The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1917-08-10

Janet sho had been cnasing her along
the upper hall. and she had rippec
. on The rug.
~aiy back she said piafuHy-'ii
feels % stif."
The sIepmother knelt down by the
side 4 The bed and cuddisd one Of
Kaiherine's wasted little hands ssainsi
heFswargn throat.
/ III know. dear-you've had hard
tiuses but you're going 10 gel wen.
i VIII take time thst's all. Don't
you think you can bear ltT
~How long have been here Kath.
crime asked without replying.
Five days
where's fafherY" she queried. stiff
fenlng suddenly. she realized that
she had been talking too feely with
this outsider. once more her resolu-
ton swept over her; she deliberately
turned her face away.
The slender figure beside the bed
remained there for q moment, then
abe sighed gently but her words came
soothingly as before.
@Il get father" she said softly.
-gQu have been too IN 70 see any
ONE. dear. until today. Would son ike
20 zee Janet FOR few momentsT'
katherine NODDED e1gerly, and
t'irned her face toward the front Of
the room again. Mrs. Rankin left the
room and there we're tears IN her eyes
as she went. She had tried so hard
to win this little daughter. and when
the accident occurred. she had been so
hopeful thst afrer the chIid recovered
her bitterness would have left her
Once more she heard her husbands
words before she had met the two chill.
Fen Of bis first wife, 'Janet win
iote yon from the ffst. but katherine
will be hard to win And she had
tried 50 hard. but had never been able
70 reach Katherias.
Janet fin-foed into the slckroom, a /
look Of awe on her face, aud behind (
her came Alr Rankin. Katherine was
very weak but she held quite a little /
court about her bedside. Il wasn't
until two bright fever spots appeared
on the chlld's white cheeks that Mrs.
Rankin hurried the visitors away, ana
brought her little stepdaughter some
thing in glass that tasted very bitter.
".fsy TO sleep. dear" she said soft
", and Katherine, in spite Of herself.
felt her eyellds dropping and before
she knew It. she was fast asleep
When she woke again. K was late al.
lernoon and there was a whispering 90.
Ag on In the room Just for d
noment Katherines mind was blank,
hen suddenly she remembered. AS
Ter brain became clearer, she heard
Ter mothers voice talking 10 someone.
4 can't make her realize how much
love her" were the words. "she
TN hates me- Bert. / think we ought
o have a nurse, perhaps she hates to
ee me here
Katherine turned uneasily on the
illow and the voices stopped instant.
y Mrs. Rankin hurried over 60 the
ed Katherine lay there for a mo-
lent studying the flushed face above 4
er with It's giriish blue eyes and lts a
auntlng smile. No wonder father u
wed her even Katherine herself o
adn'; found It easy to stay unrecon- Ii
led. g
She stretched out a thin little hand 81
and as 1t was suddenly g
slzed and kissed. she said with child .
h candor: ~
"rm twelve years old. and you're 4,
-etty young YOU know. but / do !,
We yen. motherw And then she nj
'stled quite naturally into the render e,
ms that somehow did not seem at q
too Young. but were warm apd cud.
) and dellghnul.--J Mclean 10
lieago American.