Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-12-26

Sabra also was to be away on Fri
| day, delivering an address out of town
Chloe worked late on Thursday night
shrinking from the good-by that await.
ed her. and walked home with Uncle
Harry. He knew, but she could trust
him not to speak Of it. He had not yet
spoken of Alex, either, but tonight the
name SUDDENLY came out.
"That Alex he began, hes sold
his dynamo thing. don't know what
lit is-can't make head or tail of it,;
but it improves something. Or they
think it does. Anyway, he's going to
get five thousand dollars and a part
interest. That's not so bad"
1T is very good" said Chloe, trying
to speak with impersonal friendliness.
The news, which would once have Civ
en- her such joy, had fallen like a
blow; it showed Alex as going on bril-
liantly to success and happiness, his
old need of her forgotten. "He must
be very glad" she added, more DESC
lately than she knew.
Yes; he's pleased" Uncle Harry's
speech. was so averted that the back
of his head was toward her. He's a
glum sort of a fellow, though. l used
to think he was rather jolly, hut if he
was, he has got, over it,"
The unspoken message, with its hint
of comfort, brought her hand under
his arm and made difficult speech DOS
sible.
you can forgive an insult to your
SELF abe said, "but you can't forgive
an insult to some one you love. It
isn't right to forgive it, Uncle Harry"
They had paused, facing the statue,
where their ways parted.
"Hm-insult,' he repeated thought
fully 81 wonder if insults matter
much, Chloe?"
but, if they don't, what does mat
teri"
why, what the fellow meant, l
should say. If he means to insult you
well, that's one thing: but il he is
hurting out what he thinks is the
truth-and most insults are that
"You might forgive it in one sense,
but you would never forget it," Chloe
broke in, all the more holly because
of the sudden, clamorous beating of
her heart, which had leaped as though
in response to good news. Good
night. I'll see you in the morning."
Uncle Harry trpdged on, faint fig.
ure, his big white head set bird fash.
ion on his stubby coat. His walk had
always dragged since the day his wife
id ~, h1 nf
face her good-by Just now.
The shadow of tomorrow lay on the
little house. Mrs Gage was cheerful
when she spoke, but fell into frequent
silences, her lips pressed together in
a line that hurt Chloe worse than
tears. Sabra was uneasy and talked
fiuently of her lectures, as though to
ward off mention of anything that was
sad and could not be made to seem
otherwise. The loving courtesy Of Mrs.
Cages attention. SO persistently called
from her own thoughts, made Chloe
long to cry out. "Let her alohe!" She
was-glad when Billy's voice demanded
her upstairs.
The evening was sultry and airless
and Billy could not go to sleep. She
sang him drowsy songs and told stor-
les, but when he demanded the tale
of the iii children in the fractory,"
her breath caught and she could not
go on.
Billy" she said. jumping up, T
think little walk might make you
sleepy. I'm going to slip on your
clothes and take you out"
Billy was enchanted. They made a
secret of the expedition. stealing down
the stairs without a sound, for Chloe
did not want her mother to guess
where they were going. Billy had a
finger on his lips, his eyes we're gleam-
ing Sits of laughter as they escaped
uncaught by the front door. They
turned hand in hand to the corner
v"You see, grandfather might move
any day now Chloe said casually. 1T
is too noisy here. And besides, when
the wagons are so crowded, people
sometimes get hurt-and you know
how he would hate that
Eyes: guess he's got to move"
Billy assented, and presently was
shouting it all up through the palings,
while Chloe looked up over his head
into the shadowy face of her father.
Everything is changing and COINS"
she told him. "And have lost Alex
he doesn't care any more. II he did,
he would try to make me forgive him.
I shall miss you every day Of my life.
But will work, and I'll keep close to
Billy, and I'll take care of mother
I'll do my best. Good night"
She put her hand down blindly for
the little boys.
Good night, granfaver. When you
move into the country, Toto will write
you letter and I'll put kisses in it."
Billy promised. At the corner he hung
back to shout further assurances, but
Chloe did not turn her head.
They slipped in undiscovered and
Billy was soon asleep, but Chloe sat by
him in the dark until the insistent
monologue below ceased and Sabra at
last went to bed. Then Chloe would
have gone down, but, looking into the
sitting room from the stairs, she paus-
ed there. Mrs. Gage sat erect beside
the lamp, an~open magazine under
quietly folded hands, her eyes sorrow
fully fixed but her undefeated head