The L'Anse sentinel., 1918-04-06
HER WAY
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BY JACK LAWToN.

end OF the "lightleSS' village. Nell hnu
difficulty In finding her way to the door
when she arrived on the evening train.
The brief visits to grandmother were
like coming hOme--in fact this same
little house was the only home the
girl knew. Years ago she had left 1t
to make her way In the city, and the
room there, which held her piano
chief asset of business--could scarcely
he called home. She was sorry that
grandfather would not be there dur
ing her one night visit but he was
due at meeting in the next township.
SO he had, upon her arrival at the sta
tion. lntrusted to her care, the days
proceeds.
Custom had made the old station
agent careless in regard to the han
ding of that bag. For years he had
carried Il homo on certain nights when
he did not care to open the safe. The
girl, however, drew 1t from her mum
in relief as she entered the CHEEKY
room.
"There. grandmother" she said. ''put
the money safely away" and grand
IUOtntT, uS Ot'h Nht S'''''''
ned the leather bags handle over tho
back Of chair.
"Supper is waiting. dearle," she said,
There was so much to tell after the
tea things had been cleared away,
that a stranger knocking at the 'front.'
door had to repeat his summons sew
eral times before being heard.
"Someone asking to spend the night.
probably" grandmother surmlsed.
'Mr. Southworth sent me-" the
stranger announced and was admit
ted.
As the girl returned from lighting the
! passage leading to the spare room. her
| grandmother fingered apprehensively.
I'm sorry let him stay" she said.
she has such hard kind Of face"
.Don't be afraid. Gran" Nell smiled.
"rm not afraid-of anyone"
The man sat glowering into the fire
when the girl entered the sitting room.
"You live In this lonely corner of the
worId?" he asked brusquely.
"No," she slowly replied. "this Is one
of my overnight visits"
"The station agent is away, 1 I'M
derstand?"
Steadily she looked up at the
stranger, her eyes wide and clear as
child's, held his own as though un-
willing. GRANDMOTHER and / should
have been quite alone in the darkness
II YOU had not happened along she
said, and smiled.
The man drew his lips down grimiy.
"What do you know of meT he asked.
81 might be burglar"
"Mr. Southworth sent you," Nell re-
minded him.
The man laughed shortly. 80 to'd
you; it was lie"
The girls face paled and she bent
quickly over the fire. When she looked
nm again her rosiness had returned.
swell, you see," she said. as she rose
to her feet, ~ happen to trust you.
"Why should your" asked the man.
"Once upon time" the girl an
swered. "a little lost child held out its
arms to me, from the midst Of a crowd
Because Of it's very helplessness 1t
knew that 1t might trust me-
The man lit cigar, with 1t between
| MS TppIn ut SDoht Sio"i's ~ -
feel like that kid? Well, better not
trust too much these days"
"rm going to try" Nell replied Sc
riously. She looked back ut him as
she turned toward the stairs.
The elder woman waited agitatedly
In the bedroom.
"Dearie," she confessed, "rve been
so nervous, that quite forgot the sta
ton money. Grandfather always hides
1t somewhere. After we hear that
man come up to his room, do you
think we might slip down and get 1t.
Sometimes there are valuable papers
I'm the bag as well. I am trembling
like n leaf. I'm sure I don't know
how I ever came to take stranger
in with your grandfather away
"Foollsh 7" comforted the girl. what
harm has your stranger guest done
heretofore? When our visitor has safe
lv retired. I'll run down for the bag
myself"
It had been perhaps Is minutes after
the guest room door had closed loud
" and all was still that Nell donned
her blue bathrobe and slippers and
with tumbled curls framing her love-
" face, crept stealthily down the
stairs. The absence Of accustomed
outer lights made the house doubly
dark. Swiftly she put a match to the
, living room gas-then stood blinking
| into the staring face Of the guest, who'
cloaked and hated, stood In the cen
ter Of the room. Nell laughed In evil
! dent relief.
"You?' she said softly, "then you
3 had not yet retiredr
5 The mans stern face did not relax
neither did he speak. The girl passed
5 to the door. 81 wanted to make sure
It was locked" she explained.
) 'Tt Is locked" she murmured, sat
isfied. Like child she stretched free
arms Iazily above her head. "Goot
night" said Nell.
81 AS though fascinated the mar
3 watched the upralsed arms and empt,
hands; watched the slight figure as tn
3 girl moved past him toward the stairs
3 Then suddenly the tense lines Of MI
face softened.