The Ocala evening star., 1915-04-29

lOwneSS as viewed from almost any di. /
rection.
"AP'-the woman's voice concealed a |
tremOr-"can we pay Mrs. Willard any |
thing on the rent today?"
'Ain't you got any money!"
''Why, Al. you didn't give me any
money"
The man searched unsteadily through
all his pockets. He finally discovered |
half dollar and dime
Never mind, broke in the soft voice
Of Mrs. Willard as she saw tears in the
eyes of Mrs. Grogg.
Mrs. Willard. who had come to know
life in many sordid phases. took June
away.
Have you an evening gown, June,
dear?' asked Mrs. Willard in a matter
of fact sort of way and eying June
solicitously as she made this abrupt
change in their subject of thought
Yes" drawled June. iii get it to-
morrow"
1--WE are to have guests this evening"
And Mrs. Willard studied June's height
and figure with a calculating eye. Il
| have new little dinner dress which
! am sure you can wear charmingly. You
are to be my family, my dear" she rat
| tied on to cover June's embarrassed
| half protests. Il want you everywhere
with me. We shall have to do some
! shopping, you and /. one of these days
! You like pretty things, don't your
! "Why, Of course" laughed June, and
she colored under Mrs. Wizards OBJ
vious admiration.
"Then you shall have them. My,
what a pleasure it will be to make a
| dolly out of you, child! We must run
| right up and dress"
The new little lace dinner frock did
become June charmingly, but she was
very thoughtful as she sat among the
gay peacocks and elves and gnomes,
very thoughtful and very sad. upon
the tiny bench in front of the windows
overlooking the broad river. Her brain
was seething with new ideas, knowl-
edge which had been thrust upon her,
sympathies which tugged and pulled
at her.
First Mrs. GrOgg. June had feared
for that fOrIorn woman, feared for her
at this moment, alone down there with
that animal who had fallen so far
from the image of God Yet what was
there to fear? Mrs. Grogg had en-.
dured and was enduring now and
would endure again, and when her
lord and master happened to be sober
and happened to have any money he
might give his wife a little of it, might
take compassion on her dire poverty
and her need The geraniums proved
that he had a trace of the quality con
cealed in him. 1t was the same ole
problem. June's own problem, only IL
its most sOrdid form. Dear Nedi There
was no comparison, yet it was alwayi
the man who owned, the man whC
gave The woman could only receive
, She could not give because the maj
possessing her already owned all tha
she had to offer. even her love.
On the corner of Wander street anc
: Duck alley was Ned, interviewing
skinny legged girl who sniff1ed continu
ously. both while she was pulling n
her stockings and while she was not
In her cheek was a wad Of gum, and il
her eye was all the lively expression
found in the eye of a dead fish. Me-
Warner dredged for information 70
4 two sordid minutes and went away
and Officer Herman walked straigh
: over to the stocking puller.
What did that guy want?" he dc
= manded.
HE was astin' about girl
This party described the girl, didn
. he?"
. "Uh-hunh-sawed off blond. Sa!
: what is it to you?" And she snifle
away.
. Officer Herman walked back to hi
post with a troubled brow, and b
shook his long. narrow head as b
looked after the Industrious Ned Wa
ner.
CHAPTER III.
. TUNE sprang suddenly from he
little bench overlooking th
river Mrs. Grogg and her il
= tolerabIe position persisted
. jumping into June's mind and stayin
. there. The guests had not yet arrive
- The fmpuIsive girl hurried down an
out of the back door, across the bea
tiful rear porch and down the windiT
and twisting little steps toward Il
Willard cottages. Mrs. Grogg was 81
ting in the kitchen in stony silen'
when June arrived there, a silen
n from which weeping had long sin