The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-02-26

answer 10 the older WOman'S com
ment that she did not look yer!
well.
I'm not very we'll, Aunt San
ma" said Julia. Pm worried
about myself and jim"
"Quarreled, eh?" Miss TolanC
said simply.
"Oh, no. / almost wish we had
Because then | could so to him
and say I'm sorry"
Sorry for WHAT" demanded
Miss Toland.
For whatever I'd done!" eluci
dated Julia.
"Jim's in one of his awfu
moods, l suppose?" his adopted
aunt asked, after a pause.
"Oh, in a dreadful one!" JUL;
confessed.
How long-days?"
Weeks, Aunt Sanna!"
Weeks? For the Lords sake
that's awful" Miss TolanC
frowned and rubbed the bridge o
her nose. What gets into the boy
You don't know what it's about,
suppose?"
Julia hesitated. ~ think it,
that he gets to thinking of my OLE
. life. when | was a little nobody
south of Market Street." she has
arded, with as much truth as sh,
could.
"Oh, really" Miss Toland said
in tone of cold satire. HE ism
; working too hard, is hep"
lie isn't working hard at all, ;
Julia said. Jim doesn't have {
case, to worry over, twice a year
You see, it's either city and coun
ty cases, that he just goes aheaC
and does, or else it's rich, ricl
people who have one of the oldel
doctors, and just call Jim in tt
assist and consult"
"H'm!" Miss Toland said alb
sently. But his father was jus
another such moody fellow, quee,
as Dicks hatband!" she added
suddenly, after a pause.
"Jim's father? l didn't know
you knew him!"
Knew him? Indeed / did
Charming fellow, George Studdi
ford, but queer. Jim's mother wa
very sweet, beautiful, too, blu
spoiled, Julia, spoiled"
ITO much money!" Julia said
"Exactly-there you have IT.!
Miss Toland assented. 1--WE seel
too much of it not to know it
There's sort of dry rot about 1t
even fine fellow like Jim can
escape. But, my dear"-her tom
becamere assuring-"don't let /
worry you. He'll get over 1t. JUS
bide your time!"
Either the confidential chat will
Miss Toland had favorably affect
ed Julia's point of view, or tn,
state of affairs between Jim ant
herself actually frightened from
that day, Julia noticed in his man
ner that night certain awkward
hint of reconciliation.
So a not unhappy week passed
and Julia began to plan a TolanS
family reunion for Thanksgiving
now only some ten days off. jim
had to go to Sacramento on tn
Saturday before Thanksgiving 70
an important operation, but woul,
be home again Tuesday or Wed
nesday.
Julia offered, when the Frida
night before his departure came
to help him with packing. Blu
Jim, sinking into a chair besid
the library fire, with an assert
ment of new magazines at his ell
bow, politely declined.
ooh, no, thank you! Plenty O
time NJ that in the morning."
Julia trailed slowly upstairs. 4
little sense of Encouragement wa
fighting for possession. Sh
propped herself comfortably Il
pillows, and began to read.
Eleven o'clock struck from tn
little mahogany clock on Julia
mantel, midnight struck, and still
Jim's footstep did not come u
the stairs, and there was no wei
come sound of occupancy in tn
room adjoining her own.
Suddenly terror smote Julia
she flung her book aside, thrus
her bare feet into slippers, caugh
up Japanese robe of crepe, the
ran downstairs.
What sight of horror she ez
pected to find in the library sh
did not know, but the shock G
revulsion, when the opened doc
showed her nothing more terribl
than Jim, musing In the firelight
was almost as bad as a frigh
could have been.
"Oh, JIM" she painted,
thought something got fright
enedi"
"Why. no, you poor kidd" h
said. I've been sitting RICH
here!"
II thought-and 1t was so sti
and you didn't come up!" Juli
said, beginning to sob. And in
moment she was in his armi
clinging to him In an ecstasy O
love and relief. For a long bliss
full time they remained SO, tn
soft curve of Julia's cheek agains
Jim's face.
"oh, I'm so glad came down.
she breathed contentedly.
/" 'Glad!'" Jim echoed. "Yol
don't know what II meant TO m
to look up and see my little Geish