" She said, 81
I wish l could help her"
/ Danford looked at her as she stood
/ there with the child Graded in her
arms She was no longer the ice
maiden. She was the embodiment of
/ sweetness and of tenderness.
The doctor came at last and with
! him hope That which had seemed to
I them So tragic was To him but an in
cident e@
shell Ia" all rs6t presently. he
said. such attacks are short but
sharp"
An hour later the habv was sleep
lug comfortably, and then Roy said to
Penelope, Lets go down and have a
cup Of coffee, saw that Mrs. stan
ford had left things ready when | was
down In the kitchen heating water for
the baby You need braciuG mp"
With a last look at the baby, Pene-
lopc Went with him and Ia the kitchen
and again la the dining room. swathet
in a hlE blue apron. she seemed thF
spirit Of domcSticity Wher he had
seen her at dances dud At dinners, ra
diaut and beautiful. p9nford had not
dreamed that Shc could do the little
things. the housewifolE things al
which she Was now proving herself N
expert
They had their lfttle fast together
he at one end Of the table and she a
the other
And ueod 10 call you the Ic
maiden" lie mutmurca
She flashed a glance across at him
"WllE did you call me- that9" she ash
ed
ff17e-t-+t ss.44f at,-t44ftif5-
/ He rose ana stood beside hor. %
you remember the fairy story we uset
"a read together when we were Chil
dren9 | do not remember AL of il
bat there was a cruel. cold creature II
J ". ana always ShiNefeu WReN / feA'
it. You have made me feel like tina
until Tonight. Pye never dared APP
proach YOU, although I've loved YOU"
IF you had said that long ago" he
lpoic" was low, 81 would not have seem
ed cold II was you who had change,
from the boy | used 10 know. and
thought that YOU had changed towarr
me"
He drew HIS chair round the tabl
and sat down beside her. Il don
want even the light Of the candles he
tween US. ! don't want your face :,
change back to GOODNESS, as am hal
afraid 1t Will"
Never again. for yott" she said, III
as he bent toward her there was
sound OF an auto horn outside. step
on the icy pavement, and a.. key In III
door,
| Mrs, Stanford. entering. took in TIL
situation radiantly.
How nice and warm II IS" Sh
said. ana smiled knowingly at Dan
ford
lie came over and took her hand
/ IN his "AH the ice Is melted" he toll
her,