The Van Buren press., 1911-12-30
The House That Jim g,,a|
By NELLIE cRAvEY cILlNopv

4H uO"h me paper with
quick flush OF color. Then she
picked 1t up again and reread the ad.
vertisement breathlessly.
FOR RENT-One up-to-date cottage
hve rooms and bath Can be leased
to right party. Situated corner Ninth
avenue and Maple street. Apply next
door
lheir housel The girls eyes filled
suddenly with burning tears. After
three years he had at last consented
then to let the place to stranger
anyone who might prove respectable
enough to be the right party" Had
he forgotten ceased to care? There
was only one answer or he would
never have been willing to take this
step. 1t couldn't be lack Of money
she knew that; the truth came to her
IKE knife-thrust; he was done with
the past forever.
HOW many times had she passed
and repassed the little green house
INTO which had been wrought all their
hopes, and thanked heaven from the
bottom of her heart that It was still |
| vacant still sacred to him Every |
shlngle and rafter stood for a heart. |
! throbi every tree and flower had been |
| planted with loving hands. And nowp |
1t was all Francesca could do to keen
her seIf,controL Visions surged into
her brain-visions OF the old dear
days. James Langdon's face was the
center of them all So distinct was #
she almost felt that she could have
put out her hand and touched It. She
srangled a little sob and dashed
away the tears What a fool she was
10 be going to pieces like this on ac.
count OF a man who had found 1t so
easy to forget! Gradually a change
came over her feelings. In place OF
the old wearying ache, a hot rebellion
hamed into her heart. She rose tossed
aside the paper she had been reading
and crossed the room to her mirror.
Her eyes, sparkling defiantly, looked
back at her with a new purpose in
their gold,brown depths. she. too.
would-forget!
Robert Thayer's letter still lay un-
answered In her desk. She reopened
1t with fingers unsteady from excite. :
meR The lines danced before her :,
eyes for an instant, then her gaze +,
Teadied and she read .
Dear May | come to you to.mor =
row night? There is something I =
want to tell you, to ask you | won't T..
be patient any longer Say that you =
Will be expecting ~ OF. eight -
"syhcerely,
bob"
Francesca seate{i herself unhesitat
ugly at the desH and scratched
laAy reply.
Dear Bob: Cl by all means I'm
always glad to you; you know
hat shall b$ ang for you at the }
appointed hou{
~ FRANCESCA"
She had L sealed the note when
.er Dro& .erei the room, little c
i9,shed<ce Y ~ yng 10 sud zen M !
pulse. shA hrust the enyelop quickly
into d r. and locked IT,
Bad kI 3, Kid" he said. dropping
The turned with a startled
glance empoken question on her
| lips rHhg q aham anticipated her
and sal abruptly.
Go, to move out IN a week. own
ers have sold the place-which slgni
| hes move on for US"
Francesca sat and stared at him
blankly A terrible feeling OF home
sickness swept over her, We've been
here so long" she said wstfully,
That's IT, knew you'd feel all
cut up about It. just as do. But
there's no help for it grille. Wen
have to be looking around at once
where will we look2" she ques
toned hcpIcssly
Get the papers-thats all And In |
the meantime I shall have to make a
run down TO Washington for four or |
Ave days That leaves the Job 70
you. I'm sorry but It's unavoidable.
But the girl scarcely heard his last
words A sudden, wild thought had |
darted into her brain, her blood was |
racing riotously through her veins 1t
centered all at once In two crimson
spots IN her checks
Don't bother, jack" she said qui
city II shau0 have any trouble. Leave
II all TO me II think already know
place we can get" She was doyout
~ thankful that her brother had been
of at college during her bctrothol
days and tho building Of the house lie
need never know the truth
They talked things over for little,
after which young Graham got up and
went out again francesca swallowed
cup Of tea and hurried upstairs TO
dress. In half an hour sho was speed
ing toward Ninth avenue aud Maple
street, every nerve atinglo with vary
Ing emotions
She stepped out on the pavement
agd stood for second loOlNng about
her Apply next door" There was
only one house next door, on the other
,~~.~o~-e~ey,~I.>~-~~