Evening star., 1913-10-11

in the iat below. might be wiser than
She She went downstairs. She had to
knock thrice before the door opened. al
though she heard voices behind It. Mrs.
Dougher Is having one of his poor spells
again."
''The doctor.' Eliza said She paused.
1t seemed to her strange thing that
she should thus happen upon the doctor.
WAS sick. too" she went on, land
II don't know--What doctor do you
have?"
"Dr. NARROW. Sure. he's man to be
trusted"
II guess" Eliza said slowly. you may
with him. I'd like to have him see
Viva
When she went back she did not tell
Viva what she had done. The child was
not used to doctors. and had a horror of
them. She let him announce himself by
entering He was a middle aged man,
with tired. kind face. He sat down by
the couch. Viva whirled about and faced
him, all suspicion. But when she saw
his smile her little face relaxed in re-
sponse. She let the doctor take her
hand. She showed him her tongue. She
let him tap her chest and listen there.
He somehow reassured her.
| Eliza followed him out the door. She
almost felt she might have saved her
50. AS far as she could tell from his
face Viva was quite safe. '.Well?" she
demanded.
The doctor looked at her critically.
he said finally. you must get her out
of that fat into the open air. The city is
no place for her You must take her
out of school. The trouble is here" He
touched his chest.
Eliza knew what he meant. She had
seen enough of humanity to realize what
faced her. She turned sick as the doctor
went on talking. When he had finished
she bowed her head silently in accept
ance of all his facts. She felt unable to
speak.
When, Abel came home Viva was
asleep. In the kitchen, where their
voices could not reach the child, they
had a long talk. but they came to no
conclusion, beyOnd-''We must do some
thing at once
The next noon Abel came home almost
joyous. .."Luck's with us." he cried I've
got place. It's Hewitt's place-one OF
those new lots in that new section that
was opened up last fall Hewitt went to
work and had house built on it, one
of those bungalows. But his wife doesn't
like 1t. And he doesn't like it, because
it's so far from. his work. He had to
walk mile before he caught the car
line. So he wants to sell. l heard him
trying to make sale with fellow, ana
just steps up and says, Here. III take
your bungalow Hewitt He didn't know
SO by surprise. But got it all right.
It's right out In the brush and the nearest
thing to the country 1 know OF. 1t ought
to be good for her."
Eliza put her arms about his neck and
looked into his eyes with tears in her
own. She was thinking of that long mile
he. must walk In heat and cold Of the
still longer. car ride. Dear" she whis-
pered, and kissed him tenderly.
Next day she took Viva to see the
house. 1t was very cool on the hillside
in the shade. The town seemed far away,
so still was it. The bungalow had only
four rooms but there was goodly porch.
Eliza saw that she must do without many
Of .the things she had found useful in her
for Viya's sake what was there she would
not do?
Mammal The child came running in
shouting. Look what I've found!' She
had daisy in her hand Her face had
suddenly lost the deathly listlessness OF
two days before.
Eliza smiled at her. You'll like it
here, darling?
'.Tll love it, mamma
That night Eliza told Abel what Viva
had said and he laughed. Two days later
they moved. They had not overmuch OF
household furnishings to incumber them.
One big van took it all. And there they
were in the midst of the silence and the
loneliness and-the good air.
They rugged up sleeping porch for
Viva, and because she dare not sleep
outdoors alone they slept there with her.
1t was amazing how soundly they all
slumbered. There were no sounds to dis
turb them. One morning Abel actually
oversight and had to run to his car
munching as he went. But that night he
said:
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