Smyrna times., 1915-06-30
Helen LindSay'S Luck.

die and leave me alone in the cruel
worldP'
The wild. pleading outrcy came
from a little girl scarcely IL years
old. who knelt on the roadside beside /
a prostrate form
Bruce Linday opened his eyes fee
bly,; the voice of little Helen seemed |
to call the feeting spirit back for a
few short seconds. even though it
stood on the very threshold of death.
His hand. cropping through a darkness
which was not that of sunset, felt
for hers.
"'HeIenl" he gasped. you must
write you must co.
But. even while he spoke. the
deadly numbness of approaching dis
solution seized upon his tongue. the
gray shadows crept over his face.
and Helen Lindsay knew from some
vague instinct that she was orphaned.
And so Hiram Vought found her,
about an hour subsequently. as mis- pa
tient oxen climbed the hillside through
the twilight. where the chilly stars
sparkled in premonition of a coming
frost
"Hellor" quoth Hiram. Little
girl lost. Ell? And what's that ar.
by the edge O. the woods? Why,
it's a man asleep, as liVeI"
Hiram checked his horned steeds for
an instant. and then was about TO
proceed. thinking that lit was none
of his business. after all. " when the
sound Of smothered sob reached his
ears.
"WellI" cried Hirman. jumping
from the cart. there's sunthin
wrong here. and I'm the fsller that 3
bound TO find it out Hello. little
gal. what's the matter? Father
sick. eh?"
The child lOkOed up at him with a
pair of eyes that glittered strangely
in the uncertain light.
mo. she answered. in a checked
voice. he is not sick. -
Then. thought Hiram. "he must
be drunk. MOre's the pity. for 'he
, poor chilo's sake.
But u second and keener glance
convinced h m that his conjecture was
erroneous.
"Oh!' he cried. forgetting al
sense and discretion in his amaze
ment. 1.-The man is 6eadl'
And at the same instant little
Helen, overcome with fatigue an,
sorrow. and chilled to the bone Will
the cold night air. fell unconscious T.
the ground
well. what's this?" cried Mis-
Tabitha Vought. Hiram's sister. a
she stood like an old-fashioned pic
ture. framed in the doorway. and re
lieved by a background of cheerful re
frelight What next? Last tim
you went to town yon brought hom
lame kitten. the time afore that
goose with broken wing. and no'
it's a sick child. We'd better ope
a hospital and have done with it.
But Hirman. without answering
carried his small unconscious bUrdt
70 the fire and Tabitha who was nc
without her Cue share Of the milk {
human kindness. brusque- tempere
spinster though she was, ran for II
camphor bottle and a certain wicket
case receptacle wherein she kept
special quality of Holland gin
And when Helen Lindsay came to h,
senses, she lag on a comfOrtabl
old fashioned settee, wrapped in
heavy shawl, in front Of a glorioI
wood fire. with a cricket singln
noisly on the hearth, and two kindl
although wrinkled. faces bendiI
over her.
Poor little creeturr' ejaculact
Miss Tabitha: "her eyes is as bl
as them double larkspurs of MI
Deacon Spursbanks.
Papa" broke despairingly frC
Helen Lindssy's lips; and the
realizing the utter forlornness of
position, she burst into a passion
tears and sobs.
"Wellp' cried Hiram Vougl
giving his thigh a resounding sla
I'm blessed il can stand thi
Tabby, we must keep her"
And Miss Tabitha. who had j.
opened her lips to propose the sa
thing. screwed them up again.
keep herf We? And what Z
| should like to knOw7"
"She'd be handy to run errsnds
"Humph. - snorted Miss Tabl
II guess I'm able to run my own
ranGs. - "She'd be company
you when I'm TO work out on
farm"
81 amt complained o. bein' 10
some, that know of. 4" answered
old maid dryly. "She-she- Bot
il ell, Tabby. she has no ene belO
ing to her. and I'm sorry for h
and