Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1918-10-11
CHAPTER XVII.
"Two's Company"

lrfS creek As the wind which mad
sprung up had driven the fire west
ward, there was little danger Of the
flames pressing nearer than the creek
10 Sunrise Cove and The Corners.
Joseph Stagg led the horse out Of
the water and advised Miss Amanda
and Carolyn May to get into the seat
of the blackboard again, Then he set
forth, leading the horse along the mar
row beach, while Prince followed
YEARLY in the rear.
II was rough route they followed
but the blackened forest was still too
hot for them to pass through, had they
been able to find n path. This was n
lonely strip Of shore ana they saw no
living soul but themselves.
II was long tramp, and the horse
the dog, and the man were alike
we0rled. Carolyn May went fast asleep
with her head pillowed in Miss Aman-
da'S lap,
The latter and Joseph Stagg talked
much. Indeed, there was much for
them to say after all these years Of
silence.
The woman, worn and scorched Of
face, looked down on the smutted and
sweating man with an expression in
her eyes that warmed him to the mar
row, She was proud of him. And the
gaze Of love and longing that the hard
ware merchant turned upon Amanda
Parlow would have amazed those peo-
pile that believed he had consideration
aud thought only for business.
In these few hours of alarm and
close intimacy the man and the woman
had lcaped all the barriers time and
pride had set up. Nothing further
could keep Joseph Stagg and Amanda
Parlow apart. And yet they never for
one instant discussed the original
cause of their estrangement. That was
a dead issue.
The refugees reached The Corners
about nine o'clock. Jedidlah Parlow
had hobbled up TO the store and was
just then organizing a party Of search
erS to go to the rescue Of the hard
ware dealer and those of whom he had
set forth in search.
The village turned out en- masse to
welcome the trio who had so mlrac-
uouSly escaped the fire. Aunty Roses
relief knew no bounds. Mr.. ParlOw
was undeniably glad to see his daugh-
ter Safe otherwise, he would never
have overlooked the pltlable state his
horse was in. Poor Cherry would
never be the same unblemished animal
again.
well, l yum I" he said to Joseph
Stagg, you done 1t Better'n l could,
too, | reckon. I'll take the boss home.
You comm with me, Mandy?" Then
he saw the burns on the younger mans
shoulders and arms. "The good land
of Jehoshaphat here's work for you to
do, Mandy. If you air any sort Of a
nurse, | reckon you got your hands
full right here with Joe Stage" he
added, with some pride in his daugh-
ter's ability. "PhewI them's bad
lookn' burns!"
"They are indeed" agreed Aunty
Rose.
1t was fact that Mr.. Stage was in
n bad state. Carolyn May had suggest
ed that Aunty Rose would dress his
burns, but Miss Amanda would allow
nobody to do that but herself.
When the curious and sympathetic
had gone and Miss Amanda
was still busy making Joseph Stage
in the sitting room, Aunty
Rose came out into the kitchen, where
she had already bathed and helped
Carolyn May to undress, and where
the little girl was now sleepily eating
her supper of bread and milk.
"Well, wonders don't ever cease,
guess" she said, more to herself than
to her little confdant. "Whod have
thought It'll"
who'd have thought what, Aunty
Rose?" inquired Carolyn May.
"Your uncle and Mandy ParlOw have
made it up" breathed the woman, evil
IDENTITY much impressed by the wonder
Of 1t.
eyes, indeed !" cried the child. isn't
1t nlceH They aren't mad at each other
my more"
mo, I should say they're not" Aunty
Rose observed with grimness. Ear
from 1t. It's a fact! wouldn't have
believed it If hadn't seen 1t with my
OWN eyes, Holding hands In there like
a pair Of Well, do you know what
It means, Carolyn MayT"
'That they love each other" the
child said boldly. "And I'm so glad for
them!"
$50 am l." declared the woman, still
in a whisper. "But 1t means changes
here. Things won't be the same for
long. I know Joseph Stage for what
he Is"
"What Is he, Aunty Rose?" asked
Carolyn May In some trepidation. for
the housekeeper seemed to be much
moved.