Putnam patriot., 1913-10-03

of the enclosure. ana out or ner .--, as she thought.
 Half an hour later he was back. bis face aname. She looked at aim in amazement He might have been another man-no, the old one. her boyish sweetheart who had so long been only a memory to her. Mary" he called. Come! No, put on your cloak and bring your grip. 1 will carry 1t for you. Come-Ill show you!'
 She accompanied him outside the squalid buildings to where the reced- ing floods had left a s1ampy stretch of earth. Here their farm had been. their house and growing crops. and now
 She started in amazement. A new house stood almost upon the spot of the old one. It might have been their heuse-tne house they had planned in the first dreams of their married life. Firm and foursquare it stood, with it's eight rooms it's neatly shut tered windows, it's front door with the gleaming knocker. Mary turned to John.
 It's magic. John. What does 1t mean ?" she asked
 John pointed to the receding river. Tt is the rivers gift to US" he an- swsred.
 Torn from it's foundations, hundreds Of miles away, in heaven only knew what county or state, even, it had been deposited there by the food It needed but two teams of oxen to place 1t upon the foundations of the old home. And 1t was theirs! For 1t could never be taken away; prob ably those who had once owned 1t had died in the cataclYsm. 1t was theirs. this home. They erept up toward it, wading like children through the s#ampy places. And, looking in, Mary gasped with wonder. For it was | furnished. neatly. cheaply, but taste ' fully. There was parlor. with table and chairs, a living room; even the curtains sWayed upon their rods. | The river had borne 1t upon it's breast as gently as child.
 T wonder If the upper floor is furn- ished. Mary" John suggested. Suddenly she caught his hand in l hers and motioned to him to remain l silent Hush, Johni" she whispered, ! listening intently Did you hear any ! thing?' she added presently
 John had heard nothing except the aullen tapping of the waves upon The ! river bauks But MarYs eyes were i alight with strange fire and her 1 cheeks flushed and he hand that he i held in his was trembling.
 What is t, Nary" he asked stupid. | ly.
 Suddenly she dashed wildly up the steps of the stranded house, while 1 John looked after her. wondering at l the feyerish eagerness which had sue eeeded her customary apathy She disappeared inside, and almost imme- diately afterward she reappeared. Her hair was tumbling all over her face. upon her lips there played a smile of tenderness that he had often imagined there but had never seen. In her arms she carried bundle.
 She came toward him. and. as she unwrapped it, the feeble cry Of a child smote upon his ears.
 Look John!" she whispered.
 An infant of six months was lying in her arms. And even as John looked he saw the little arms go upward, seeking Marys neck, and, having found it. they clasped themselves con- tehtedly around it.
 What do you think. John!" said Mary, with little laugh. He hasn't even finished his bottle-although ths milk Is souring. You didn't hear him." she added, but did"
 She stood there so proud. so happy in this viearious motherhood that Johns arm stole timidly around her waist and he drew her toward him.
 Mary, dear" he whispered, 'I have often thought that if we had child like this--it would have drawn us to. gether. We would not have drifted apart as we have done"
 So have I" she answered passion- ately ''I felt that you resented it, John, my-my childlessness. and SO and SO"
 You hadn't grown tired of me-"
 No, John, indeed no. If had thought you wanted me to stay
 But l did and do want you" he answered triumphantly. "Only. Mary -"
 "John!"
 "He stays with us"
 "Of course, she answered, turn. ing up the little face for her husband $ kiss
 Copyright. 1913. by w, c. Chapman)