The midland journal., 1917-05-18

time deciding whether to leave the old
sidewalks or to put down cement ones,
had one evening Of mad excitement
over the matter-of K, not the side
walks-and then had accepted the new
situation.
But over the news of ks approach
ing departure it mourned. The Street
made resolve to keep K, if possible,
If he had shown any "high and mighti-
ness" as they called it, since the
change in his estate, it would have let
him go without protest. But when a
man is the real thing-so that the
newspapers give column to his hav-
ing been in the city almost two years
and still goes about in the same shabby
clothes, with the same friendly greet
ing for everyone, it demonstrates clear
ly, as the baritone put it, that "he's got
no swelled head on him; that's sure"
A little later, K, coming up the
Street as he had that first day, heard
the baritone singing:
| Home Is the hunter, home from the hill,
| And the sailor. home from the sea-"
Homel Why, this was home. The
Street seemed to stretch out its arms
to him. The ailanthus tree waved in
the sunlight before the little house.
Tree and house were old; September
had touched them. Christine sat sew.
ing on the balcony. A boy with piece
of chalk was writing something on the
new cement under the tree. He stood
back, head on one side, when he had
| finished, and inspected his work. K.
read in chalk on the smooth street:
Max Wilson. t...
Sidney Page.
The baritone was still singing; but
now it was "I'm twenty-one, and she's
eighteen" The light was gone from
KS face again. After all, the Street
meant for him not so much home as it
meant Sidney. And now, before very
long, that book of his life, like others,
would have to be closed.
He turned and went heavily into the
| little house.
Christine called to him from her lit.
tie balcony: ......
II thought heard your step outside.
Have you time to come in?"
K. went through the parlor and stood
in the long window. His steady eyes
looked down at her.
II see very little Of you now," she
complained. And, when he did not
reply Immediately: "Have you made
any definite plans, K.?"
| "I shall do Max's work until he is
able to take hold again. After that"
"You will 60 awayT
II think SO. I am getting good
many letters, one way and another. !
suppose, now I'm back in harness, I'll
stay. My old place Is closed. I'd go
back there-they want me. But 1t
seems SO futile, Christine, to leave as I
did, because felt that had no right
to go on as things were; and now to
crawl back ON the strength of having
had my hand forced, and to take up
things again, not knowing that I've q
bit more right to do it than when ]
left
II went to See Max yesterday. You
know what he thinks about all that"
| He took an uneasy turn up and down
the balcony.
"But whoY' he demanded. "Who
would do such thing? tell you,
Christine, it Is impossible"
She did not pursue the subject. Her
thoughts had flown ahead to the little
house without X, to days without his
steps on the stairs or the heavy creak
Of his big chair overhead as he dropped
into it.
But perhaps it would be better if he
went. She had her own life to live.
She had no expectation of happiness,
but, somehow or other, she must build
ON the shaky foundation of her mar
riage house Of life, with resignation
serving for content, perhaps with fear
lurking always. That she knew. But
with no active misery. Misery implied
| affection, and her love for Palmer was
quite dead.
"Sidney will be here this afternoon"
Good" His tone was noncommit-
tai.
"Has it occurred to you, e, that Sid
ney Is not very happyW
He stopped in front Of her.
"She's had great anxiety"
"She has no anxiety now. Max is,
doing WELL"
'"Then what IL it?'
'Tm not quite sure, but I think I
know. She's lost faith in Max, and
she's not like me. II knew about
Palmer before married him. It's all
rather hideous-I needn't go into it.
But Sidney has more character than I
have. Max isn't what she thought he
was, and I doubt whether she'll marry
him."
K. glanced toward the street where
Sidney's name and Max's lay open to
the sun and to the smiles Of the Street.
Christine might be right, but that did
not alter things for him.
Christine's thoughts went back In
oU1toh ohIu %0 90 Do1unow h0