The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1918-01-12
Copyright. 1915 1919, by Metropolitan
Magazine.

She was R.tei rSftcu py tne loud, des-
4 pcrute sound of Williams fiat shifting
4 his writing table. so sensitive was his
condition. This Is Just unbea ra bler'
4 he cried. "Nobody Sc business Is safe
from that child,'
why, While, don't see how II mat
4 ters IT,
He uttered cry. moi Nothing
i matters! Nothing matters at all DO
you s'posc | want that child. with her
h Insults. discussing when Miss Pratt is
or is not going awayf Don't you know
4 there are some things that have no
business to be talked about by every
Tom. Dick aud HarryY
Yes. dear" she said. 81 understand.
Of course. Jane only told me she met
Mr.. Parcher on the street, and he men,
toned that Miss Pratt was going at
O'clock today. That's all H.
you say you understand" he wall
ed. shaking HIS head drearily at the
4 closed door, "and yet. even on such
day as this, you keep talking! Can't
you see sometimes there's times when
Il person can't stand to-
Yes, Willie" Mrs Baxter interposed
hurriedly. "Of course' I'm going now,
| have to go hunt up those children.
anyway. You try 70 be back for lunch
at half past ], and don't worry. dear
You really will be all right"
lie went to his mirror and gazing
long, long and piercingly at the VIII
liam there limned. enacted almost un-
consciously n little scene OF parting.
The look OF suffering upon the mir
rored face slowly altered. In it's place
came one stlll sorrowful. but tempered
with sweet indulgence. He stretched
out his hand as II he set Il upon
head at about the height OF his shoul-
der.
"Yes. II may mean-it may mean for.
ever" he said In a low, tremulous
voice. Little girl we must be brave"
And the while his eyes gaZed into
the mirror they became expressive OF
momentary pleased surprise, as II
even in the arts of sorrow lie found
himself doing better than he knew.
But his sorrow was none the less gen.
uine because of that
Then lie noticed the ink upon his
forehead and went away TO wash
When he returned he did an unusual
thing-he brushed his coat thoroughly.
removing it for this special purpose
After that he earnestly combed and
brushed his hair and retied his tie.
Next he took from a drawer two clean
handkerchNfs. He placed one in his
breast pocket. part OF the colored bor-
der Of the handkerchief being left on
exhibition, and with the other he care
fully wiped his shoes. Finally he
sawed il back and forth across them
and with a sigh, languidly dropped II
upon the floor, where II remained.
Returning TO the mirror. he again
brushed his hair. He went so far this
time as TO brush his eyebrows, which
seemed not much altered by the OPP
Grafton. Suddenly he was deeply af-
fected by something seen In the glass.
by Georger' he exclaimed aloud.
SEEING small hand mirror he
placed IT in juXtaposition to his right
eye and closely studied his left profile
he examined his right profile. subject
ing it to like scrutiny. emotional yet
attentive and prolonged.
by George" he exclaimed again.
by Georger
lie had made a discovery. There
was dOwny shadow upon his uppei
lIp What he had just found out was
that this down could he seen project
ing beyond the line Of his lip. like
Tiny nimbus. 1t could be seen In pro-
file.
"Ry GeOrger' William exclaimed
He was still occupied with the two
mirrors when his mother again tapped
softly upon his door. rousing him as
from dream, brief but engaging, TO
the heavy realities Of that day.
what DO you want nOwY
Il won't come in said Mrs. Baxter.
II just came TO see"
"Sca Whatf"
Il woudered-i thought perhaps You
needed something. | knew your watch
was out of order
"l'r evans sake. what II II is?"
She offered murmur of placative
Laughter as her apology and said:
"Well, | Just thought ia tell you
bo,uuse, Il sou d.d intend going to
the sthtion. thought you probably
wolfdn't want to miss II and get there
too late I've got your hat here. all
nicely brus,ed for you. It's nearly
twenty minutes OF |. Willie
"Whatr
- es II Is. It's
She had no further speech with him
Breathlcss. William flung open his
door, seized the hat racketed down
the stairs and out through the front
door. which he left open behind him
Eight seconds later he returned at
gallop, hurled up the stairs aud into
his ROOM emerging instantly with some
thing concealed under his coat.
Mrs. Baxter sighed and went 10 a
window In her own room and locked
out.
WiIlIa.n m uaa aIraadv moro than half