The Washington herald., 1913-09-07

AND surely all OF Us! 1HC IdHo VI
ioy? You'll bring it to them out
there, Aurelie. You've sent them Sc
much stuff and money-theyd have
half-starved last winter, when Albert
the peddler, was sick, if you hadn't
done that. John knew you were send
ing the money, too, but he pretended
he did not. Why, We all like you,
Aurelie."
I'm glad she answered, and stood
in the doorway looking over the town
with a forgiving and proud simplicity
They do like her." drawled the
tired blond woman from her chair
I've been in stock five years, and
before that seven over the Beckmeyer
& Grady circuit spot-hghting a song
and I've seen 'em all. When l tie
to a kid, she's got to have it. Split.
week vaudeville and cheap stock don't
leave you no illusions. But Aurelle-
I'm going to take THIS kid to New
York and get her in right If l have
to sell my shoes
Are you going there to act in
quired Mr.. Curran innocently.
who? Me-" The spotlight arts;
sat up and turned her heavy good
humored face to him. "Oh, Gawd-
me on Broadway! Say, you're one OF
these jay humorists, amt you? Cut
out the funny stuff
Now, Ada''-burst forth Aurelie-
you mustn't talk so! You're the best
and kindest woman l ever knew" She
turned dehantly to the others: "Oh,
the days and nights she coached me,
and rehearsed me-and dressed me
and told me how to behave at hotel
tabIes-and everything! Mon Dieul
Each night 1 say little prayer for
Ada Normanp She finished softly
and was staring out the window.
maybe this town was right in laugh
ing at me in the old days. l guess l
was funny And l felt so bitter when
went away. But sitting here in Mr..
Curran's old shop, somehow. all that
is dead. The birds singing up the
cliff and the smell of the corn and
clover-it's all so peaceful guess
was wrong-everybody would have
been nv friend if Id have let them
And now life is big and beautiful. /
almost think people would be glad
to see me- could just love the old
place."
Miss Vance glanced out to where
her brother was bringing the buggy
across the street. Harlan, in the door
way, was listening. But only Mr.. Cur
ran looked at her. If Aurelie had
breathed a prayer for forgiveness he
could not have stood in more mute
reverence. And suddenly Janet
turned to see his eyes. Then size
crossed to Aurelie and lifting the girls
face, kissed her cheek. She could not
tell what compassion, what unutter-
able remuneration, moved her. Only
she knew that to Curran, Aurelie
would ever be the princess whom he
had released from the witches spell.
This was the secret of his kindling
fires, his new and exultant life For
Janet there would be the steadfast
word, the long road She would still
the faint dream of 4 mans love The
other sort of woman, the primal ap-
peal. would win. Well she did not
need this love, then.
She left Aurelie in a shy surprise,
and Wiley in wonder at this demon
stration. Janet was not given to It
He watched her and Arne drive away,
and Harlan cross to the courthouse.
They were guessing at his madness,
il seemed.
Aurelie decided that she and Miss
Norman would put up at the Parsons
House. She wanted to be seen by
Miss Amelia and TO order, with her
new air of the world, the best room
and to comment critically on the Sc
date Parsons House dinner. The
Parson family had kept the Parsons
House and once had entertained
Stephen A Douglas. Miss Amelia
kept the tradition as well as the hos
telry so that she had the eminent re-
spect, if not the patronage, of the best
people.
Harlan, from his Office window,
looking absently across the Square, saw
Miss Norman come out of the News
door and 60 down the street toward
the Parsons House presently. Then
she paused at the corner of the court
house park to glance up at the splen-
dor of the August NAPLES. The birds
we're singing, and the sunlight fickered
through. She crossed the lawn to a
seat and sat down. Harlan could see
ler looking about, drawing in the air
oerfumed with the bloom of the corn
md the golden stubble up the hillsides.
Her eyes closed, and after a while she
lept-just tired woman of forty who
lad worked hard and had no illusions
who was just what the inevitability of
work and life makes of all of US. But
about the Square, in fifteen minutes,
gossip ran. The bleached-hair lady
Who had come back with Aurelie Lind
'trom from her triumphant SIoo,ood
Drize beauty tour of the West wear
ng the ill-gotten McFetridge dia-
nonds, was asleep in the parkl
No other woman had ever slept in
2ome's park. Nothing could have so
abbed convention, nothing so focused
on Aurelie Lindstrom. All
bout the Square, the stores, the bill
lard parlor, at Playter's corner, at the
'ank and around the hitching-rails the
ouz ran. Harlan heard talk of it
rom his window. Clerks stopped and
old others; farmers stared. Some one
lsked where was old Marshal Bee; and
others said the sheriff's Office had
Jurisdiction as the park was country
Wiley Curran, talking to Aurelie in
lis shop, saw Miss Norman drowsily
urch back under all the midsummer
glory and sleep as a child sleeps.
Poor Adp murmured Aurelie.
she's been tired for ten years and
lever had such peace and air as this.
is Just fnet see herr
And Aunt Ably, who had hurried
lown, wiping her fioury hands to set
le back her specs" and kiss the wan