The Washington herald., 1911-08-13
Desire Benton's S De-
CiSiOn
CONTINUED FROM PAGE FIVE

Maggie was still STRIVING TO ease the pam
that came with such intensity at intervals.
She kept thinking and wondering If they
had done this, or that, as she alone knew
how She stopped short as the clock licked
out sharply "ought, ought" as the last stroke
of the hour died away.
"Yes, ought, ought to dol" she exclaimed
jumping UP. "And it's no use, Desire Ben
ton," she continued, twisting up a fallen
braid and apoetrophizing herself in the little
looking-glass, "you can't make ought any
thing but ought if you tried till doomsday
She hurried into q wrapper and went down
the hall
II couldn't seem to get her eased." said
Mrs Hunt, as Desire entered and approached
the bed. "it hurts her SO to be touched
In few moments Desire had deftly shifted
Miss Persons position. and the sick woman
drew breath of relief.
"Desire?" she questioned fantly.
eyes, it's Desire" replied the girl.
And Miss Person fell asleep, after few
more quiet minutes.
you'd better be gettin' ready" reminded
Jake, as Desire came down in the morning.
/ I'm goin' directly after breakfast
"But I'm not going" sine answered, stead
ily.
whistle, then he turned barnward.
"Say Desire" he observed, when he came
back and set down the milk. "You won't
be sorry"
house. Mrs. Hunt told Miss Person, and
Miss Persons eyes followed Desire about the
room, as she picked up things some time
before she briefly remarked:
"Your staying is your own doings. You
don't have to-"
And A s,,.. Desire !, ! said. just as briefly:
The days passed into weeks, and still Miss
Person did not get out.
at got me sure, this time," she privately
said to Jake; and she added, resignedly, to
his astonishment, "But don't worry. De-
sire will>see after things"
Jake had to repeat that, and Desire looked
at him, doubtfully. II she worried, she let
no one know it. Miss Person could not
complain OF charcoal sketches. All remind
ers of her dream had been banisbed. when
she wrote the letter that told of her inability
to accept the offer she had SO recently asked
for. Then she went right on.
One morning Mrs. Hunt called her hastily,
but there was only time to meet Miss Per
sons eyes once and know that her last half
formed word had been ''Desire!" and Miss
Person had passed from earth.
The trouble had gone to her heart, so the
now, she was not only mot sorry" but glad
that she had stayed until the last.
"Pll try it again, now" she said to Jake,
when he asked her, the morning after the
funeral, what she thought OF doing. III 1
can't find an opening can go to work"
But she did not have to go to work.
An hour later the friends assembled to hear
the will. OF course, the property went to
her cousin, the nearest relative she had; but
there was codicil, written during her i'll
ness. Jake and the pastor had witnessed it,
and it gave to Desire Benton who had
Showed she wasn't SO weak that she could
mt help drawing, if she wanted to-" all her
bank stock with her blessing on her future.
"And now don't know what to do with
it." said Desire, almost dazed by the unex-
pected fortune.
"Why, go 'long and learn your drawin' and
paintn'," replied Jake to whom she was
speaking alone, in the old kitchen
"But she hated it all So it doesn't seem
right to use it for that"
Eyes, it does" he assured. "She told me
that night, upstairs, that you wasn't no dis
credit, after all, to her bringin' up You'd
decided to do your duty. and you'd find,
every time after that was done, there'd be a
time comm for the things you wanted to do"
"And that, from Miss Person, is worth
more than the bank stock" said Desire.