The Washington herald., 1914-08-09

tin was ensrossed in his mail. and the
meal passed quietly. Bert proposed Z
hunt.
"Why, yes, I would like to CO." as.
scented George, but don't like to leave
Winifred."
But she urged him to go; she felt that
she would rather be alone for a little
while. .s
There's lot of your old hunting
clothes up in the garnet, George" sug-
gested Mrs. Martin.
"oh, all right, mother. I'll take Win.
fired up after breakfast and well look
them over"
In the garnet the constrsint that had
been between them all morning gradual
ly wore of. 1t was a delightful, ramb-
ling old place, full of relics of his child
hood. They laughed together over a
broken rocking-horse with an impossi-
bic tail, a huge mothzeaten sheep, a
diminutive bicycle, cars, building blocks,
air rihes-countless boyish toys in all
stages of demolition scattered about.
And they keep all these things"
asked Winifred.
TITS mother. She keeps everything
we children ever had. It's matter OF
sentiment with her"
A feeling almost of jealousy crept into
her heart that this was period of his
life she had not shared. Here his moth
er had reigned supreme. And yet at
that moment she felt almost kindly to-
ward the faded little woman downstairs,
who through all these years had kept
these things. They bore a mute teSti-
mony to her mother-love.
1t may be that George felt something
of her softened mood, for he stopped
over and kissed her with sudden tender
ness. His arm around her, he drew her
down to a seat on an old trunk.
She nestled closer. "Oh, George, I do
love you'll" with a half sob.
81 know you do, dear, and cannot
bear to see you so unhappy here. I had
so hoped you would learn to like my
home and my people"
But how can l when they treat me
so? have done nothing-it is not my
fault"
He was silent.
you know it is not my fault, don't
you?"
He was still silent. pulling at a strap
on the trunk. She moved little away
from him
why, George, you don't think it is
my fault? What have done?"
''No, dear. it isn't anything you have
done, but wonder if you know that at
times you can assume very proud and
arrogant air And you always have it
with my father. You show it in The way
you enter the room or pass his chair. 1t
was very marked that day after the wed
ding. You had heard that he had OBJ
jected to our marriage-and l suppose
you could not help it. But 1 am afraid
he has not forgiven you, and since you
have been here you have not tried to
make him."
"Oh, then you want me to cringe and
fawn before him like all the rest of the
family"
He flushed. 81 am sorry l spoke,
Winifred, if you are going to misunder-
stand me. L hoped it Nisht help"
Are you spending the morning up
there? 1 thought we were to go hunt
ing?" 1t was Bert's voice from the bot
tom of the garnet stairs.
"All right; we'll be down in a mo-
ment."
All that day Georges words fingered
in her thoughts. How much of it was
her fault? She tried to look at it i'm
personally. But she could only feel
that in no way had she merited the
sights she had received. 1t was true
that she had made no overtures Of
friendliness to Mr.. Martin. But she
was bride on her first visit to his home
surely that was not expected of her
However, she resolved to watch her
self very closely. For his sake she
would make every effort to become re-
conciled to his people. But her face
burned when she thought of a certain
home that had been
in her heart before she came. She knew
that Mr.. Martin had practically given
Carrie and her husband their home as a
wedding present, and there had crept
into her mind the thought at at Christ
mas George might receive check to-
ward the payments on the suburban
home to which they were to move in the |
spring. .-
But now she hated herself for that
thought and was passionately glad that
she had never even mentioned it to
George.
The day passed quietly. 1t was Satur-
day. Mr.. Martin had gone to neigh |
boring town early that morning and was
not expected back until night, and Mrs. |
Martin was busy with Sunday prepare