Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-09-29

from their immersion In the we'll. bh0
sat as motionless a. the babies; and
II her mouth did not stretch open. no
win Of her own prevented It.
The mixing Of the potation was The
matter Of a few seconds, and the feed
ing began without delay % the gray
raven perched on the stool and ladled
ont dripping spoonfuls. Miss Cynthia
was almost surprised that he failed
to offer her some in her turn, but she
sat on the floor and watched him WITH
deepest gratitude.
81 couldn't find the dinner" she
said in small voice. DO you think
they will be III" Az she spoke she
looked up At him with wide. trustfuI
eyes that reminded him in expression
Of all the other flve pairs hxed upon
his.
'No. indeed, tho little rascals! I
have heard them do worse than that
when Miss Selma Lue happened 20 b
behind time with the Quicklunch." His
big comforting voice revived her %
that she rose to her feet.
miss Selma Lue has gone up to the
Lock with the Dobbses. and stayed to
take care OF them for her. Your di1-
ner IL on the table," Her mseklsso
was fast vanishing and hsr eyes
dropped In q way they had that meant
mischief.
"Oh, now. really-you ought MOI to
have troubled about me- Bother the
girl-his ears were getting hot aGain
and he was sure she was Laughing aA
him, though why. he could not 80.
1T really was no trouble" she IN
swered, again sobered by her rsspoa-
sibilities. Let me finish feeding ~
babies while you eat your dinner"
Her voice was positively solicitous.
"Arsnt you going TO have seDo
With me?'' he asked politely.
Il don't think I am hungry nov"
she answered. intent on getting tho
spoon between Clemmie's uncertain
lips. 81 hope 1t will b al right
I never cooked that sort Of dinner ~
fore, but followed Miss Selma Las's
directions. % It must b the way you
ike It" Miss Cynthia was . lovely
thing at all times. but in that timid.
trustful mood, and in such bscomingly
disheveled condition. - she bsut Over
her charges she vas-rsvisAjAE
Mr.. Kent graspsd Wildly at his van.
ishing composure apa nurnured
idiotically. II you cooked II I Al suzO
there won't be enough. no nattsr how
much you prepared" He mentally
kicked himself. Where were ~
things that ought TO have sprung 70
his brain to match the girii He vsot
into tho kitchen and sat down. The
very prospect Of the dinner prepared
by those white hands was going y
his head; he felt safer With the ta1se
between them. He sat. however. whsFe
he could feast his eyes and the inner
man at the same time.
It was well that he approached hfs
dinner in a mood Of distraction. for IL
was with dimculty that he restralAsd
an exclamation at the first mouthful
Of eggs. But across the bobbinS lsads
Of the Enthusiastically diners. Ma
Cynthia raised trustful, proud syo0
to his.
rs IL sood!" she asked with b.
wildering solicitude.
Good! Watch mel" and there With
those eyes fastened on him In shining
delight. he swallowed all Of the sl1
incinerated eggs and devourol n
kulps q painful of half-raw. stone cold.
nauseating potatoes.
Halfway through tho dose he
paused Should he leave any fer her
to agonize over, or should hs assume
. reputation for abnormality Of spDo.
tite? Better anything than that che
should ever flnd out ths truth. and IN
. rush he finished the Job. If. ~ that
time, she had not been standing d.
rectly across the table. he would have
scraped the dishes, but her nearnsss
confused him and he let her ssk ssids
a teaspoonful Of potatoes and . chip
Of egg.
She was beaming with satisfaction
and ut his hastily framed apologies
for having cleared the table. she a.
swered cheerily:
Don't say . word about leaving ne
any. am too hot to eat for hours.
Those blessed babies are asleep o.
ready. Could they have tainted from
exhaustion?
Il assure you they are safe. and for
at least two hours" he laughed. % he
rose and stepped to the door. Light.
ing cigar. he fingered tentatively.
hoping for some sign Of invitation to
remain. The petunia dropped from
his buttonhole.
Then she raised her eyes TO his and
said sweetly and directly. with graft.
tude tingtng every accent: Thanh
you for helping me out with them.
You-you won't be far II they wake
up and get beyond me-"
Those eyes and that curly mouth!
Mr. Alan only really came TO-" ~
Miss Selma Lue would have put II,
when seated BY her side later on the
steps. In fact, no lived through an
hour or moro of partial eclipse Of
mind: and when the four-o'clock boat.
whistle sounded to call him to the
wharf to get package brought down
to him from the Lock. no felt a. II he
had been in q dream, q beautiful
dream, not such a. comes usually a
the bidding Of . digestion impaired
by lobster . la Newberg Of eggs-
fried.
As for Miss Cynthia. some evil fate
or perhaps . sleepy chirp from Glenn.
milo. tho roarer, led her TO tho bach
regions Of the grocery. and while
there she idly tasted that spoonful a
potato which had been left, with mis-