The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-01-08
The END OF NOWHERE
BY SUSAN {. CLAGE IT.

He had not been treated fairly. His
father had told him he could keep the
dog-the one thing in all Tom UNI
verse he wanted with his whole little
heart-then had changed his mind.
He gave no reason. just saIQ ne
wouldn't have such looking cur
about That he must go, and Tom
decided he would go also.
He had walked miles and miles.
| Tempted by the shade OF big trees,
! Tom had left the main thoroughfare
and wandered down a Httle-used
road that carried him farther and
farther away from the usual haunts
of men, Now he was very tired and
very hungry. With his arms about
the yellow cur, tears just slistening on
/ eyelashes that rested lightly against
| berry-tainted cheeks, he slept the
! sleep of exhaustion, half hidden in the
| grass by the roadside close TO the end
/ of nowhere.
A few yards farther on the road
ended in front of a house, log house
with a deep, screened porch and a
4 Say lAOhCL DOl dNL CT VIZ NAN~'
The place was lonely. Somebody's
7 summer camp and that somebody was
leaning moodily against tree whit
Ting There was whine. Before
him was d mongrel cur, paws hang
ing, one ear cooked, the other limp.
4 He stopped but the dog whisked
away from the kindly hand and sat
down farther away.
oh, that's it," the man said. You
want me to 90 with you? All right.
Lead and | will follow" And follow
he did until the dog stopped close by
something lying beside the road.
The man gave q low whistle as he
looked down at the boy. Then he
gathered him into his arms and hur-
ried back to the house AS he laid
him on a couch, Tom opened his eyes.
you told me you lived at the end
of nowhere Uncle Jack, and l came
near not finding you" he murmured.
But l just had to find you, for I'm
in lots Of trouble"
The voice trailed off as the tele-
phone rang. 1t had been ringing for
some time, but Jack Crowthers had
not heard it. When he took down the
receiver the voice at the other end
made him knit his brows.
When he put up the receiver he
turned to the sleeping child.
We'll, youngster, whatever your
trouble, whatever has been mine,
neither is anything to what is before
/, me during the next hour. What pos
sesSes the soul Of women, and your
Aunt Mary.s in particular, is beyond
my limited knowledge"
He threw himself into a chair and
did not move until he heard the pur
ring of car as 1t came slowly up tho
lane
The woman who entered q moment
later did not look at him as SHE
crossed the room and knelt beside the
child. She lifted the two dirty littl,
hands ana laid them against hel
5 cheeks, then she raised a white
l strained face to the man who stooC
$ beside the fireplace.
I'VE have looked for him all day.
! uiNl IlOL llAllAh VI IAlo II ll4S ~ Iltu W
until l phoned. You were so ia
: away
: 'Why didn't You call me at once?
She hesitated, the slow color mount
ing into her face. How could /?
she said at last.
: Yet you are here" His tone wa
, ugly. And l am here in the home
= built for you. This is the month yo
chose, the very day you chose to be
come its mistress. Then you change
L your mind" He had forgotten til
, child. why did you Gomez"
Il was SO frightened" she repeate
:, slowly. II had but one thought
u get to You and Tom"
y ITO get TO me?" he repeated il
= credulously.
I Yes" 81 t
y 81 do not understand"
She came and stood beside hir
"Neither do I, Jack. All l know
u that something bigger and great'
/ than anything else in all the worl
1t made me come"
IL And that is?' He would nc
IF could not help her.
5 Her answer was not direct. ct
4 day was to have been our weddil
~ day. That thought has been with u
$ all through the awful hours we spe
Y looking for Tom. When l called yo
u when I heard your voice. | knew
must come and nothing on earth cou
h have kept me away" She slipped h
II hand within his. MY dear, my dear
+ she said, a little catch in her thro;
Il explanations can wait, all but tn
L"
n He was not listening to her.
s. had taken down the receiver and W
y calling for number.
III You need not, Jack" she So
&c soberly Il brought him with me, o
X old pastor, who always understan
~ without being told, and the two gi
who were to have been my attendan
They are q little bewildered over I
idea of wedding without the prof.
%,,,a