Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-11-02

Mr.. Brown-and a girl, younger than
the young man. And there ought to
be another man. And you leased me
once because girls can't cook nowadays.
and you'd just better come and see!"
Louise, a%nxiously listening, heard
next a ripple Of laughter that seemed
to be Mary's delighted echo of a burst
at the other end of the line. then:
I'm SO glad. Mr.. Brown! Well be
so honoredr'
1t was a quaking heart that Louise
carried about the next morning, though
she tried to be as gay as Mary SEEM
ed. Mary certainly was gay, and the
children were beside themselves with
joy. Little Mrs. Davis was in a f1ut-
ter between gladness and tears and
gratitude. Louise felt that 1t would
all be spoiled soon, and, try as she
would, she could not help dreading the
hour of the arrival of the hard hearted
father.
Before he came Mary took the pretty
lady and her children into Mrs. STAN
ley's parlor and arranged them In a
wondering group.
II want you to be just company
now, while we set the table and get
the dinner on. And when that old
gentleman-a sort Of relative of mine
arrives, l want you, please, to enter
tain him. He fairly loves children,
and he loves to have ladies look
pretty. That's the reason I'm putting
you In a group with the sunshine on
your gold heads and that blue curtain
behind you"
The bell rang, and Louise darted
away to wait and tremble behind the
door at the end Of the hall, while
Mary let in the old gentleman. He
came, a proud, erect, irascible, kindly
faced old fellow, as Louise saw
through the crack. and Mary cast her.
self upon him.
There's one thingI want to tell you,
Mr.. Brown" she breathed. 1.-THE lady's
husband died a short time ago, and
she's awfully sad, SO please try to
avoid unpleasant topics. Don't men,
ton her husband, or money, because
she's lost hers and is awfully poor,
though she used to be rich. She's love
ly-perfectly lovely-but don't talk
about unpleasant things"
The old gentleman stared at her In
amazement, and then he pinched her
cheek.
"You kind hearted puss!" he said.
We'll try not to mention the lady's
money"
So Mary pulled the portiere aside
and beckoned the old gentleman to
look. He bent forward with a wonder
ing, ~quizzical smile and put his eye to
the crack. Then he started and turned
upon Mary a face white and terrible.
Louise saw her shrink suddenly.
But it was not anger that turned the
old mans face SO white.
my Nary he cried strangely.
"And you say Toms dead-and lost
his money? OF course he would, hang
him."
And the old gentleman shot through
the portieres.
There was a startled cry from his
Mary and some broken EXPLANATIONS
from Mr.. Brown. 1t seemed that Mr..
Brown considered himself an idiot, a
brute and a villain.
Mary and Louise fled to the kitchen
and, quite unmindful of the burning
potatoes. flung themselves into each
others arms.
When they sneaked into the hall and
peeped through the curtains, an hour
afterward, they saw Mr.. Brown sitting
with a face very humble and very red,
holding a wondering grandchild on
each knee. while a wet faced little
Mary leaned tenderly and ~penitently
against his shoulder.
ut evidently has worked" murmur-
ed Louise, with a little choke in her
voice. But, Mary Lewis. it scares me
to death to think what would have
happened If it hadn'tw