Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-07-11

n Belle are both crying for break.
fast. I'd a got out all right with an
apple for myself, but l tried to get
some for them. and the dog got too
close. Say. you can just throw, can't
you"
YES" admitted Elnora. She poured
half the milk into the cup. Drink
this" she said, holding it to him.
The boy gulped the milk and swore
Joyously, gripping the cup with shak.
ing fingers.
Flush" cried Elnora. That's dread
full"
whats dreadful"
ITO say such awful words"
Huh. pa says worser AN that every
breath he draws"
Elnora stared into the quaint little
face and saw that the child was older
than she had thought. He might have
been forty by his hard. %mchildish ex
preston.
do you want to be like your ia
ther?"
NO, i want "a be like you. Couldn't
q oASCi OS plClllSI all SOu. Cdu /
have more milk?"
Elnora emptied the flask. The boy
drained the cup. He drew a breath Of
satisfaction as he gazed into her face.
"You wouldn't go off and leave your
little boy. would you" he asked.
did some n go away and leave
you" questioned Elnora in return.
"Yes; my mother went off and left
me and left Jimmy and Belle, too,"
said the boy. "You wouldn't leave your
little boy, would you?
NO"
The boy looked eagerly at the box.
Elnora lifted a sandwich and uncover
ed the fried chicken. The boy gasped
with delight.
Say: ! could eat the stuff in the
glass and the other box and carry the
bread and the chicken to Jimmy and
Belle" he offered.
Elnora silently uncovered the GUS
tard with preserved cherries on top
and handed it and the spoon to the
child. Never did food disappear faster.
The salad went next. and a sandwich
and half a chicken breast followed.
II better leave the rest for Jimmy
and Belle" he said. They're list fight
in hungry"
Enora ave him the remainder of
the carefully prepared lunch. The boy
clutched it and ran with a sidewise
hop like a wild thing.
Elnora covered the dishes and cup.
polished the spoon. replaced it and
closed the beautiful case. She caught
her breath in Il tremnlous laugh.
eff Aunt Margaret knew that she'd
never forgive me-" she said. 1T seems
as if secrecy is literally forced upon
me. and l hate it. What will l do for
lunch? III have to go sell my arrows
and keep enough money for a restau-
rant sandwich"
So she walked hurriedly into town.
sold her points at a good price, deposit
ed her funds and went away with a
neat little bank book and the note
from the Limberlost carefully folded
inside. Elnora passed down the great
hall that morning, and no one paid the
slightest attention to her. The truth
was she looked SO like every one else
that she was perfectly inconspicuous.
But in the coat room there were mem
bers of her class. Surely no one in
tended it. but the whisper was too
loud.
Look at the girl from the Timber
lost in the clothes that woman gave
herr
Elnora turned on them. II beg your
pardon" she said ~unsteadily: 81 couldn't
help hearing that! No one gave me
these clothes. | paid for them my
self"
Some n muttered. Pardon me-"
but incredulous faces greeted her.
Elnora felt driven. "Aunt Margaret
selected them. and she meant to give
them to me-" she explained. but L
wouldn't take them. l paid for them
myself There was a dead silence.
Don't you believe me?" painted FL
nora.
Really. it is none of our affair."" said