The midland journal., 1916-04-21

Alanss BELL. She would not 60 to the
lake. The children were soIemnIy
grave and then giggling BY fits and
starts.
The Eltons had come back from
abroad. From elm House Cousin
Frances Elton, commonly known as
Tom. short for tomboy, came racing
across the lawn waving towel and
bathing clothes and In a high treble
giving creditable imitation OF an In
dian warwhoop. At Toms cry the
children stampeded on to the veranda
with sibilant cries Of. 4Sshsh!' Mrs.
J. Y. looked at Nance and Nance
smiled resignedly. They put away
their work, ordered the wagonette and
the colts colts no longer, alas, save
in name-and departed with wagon
load of suppressed youth. From Long
lane fioated back peals of young laugh
ter, breaking bounds as the overhang-
ing trees hid the hill from view.
Glenn sat on the vast window seat
and toyed with book. j. z. came
and dropped down beside her. swell.
Clem, he's come back"
Clem nodded. "Are you sure he
doesn't want anything, Uncle John?
He hasn't had thing to eat since
seven O'Clock this morning"
Alan's bell tinkled. Glenn started to
her feet and then sat down again.
you'd better CO." But when ]. z.
strode of she followed.
"Why is the house so quiet? Is it
ON account of the captainT asked
Alan
"Bless you, no. The captain sleeps
for week at time. The children
have gone over to the lake,
Il just wanted to tell you that I like
their noises they're new. There's
nothing really the matter with me ex-
cept that I've got to take things in
turn, and lying still and sweating
comes first. After that, perhaps tomor-
row, I'm going to eat The penulti-
mate act on my list is cigarette and
the ultimate is to get up in the old bel
fry and YELL" He turned over and
sank his head into the pillows.
"All right, my boy" said j. Y, smil-
ing. There's only Clem and myself
here and wen go and try to make
noises like the children" He came out
OF the door in time to catch sight of
Clem's skirt as 1t whisked around the
corner of the hall. He followed and
found her already seated at the piano.
Her fingers wandered over the keys
and then her soft. full voice broke out
in one old song after another. She was
happy because she. felt that singing
she was with Alan.
Alan stirred In his bed and listened.
He determined that tomorrow he must
be well. Robbed Of this afternoon. he
was being robbed Of half of life. He
cursed the fever and then, as he felt
how near Clem's voice brought her to
him, he blessed it.
At night when all the rest of the
household had gone to bed. j. Y. softly
opened Alan's door and looked in.
Alan was awake and nodded. ]. Y.
came in and pottered about the room.
He rolled bit Of paper into an ampler
shade and further veiled the night
lamp. The lines In J. US rugged face
We're softened to lines of sweetness.
He asked If there were nothing he
could do and then turned to leave the
room. With his hand on the door, he
paused and smiled down on Alan. "My
boy, you have been far, far away"
Far away" replied Alan drowsily,
shut have come back"
The bracing air Of Red Hill and a
long nights sleep enabled Alan to keep
his word with himself. He was up and
out on the day following his arrival,
but he still felt delightfully."- lazy and
pitifuIly weak. Clem took charge Of
him. First she tried to settle him in
hammock with many pillows, but
Alan shrank from the hammock They
spread rugs instead in a nook under
the trees, and Alan stretched himself
out amid riot of many-colored cush-
ions, while Glenn sat close by in low
rocking chair and talked and read and
talked.
Talking or reading, Clem was a
source of unvarying delight to Alan.
Was it possible that one could live
twenty years in an old world. rub
elbows with life for twenty years, and
remain so fresh, SO untainted? His
own life rose up before him and
Knocked at him. Was it possible that
one could live thirty years in this
same world and be so old? He
shrugged shoulder petulantly. He
would not thInk--he refused to think
while he was so weak.
When Clem talked. 1t was like
child dreaming aloud: when she was
silent one felt the presence OF woman
hood. wise with the unconscious accu-
mutations of generations and una
bashed. When Glen talked Alan was
at ease, but when she was silent he
was moved ed-troubled. A SCARED man
may play with child and no harm
to either. He can detach himself from