The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-05-07

ing the pansies. I'm sorry YOUR head
aches all a time, daddy says; an j
want to tell YOU boys is nice, reilly;
an to please like me, won't your"
He paused. breathlessly. His hand
b%ashfully twisted about the arm OF
her garden chair. Mrs. THORNTON
gazed at him a moment as though fas-
cinated. the her hand Went toward
him. fiercely. For petrifying mo.
ment Mrs. Penfield thought she was
going to push him from her. and mov-
ed hurriedly toward the steps. just as
ner strange neiEhbor snatched the
flowers and with a sharp. Child.
child. YOU go home-at once!'
turned toward the cottage. but Mrs.
Penfield's clear voice arrested her.
Mrs. Thornton. I'm sorry Teddy
picked your flowers. He is a little
child; he knows no better. 1t will not
happen again."
The lowers" Mrs. Thornton
looked at them. vaguely. "Oh.' YES.
the f1owers!" That was all, then she
Went inside.
Teddy's little feet v strayed over
on the Thornton property again.
1t was in the middle of winter, with
his father on a business trip west. that
he fell sick. Merely a cold, Mrs. PEN
Held thought. but, all in a moment. it
seemed. she was repeating the terribly
ing Observation-Disclosures trying to
force back the desolate thought that it
would be days before Ted could reach
her. Save for the small maid h was
utterly alone. The one nurse the
town boasted of was engaged. Her
friends, she felt in her heart, would
not come to her, for diphtheria was a
fear bearing word.
She never knew how she got
through the first dark day; but just at
dusk she discovered the little maid
had fed.
On toward midnight she heard a
faint tap at the front door. She went
hurriedly, supposing that the
doctor. knowing she was alone, was
making a second night call. When
she saw the tall figure of Mrs. Thorn
ton standing there she barely sup
pressed an amazed cry.
Seems incredible. doesn't it?" The
voice was low. wistful. will You for
get the past few months and let me
to help"
There was a TRANCE mingling of
e%ntreaty and compassion in the
sombre ~ s. Without a word Mrs.
Penfeld led the way to the sick room:
and this strange woman whom she
had dubbed a sphinx. and thought
simply dreadful." barely left it until
Penf1eid arrived, and Teddy could
smile at him feebly. Never once did
she refer to the actions which, on the
first night. she had asked Mrs. Pen
field to forget" until the latter tried
to thank her for all she had done. II
could have stood it alone. Mrs.
Thornton" she said, in a termbly lit
tie voice.
Mrs. Thornton smiled strangely.
e Stand it. Don't YOU know We ran
stand anything-when we've got to?
Hearts can break, but we live on. You
would V have stood it if YOU had
lost him" Her voice was just a whis-
per. And I know YOU would have
stood it better, more nobly, than I
did"
Mrs. Penield looked at her quickly
and Mrs. Thornton Went on hurriedly:
eve known the joy of having a Ted
dy. and I've had to stand the agony
Of losing him, just a month before l
came here to get away from every n
to fight it out alone. The first time ]
heard YOU call Teddy and saw him
running about the garden 1 think /
was half crazed. / could not bear
the sight of him.. yet the first tears
I shed-tears that saved me-were