The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-15
HOLLOW OF !: HER HAND
BY GEORGE BARR M'CUTCHEoN

cd her with alert eyes. Then sho
reached up and gently removed tho
I Gaze from It's fastcnings. Putting IT
I down upon the window sill. she onen
/ ed the tiny door. Tho bird hopped
about his prison In II state Of ureat
! excitement
/ lietty looked on. fascinated.
AT last yellow streak shot ON,
through the open door and an instant
iater resolved Itself into the bobbinu.
I Huttoring dicky-bird that had lived il,
q cage all its lfc without an hour or
i freedom. For fcw seconds IL circled
over the 'rcc-tops and then allphtoh
I on one OF the branches one might vail
/ NAY" Imagined that he could hear IL.
tlny heart beating with terror ia
wings were half-ra!sed ana nutterinr
Us mead Jerking from sido 10 side in
m'iu Pcrtnfoation Taking courage.
hatter )icEy hoped iirnorously to 8;
hearty iwig and then vcntured :,
iitht 10 uec-top nearer tho window
easement. Perchcd IA ltu toprnos.
branches he cheepcd shriliy, as IL there
I was Tear In HIS little breast
/ In silence tho two women IA tn,
window Watched tho agitatcd move
Was IN the mind OF each the same
question the same !ntcnsc wish
I brown thrush sped through N,
( AR. close by the timid canary Ijlo
= flash it dropped to tho twles Low,
Gown It's wings FACILITATING in violent
alarm.
piciiey"' called Sara wrandan ana
men checped between her teeth.
moment later Dickcv was nu,,cr
Ing about Tho caves. his c,rrl.. ,,,o
smaller hts winging less rhy,brnic
U' al last with a nervous little Nm,
''i ne perched on the top OF tho win
NV shutter, SO ear that they might
nave reached TO him with their ha,ds
ITO sat there with his head cooked ,n
one side. ~
"Dickcy"' called Sara again. This
'ime She h.id out hey niger For So
H'he nc regarded it with Indifferent.
"ot l" say disfhvOr. Then he took onn
more Tight. but much shorter than Tia
.is', bringing up again at the ,hu,
,.op' y second later he hoppod
u""n ana his little talous crinnod
Hara's finger wiki an carnostness that
left no room TOR doubt
She lowered her hand un,u +. v,.
even with the open door or The cid
ca cage He shot inside win , vrht,
'hat suggested {" scramble Win his
"lhRs ioid'd' no sat on his little tran
~ ga" cHeeped- she closed and fast
iictty 'Nf"eu l"
my symbol" She said softly
mere We're tears in Hct,ys eyes.
Leslie did no, turn UP at his fathers
piI !" IA" i!igh street that night
un'H hooth was safely out of Tho W..
lie spent a dismal evening" IA ,hc n"a,
club. '''c BOAT
Ills father and mother we're in ,,c,,
nfary when he came in at hnlfpns,
tcH' FROM dark corner Of the ,,or-
G'n NJ mad Witnessed Booths early
departure Vivian had gone dow 70
,he gate in Tho low.lyiug hedge win
her visitor She came In nome,,t
after Leslle's entrance.
Hello. Les She said. bending an in
curing ,aII. eye npon him. Isn't this
fireplace. e'' '"o
There's a leavy dew falling Mater"
he said grufiy SMART ,onch
match 10 the kindlin;,"''
us mother came over TO him quick
~. ana iaid her hands OH his arm.
Your coat is damp" she said any
lousy. Yes light tic IRE"
us very warm in this room" s.id
ar, "rnndail. looking up from his
Dook. They We're always doing some
ming for Lcslics comfort.
~. 40 one seemed to notice him. Leslie
knclt and struck a match.
Wcil:' said Vivian
looking up "''Nont
Ills sister took moment for thought
Is liet'y coming TO stay with us i'm
He stood erect, first rubbing his k,o.
to dislodee the dusi-then his na I,ue
NO, she isn't coming" he said un
drew very long brcath-the first In
t'eFai hours--and then expelled II va
caily. She has refused to marry mo"
Mr. Wrandall turned n leaf in his
book: 1t sounded like the crack of door
Vivian had the forcthought to nush
chhlr toward her mother. 1t was :.
most timely act on her part, for Mrs
randall sat down very abruptly ana
very Imply.
'she-what?" gaspcd Lesl.es moth
Turned me down-cold." said Leslie
briefly '" A1esi'e
Mr.. Wrandall laid his book on Tho
,doic without thinking TO put tho
bookmark in place. Then he nrosr
ana removed his glasses. fumbling for
the case. 80
She-she--what?" he demanded
Sacked me-" replied his son.
FleaSe 90 not Jest with me- Ieslie
said his mother. trying to smile.
lie isn't Joking, mother" said VI
'iah with shrug Of her fine should
"lio-hc must be-" cried Mrs. wran-
dali impatienly. What did she really
say. Leslie"
The only thinG / remember was
Sood-by. said he, and then blew his
nose violently.
Poor old Les" said Vivian, with
real feeling.
1T was Sara Gooch's doing" ex-
claimed Mrs. Wrandall. getting her
breath at last.
Nonsense" said Mr.. Wrandall, pick
ing up his book once more and urn.
ing to the place where the bookmarlz
Jay. after which he proceeded to re-
read four or five pages before discov
ering his error.
No one spoke for n matter of fiy.
minutes or more. Then Mrs Wrandau
got up. went over To the library tablc
and closed with a snap the bulky bluo
book with the limp leather cover. saw
Ing as she held it up to let him seq
mat II was the privately printed his
tory OF tho Murgatroyd family:
1T came by post this evening from
London. Sho is merely Il fourth cous