New-York tribune., 1912-01-21

"Too late TO bc scared" Don counsccd
| her. with that new note of authority in his
tones. 1t had always been the boys way to
make a plucky dash upon the thing that
threatened to daunt him. Yet ne had not
rcckoncd with this vulnerable spot in his
armor, Missouri Claiborne could reach him
through Champc, and Champc'S poor, plead
ing little hands and sobbing voice, as she
would not have been able to do through his
own scnsibiticS. When to his ring, the
door sprang open as though it had been
! dynamtcd. and Miss Claiborne, plainly in a
vixcniSh temper began to demand cxplana-
tions and bcratc in the same breath, when
! Champc's fortitudc gave way and she burst
into wild sobS against his shoulder Don
knew but one remedy.
I'll take your niece home to my mother,
he said gathering the little form up and hall
turning "You have said things You'll be
sorry for, Miss Claiborne. Mother will take
care Of Champc.'
He hurried her down the steps, the girl
utterly crushed, clnging mutcly to him, the
woman standing in the doorway calling
| out:
"You can't frightcn me. pretending to 60
away. You'll find the door locked when YOU
come back
"Ncvcr mind, Dcar-ncvcr mind"
Soolhcd Don. you aren't afraid, are YOU,
! Champc, Your aunt will be sorry for this
the longest day she lives. And my mother
can make it all right
But It's so dreadful" came the chokcd
voice what will YOU tell her about me-
What will she think"
Ill tell her that" the Young bass broke.
"Champc, don, worry about Mother. You'll
see
Still in silence they at last reached the
corner
"Thcrc's the carriage" cried Don. re-
Ecvcd, as they came into IN, main street
and saw the two yellow eyes looking at
them from before an al night yigar store
"Stand here a moment, Champc. III 60 and
fetch him
MRS. HARVEY, sitting late over the fire
lN1 waiting for her son, heard with little
thrill Of surprise two people come up the
walk. "Hc must bc bringing home com
panv," she murmurcd, and hurried on, int"
the hall
But the light step across the porch was not
that Of another Young fellow, and as the door
swung open to the stumbling little vision IN
pink irock who stood before her, that
ravishing. exotic beauty Of Champc's IN dis
array. the dark hair uImplci, the great, lus-
truus dark eyes wide and pain filled, Mrs
! Harvcy's own white shawl hanging from
bare arms and shoulders "a poor little love
trailing broken white pinion-, the older
womans look was incrcdulous In Vain that
pitcau,. trembling mouth tried 20 speak.
| Don. feeling that all was well now, turned e"
close the door. as the two silently approached
each other. Suddenly one end Of The white
shawl ,rippci It's wcarcr. Mrs Harvey
caught in her arms the yisitant that, mp a.
that moment, She had been telling herself
was unreal.
Hold onto her, Mother said Don in a
voice that shook, as he pu, an arm about the
two figures Don't let her e, away. ]
brought her for You TO keep. ohcs yours
now. You said YOU wanted daughter
there she is"
He spoke exactly as he did in the days
when. barely out Of frocks. he used 10 bring
home TO her stray wounded creatures,
starved ncstlings, or abused kittens; bu, the
look in his ewes was a new one. The girl
Mrs. Harvey held trcmblcl and hid her face
against the welcome maternal shoulder.
With glance Don's mother questioned him,
and he answered.
~You see, Champc's aunt, ne grlmaccd
cyprcssivclv above the dark head on his
mothers breast. "shc was hopping mad.
When we got home from the thcatcr she