The evening world., 1916-01-10

but she was always watching me and
running after me, and then saying,
Oh, here you arol" as IL IL were a
| surprise.
But soon I found that there was
good In her, too. Sne used sometimes
| 70 give me pennies, so that once
nad Tour In my pocket all ut the same
time. But tho best part OF her was
tho stories that she could tell.
sho was sore frightened OF frogs:
80 4 would bring ono to her. and tell
her that would put IL down her neck
| unless she told n story. That always
helped her to begin, but when onve
she was started II was wonderful how
sho would carry on. And the things
that had happened to her. they we're
enough to take your breath away.
There was Barbary Rover that had
been at Eyemouth. and he was coming
back in five years, In a ship fun OF
gold. 70 make her his wife. And then
there was a wonderful knight who
had been there also, and he had given
her n ring which no said he would re-
deem when the time came. She showed
me the ring. which was very like the
ones upon my bed-curtain, but abe
said that this one was virgin gold.
1 asked her what the knight would
do II he mot the Barbary Rover, and
she told me that no would sweep
his head from his shoulders. What
they could all SEQ in her was more than
i could think.
And then she told me that she had
been followed on her way to West
Inch by disguised prince. l asked
her how she knew II was n prince.
and she said by his disguise.
Another day she said that her father
was preparing a riddle. and that when
II was ready 1t would DO put In tho
papers. and any one who guessed IL
would have half his fortune and his
daughter.
l said that 1 was good at riddles,
and that she must send II to me
when II was ready. She said IL would
BIO In the Berwick Gazette, and
wanted to know what l would do with
her when 1 won her. l said that I
would sell her by public roup for
what she would fetcn, but she would
tell me no more stories that evening,
for she was very tetchy about some
things.
Jim Horscroft was away when
Cousin Eide was with US. but no
came back tho very week she went,
and / mind how surprised | was that
he should ask any questions or take
any Interest In mere laSsie.
lilo asked me IL sno woro pretty;
and when i said that l hadn't no.
tlccd. no laughed and called mo q
mole. and said my eyes would be
opensd some day. Bur very COON he
camo TO bo Interested In SOM thing
else, and 1 never gave Eide another
thought until, ono day. she Just took
my lIfe IN her hands. and twisted It
US 1 could twist this quill
That una In MN ara. h.A lao
school, wnen l was already eighteen
years OF age. with a good forty hairs
on my upper lip. al every hope OF
more. l mad changed since | left
school. and was not 80 keen on games
as 1 had been. but found myself In
stead lying about on the sunny side
OF the braes. with my own lips parted
and my eyes staring Just the same
us Cousin Edie's used TO do.
1t had satisfied me. and filled my
whole life, that l could run faster
and Jump higher than my neighbor.
but now all that seemed such q little
thing, and / yearned, and looked up
at the big, arching sky. and down at
the flat blue sea. and felt that there
was something wanting. but could
never lay my tongue 70 what that
something was.
And l became quick OF temper, too,
for my nerves seemed all OF a fret;
and when my mother would ask me
what allied me. or my father would
speak OF my turning my hand to
work. / would break into such sharp,
bitter answers as 1 have often grieved
over since. All. man may have more
than one wife. and more than one
child, and more than one friend, but
he can never have but the one mother,
no lot him cherish her while he may.
One day. when l came In from the
sheep. there was my father sitting
with letter In his hands. which was
n very rare thing with us, except
when the factor wrote for the rent.
Then, when | came nearer TO him,
staring, for had always thought that
u was not q thing that a man could
do.
l can see him now, for he had so
deep a crease across his brown cheek
that no tear could pass It. but must
trickle away sideways, and 80 down
TO his ear, hopping on onto the sheet
OF paper. My mother sat beside him.
and stroked his hand like she did the
cats back when she would soothe II.
AYE. Jeannie." said he. poor Will
II was sudden. or they'd ha' sent
word Of II. Carbuncle. he says. and n
nusb o. blood to the head"
"Ah. well. his troubles over" said
my mother.
My father rubbed his ears with the
iablecloth. Hes left a his savings
10 his lassio," said he. "and, by gom.
4 she's not changed from what she
promised 10 be, she'll soon gar them
lee. You mind what she said OF weak
ca under this very roof and II at
ieven shlllings the pound"
My mother shook her head. and
ooked up at the bitches OF bacon that
lung from tho ceiling.
"IIe doesn't say how much. but
he'll have enough and TO spare, no
iays. And she's TO come and bide
With us, for that was his last wish"
ITO pay for her keep" cried my
mother, sharply. | was sorry that sho