The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-06-04

dlOuu anu llnltntu WIN oh
expression that puzzled her. When
she finished. both were silent for a
moment. then she asked, you must
have known his father. dearest; didn't
your"
YES" said Mrs. cambridge after a
pause. 'I-knew his father"
Shirley said no more, and facing
each other In the cendle-glow. across
the spotless damask. they talked. as
with common consent, of other things.
She thought she had never seen her
mother more brilliant. An odd excite
ment was flooding her cheek with red
and she chatted and laughed as she
had not done for years.
But after dinner the gaiety and eff
fervescence faded quickly and Mrs.
cambridge went early to her room
She mounted the stair with her arm
thrown about Shirley's plant waist.
At her door she kissed her, looking at
her with strange smile. How Gu
rlous," she said, as IL to herself, that
it should have happened today"
The reading-lamp had been lighted
on her table. She drew a slim gold
chain from the bosom of her dress
and held to the light little locket-
brooch 1t carried. 1t was of black en-
amel, with a tiny laurel-wreath of
pearls on one side encircling a single
diamond The other side was of crys-
tai and covered baby's russet-col-
ored curl. In her fingers 1t opened
and disclosed a miniature at which
she looked closely for a moment
Her eyes turned restlessly about the
room. It had been hers as a girl, for
Rosewood had been the old Garland
homestead. 1t seemed now all at once
to full OF calling memories OF her
youth.
How strange that It should have
been today!" II had been on Shirley's
| lips to question. but the door had
closed. and she went slowly down
stairs. She sat a while thinking. but
at length grew restless and began to
walk to and fro across the floor, her
hands clasped behind her head 80 that
the cool air filled her flowing sleeves.
In the hall she could hear the leisure
ly kon-kon-kon-kon of the tall clock.
| The evening outside was exquisitely
still and the metallic monotone was
threaded with the airy fiddle-fiddle of
crickets In the grass and punctuated
with the rain-glad cloap OF frog.
Shirley stepped lightly down to the
wet grass. Looking back, she could
see her mothers lighted blind. All
around the ground was splotched with
rose-petals. looking in the squares OF
light like bloody rain. She SKINNED
the lawn and ran a little way down
the lane. A shuffling sound presently
fell on her ear.
"Is that you. Unc' Jeffersonf" she
called softly.
"Yas'm!" The footsteps came near
er. "Ets me. Miss Shirley" He tit
tered noiselessly. and she could see
his bent form vibrating in the gloom.
"Yo' reckn All done fergit"
mo. indeed. l knew you wouldn't
do that. How is he?"
"He right much bettah," he replied
In the same guarded tone. "Doctah
he say he be all right in er few days.
on'y he gotter lay up er while. Dat
was er ugly nip he got fom dat 'spis-
able reptyle."
DO you think there can be any
others about the grounds?"
Nom. Dey mostly keeps ter de
ma'sh-lan' en- on'y runs whah de un'
dah-bresh ez thick. gwineter Ak dat
ter-morrow.. Mars Valiant he tell me
ter grub ct all out en- make er bon
fab OBJ It,"
That's right. Unc' jefferson. Good
night. and thank you for coming"
She started back to the house. when
his voice stopped her.
Mis- Shirley, yo' dom keer ef dc
ole man geddahs two er three OBJ der
roses? Seems lax young mars
moughty fon' OBJ dem. He got ore In
er glass but cts mos daid now"
wait a minute" she said. and dis
appeared in the darkness. returning
quickly with a handful which she put
In his grasp.
"There!" she whispered. and slipped
back through the perfumed dark
An hour later she stood in thu
cozy stiffness OF her bedroom
She threw OFF her gown. slipped int
soft loose robe OF maize-colored sill
and stood before the small glass. She
pulled out the amber pins and drew
her wonderful hair on either side o
her face, looking out at her reflection
like a mermaid from between the rip
pling waves OF moongolden sea.
. AT last she turned. and seating her
self at the desk. took from II diary
She scanned the pages at random. he
J eyes catching lines here and there
"A good run today, Betty and Judg,
Chalmers and the Pendleton boys. NJ!
fourth brush this season" A frowi
drew itself across her brows. and sh,
. turned the page. "One of the hound
} broke his leg. and | gave him Il
, Rickey." -"Chilly Lusk I,
dinner today, after swimming the Lor