The Washington herald., 1913-03-16
Copyright. by the Bobbs-Merrn Col.

couldn't she? How does she charge.
Miss Anny'
mot one cent" replied Ann. with
thrill Of triumph; If she'll come,
she'll come free; but I don't know
whether she will come"
Emmy. you SO and ask Mrs. Con-
ner to ask her TO come: ask Mrs. Con-
ner to come, too" said Mrs. Dsrter. re-
! 5uming her feeble voice. II want to
see IL that ankle is cured. You'll stay
with me, Miss Ann?'
| So. almost too quickly for her to
realize the position, Emmy found her
self on her way to the Conners. A fra
grant odor waited Mrs. Corners occu-
patton through the open kitchen door.
before Emmy crossed the threshold to
behold her skimming a great kettle Of
plum jam. "Landy. land! it's Emmy
Darter already" she cried. with a jolly
laugh. Il thought 1 could git that
plum jam ready 10 take on before
you'd come. / knew it wouldn't be
long when I saw Miss Ann Bigelow
| for Miss Keith, I guess. Well, it's
lucky Conner has the hosses hitched
| in the wagon, and he can take US right
| over. I'll call Hedwig to take on the
| jam, and Miss Keith
But, Mrs. Conner. please tell me
about yourself" urged Emmy. Did
she cure your"
Mrs. Corners left eyelid twitched in
company with the left corner of her
shapely mouth. You ask me no ques-
tions. Emmy, and I'll tell you no lies:
but you can make up your mind Miss
Keith can cure your ma-if she's let"'
Emmy's bewilderment deepened. but
she said. "Yes'm." in her docile way,
and followed Mrs. Conner and Miss
Kieth down the walk. leaving Mr.. Con-
ner to chuckle over some unknown
mirth OF his own in the wagon.
Mrs. Darter, so Miss Bigelow told
them. had been doing all the while
Emmy was gone. Her greeting to
Miss Keith was a feeble moan. But on
Miss Keith's part there was an amaz-
ing transformation. She bent her
brows above eyes which shown out
of them in level, intent gaze
Emmy recalled Miss AIMS description.
and understood IL with a thrill For
few seconds Miss Keith stood mo-
tionless. shedding that steady. un-
blinking gaze at the drawn face on the
pillow. Mrs. Darter appeared to feel
II through her eyelids: she WINGED. she
ceased whimpering. Miss Keith smiled
gently. She spoke, and her voice was
like silk. You have suffered very much-'
Mrs. Darter opened her eyes; she
chin quivered, and two tears slowly
ran down her cheeks-the first tears
seen on her cheeks during all her Ia
mentations. "Oh, I have" she muir
INJURED. and nobody believes it-not
my oldest friend. not my own chill
drenr'
II believe it." said the girl: vet It
Is all a mistake" Without turning her
eyes. she made a little motion with her
hands toward the door, and instantly
Miss Ann marshaled the others out Of
the room. Mrs. Conner shut the door.
In spite of herself, Emmy began to
feel her nerves twitch with the ex-
citement and mystery. "Oh. Mrs. Con-
ner, she entreated that staneh friend
is II possible she can cure mother7r
Jest You keep quiet said Mrs Com
ner. and set still. I'm going out to the
kitchen to heat this beef tea" For the
first time. Emmy observed that Mrs. Com
ner carried glass Jar insuficiently
wrapped in newspaper. Directly she was
neard Gathering among the saucepans
Miss Ann stiffened into a rigid attitude.
and her face assumed a rapt expression.
Emmy locked her fingers and sat still.
AT this moment she was startled by a
soft noise outside. and a young fellow
pushed handsome. flushed face into the
triangle between the window curtains
and beckoned with look of entreaty.
Emmy's heart jumped into her throat.
1t was Albert. She didn't care whether
he rode with Susan Baker or not: II
was Albert who loved her; she knew IL
II she could only go out to him, But
MISS Ann shook her head and laid
mystic finger on her lips. EVmy. too.
laid finger on her lips: but her finger
trembled and her eyes swan in tears.
Albert stood passive and bewildered. The
moments dragged on. Really there were
not so many of them; a scant half an |
hour covered the flight of time. but to |
Emmy. uncertain whether her greatly |
tried lover might not have to 60 back !
TO an expected train at any one of them /
and to Albert, who did have a train on |
his mind and had ridden swiftly up to |
his sweethearts for the briefest of in !
terviews, those minutes seemed an hour |
Yet Albert knew better. having his watch |
in hand and waving il and pointing at |
it, the better to explain his hurry. Once |
Emmy mustered courage in an excess |
of desperation to rise to her feet. but |
the look of horror on Miss AIMS features
dropped her like a club.
Albert's mind darted blindly from one |
conjecture of disaster to another. At one |
minute he was ready to march in rashly |
before Miss Ann and demand what was !
the matter. at another he was cold at the |
thought of laundering in on a death-bed. |
He gasped with relief when the door |
opened and Miss Keith came out. smil-
ing and calling: Mrs. Conner, Mrs |
Conner! hurry up that beef tea, and |
make some strong coffee as soon as you |
can,'
Then he did venture to come into the |
room, essaying a general bow and smile |
Il hope Aunty Darter is better.' he |
stammered. The children of the old |
friends had always given them a brevet
Mrs. Darter was ..Aunty
Darter' to Albert. and Mrs. Glenn |
"Aunty Ida" to the Darter girls
Mrs. Darter will be well Tomorrow"
said Miss Keith. quietly; "she is going to
take some coffee
And some toast and plum JAM" In
terrupted Mrs. Darter herself. II know
Mrs Conner has been making jam The
times I've hankered after jam these last
months! I'm going to eat everything I
didn't dast to"
by degrees" said Miss Keith, "as
the mental power grows stronger"
rs that Albert" said Mrs. Darter.
Albert. lift me up while I drink that
beef tea"
Conner fed her a cup of the tea. They
aughed Historically, with tears in their
eyes. as Mrs. Darter sighed weakly. "Oh,
,ut that's good" while Mrs. Conner ra-
lated satisfaction and Miss Ann rocked
70 and fro, announcing that it was mir
lc'lus,' They did not comprehend what
rad happened: they could not look into
he future and a time when Mrs. Darter
should thNw herself with energy into
preparing for Emmy's marriage; they ,
,nly dimly foresaw her recovery and |