The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-09-08

ave never done much Of anything
for anybody but myself, you know,
Sarah" Caleb hesitatingly tried to &C
count for his conducs. "And this seems
to me to be as big an opportunity as
Ill ever have. You-you like the boy,
don't you, so far as you have become
acquainted with him?'
Eyes, like him." she assented, after
awhile.
"0f course tit comes as a surprise
to you" he murmured. ut is pretty
sudden, but l don't think that either
of us will ever regret it."
And then Sarah faced round toward
her brother. Her eyes were unac-
cOuntably wet, but there was laughter
on her lips.
"a surprise-a-a somewhat sud
denw she faltered. "Why, knew you
were going to do 1t that first day when
you came siding up to the veranda be-
hind him. | was certain Of It even
then And If you hadn't decided to-
why, I'd made up my mind that I'd do
it myself IL you ever came back from
that endless fishing trip
"I've been rummaglng through some
of the old chests upstairs she added.
'Today | explored for hours and found
some of the things you used to wear
which look as though they hadn't been
worn at all l laid some Of them out
for him to put ON when he gets up In
the morning. And, Cal, who'd ever be-
lieve now that a plump behemoth like
you ever could have worn such-such
dainty and cunning thingsv'
The inferred description should have
prepared Caleb, but at the moment he
failed to remeber that 1t was some
forty years since the garb she men
toned had been in vogue. Instead, he
hlushed uncomfortably at the gurgle
In her throat. And so the next morn
ing, WIN a little hgnr9 = Velvet
same let hue zSTklch Barbara Allison
had first appeared to the boy day or
two before stopped at the head Of the
/ long stairway. the moment was robbed
Of not one whit of Its sensationalism.
There was something in Sarah's fiut-
tering delight over the boys changed
appearance that morning which awoke
an almost hysterical impulse in her
brother.
When Caleb came back an hour lat
er, with Allison at his heels, he search
ed the house through without finding
the boy. In bis perplexity he appealed
to Sarah, who followed him to the
front door.
where's Stephenf" he asked.
Sarah nodded to Allison.
"Why, l waited a half hour, CAL"
she said, land then, when l thought
you wouldn't be back for awhile,
sent him DOWNTOWN sent him to the
village
Caleb seemed fairly to shrink.
'Yeu sent him down to the villageT'
he echoed. did heidi he change his
clothesY'
"For some eggs" Sarah rounded out
the sentence. "And of course he didn't"
Suddenly her brothers face alarmed
her. "Cal," she exclaimed, Il haven't
done anything l shouldn't have done,
have II"
Caleb turned wry face toward All
son.
''In-that-outftr' he groaned. "Down
to the village, and it's lumber town.
He's gone, and If he doesn't have to
fight his way back then r.
Sarah's alarm changed to fear In
stantly. She stepped out upon the
porch.
They sat and waited, and in due
course of time the boy returned. As
he appeared at the gate Sarah, with a
strange choking sound in her throat,
half rose and then dropped weakly
back Into her chair. And even to ALI
son, who had fondly looked forward to
the worst, the little suit with the pref
ty ruffed cuffs was an unbelievable
wreck. The coat had been ripped from
hem to collar and dangled loose upon
either side as the boy advanced toward
them, the knees of the trousers were
split till the bare skin showed through
beneath, and those portions Of the fab
ric which were not incrusted with dirt
were literally oerspread with egg.
After one stricken glance at the spec
tacle Sarah tottered to her feet and re
treated none too steadily into the house.
Gust what does this mean?" Caleb
faltered. "Where have you been?'
He hardly recognized the boys voice
81 been daown to the city" Steve
slurred the words. 81 been daOwn 20
/ git Miss Sarah a dozen eggs, and ! run
into trouble daown there a-gittin' EN-"
'You'd better go upstairs and get into
your old Clothes" Caleb advised him
then. "And I'll get you something less
less dangerous to wear before night"
But the boy stood rigid STILL
"will you" he asked will you give
me another quarter nowT
"A quarter" echoed Caleb slowly,
even while he reached into his pocket
ana handad the coin to the boy, Now.