Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-21

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tones It had always been the boys way to
make a plucky dash upon the thing that
threatened to daunt him. Yet he had not
reckoned with this vulnerable spot in his
armor,-Missouri Claiborne could reach him
through Champe, and Champe's poor, plead
ing little hands and sobbing voice, as she
would not have been able to do through his
own sensibilities. When, to his ring, the
door sprang open as though it had been
dynamited, and Miss Claiborne, plainly in
vlxenlsh temper, began to demand eXplana-
tions and berate in the same breath, when
Champe's fortitude 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 half
turning. "You have said things you II be
sorry for, Miss Claiborne Mother will take
care of Champe.'
| He hurried her down the steps, the girl
utterly crushed, clinging mutely to him, the
woman standing in the doorway calling
out:
"You can't frighten me, pretending to go
away. You'll find the door locked when YOU
come back"
"Never mind, Dear-never mind,
soothed Don. "You aren't afraid, are you
Champe? 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 choked
voice what will you tell her about me?
What will she Think"
I'll tell her that" the young bass broke
"Champe, don't worry about Mother. You Il
see
Still in silence they at last reached the
| corner.
There's the carriage!' cried Don. re-
lieved, as they came into the main street,
and saw the two yellow eyes looking at
them from before an all night cigar store.
"Stand here moment, Champe. I'll go and
fetch him."
MRS. HARVEY, sitting late over the fire
~ waiting for her son, heard with little
thrill of surprise two people come up the
walk. "He must be bringing home COM
pany,' she murmured, and hurried out into
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
a pink frock who stood before her, that
ravishing, exotic beauty of Champe's in dis
array, the dark hair rumpled the great, lus-
trous dark eyes wide and pain filled, Mrs.
Harvey's own white shawl hanging from
bare arms and shoulders, a poor little love
trailing broken white pinions, the older
woman s look was lncredulOuS. In VAIN that
piteous, trembling mouth tried TO speak.
Don, feeling that all was well now, turned to
close the door, as the two silently approached
each other. Suddenly one end of the white
shawl tripped its wearer. Mrs. Harvey
caught in her arms the visitant that. up to
that moment, she had been telling herself
was unreal.
"Hold onto her. Mother said Don in a
voice that shook, as he put an arm about the
two figures. Don't let her get away.
brought her for you to keep. She's yours
now You said you wanted a daughter
there she is!'
He spoke exactly as he did in the days
when, barely out of frocks, he used to bring
home to her stray wounded creatures,
starved nestlings, or abused kittens; but the.
look in his eyes was a new one. The girl
Mrs Harvey held trembled and hid her face.
against the welcome maternal shoulder.
With glance Don's mother questioned him,
and he answered.:
"You see, Champe's aunt" he grimaced
expressively above the dark head on his
mothers breast, "she was hopping mad.
When we got home from the theater she
talked-well, and she wasn't going to let
Champe in, she said. So of course brought
her to you. There was nothing else for
mo to do was there MOther2" he concluded