Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-29
The Light IN
the CLEARING
Bv IRVING BACHELLER
Copyright 1917. The Bobbs- Merlin co.


"Uncle Peabody" called. a.
arose and looked about me and bo-
gan to cry.
The man lifted me in his arm,
and held me close to his breast ana
tried to comfort me. remembe-
seeing the Silent Woman pass whils
1 was in his arms.
Tell me- what's your name" bs
urged.
Barton Baynes," I said as soon
as 1 could speak.
where iF your father?"
I'm heaven" l answered, that be.
ing the place to which he had NOV
ed, as ! understood IL.
where do you live?"
an Liekityspllt."
How did you get here?"
Dug Draper brought me. Do
you know where Sally Dunkelberg
lives?"
rs she the daughter Of Horace
Dunkelberg?"
mir. and Mrs. Horace Dunkel-
berg" I amended.
"Oh yes. l know her. Sally Is
breakfast and then wen go and
find her."
He carried me through the open
door of his Office and set me down
at his desk. The cold air OF the
night had chilled me and l was
shiyering.
"You sit there and I'll have a fro
going in a minute and get you
warmed up"
went into the back room and built
a fire in n email stove and brought
me in and sat me down beside II.
He made some porridge in a kettle
while | sat holding my little hands
over the stove to warm them, and
a sense of comfort grew in me.
Soon a boy came bringing a small
pail of fresh milk and a loaf OF
bread. l remember how curiously
the boy eyed me as he said TO my
new friend:
captain Moody wants to know IL
you'll come up TO dinner?"
There was a note of dignity in the
reply which was new TO me, ana
for that reason probably have al
ways remembered it.
please present my thangs to the
captain and tell him that l expect
to go to Lickitysplit in the town of
Ballybeen,"
He dipped some porrldge into
bowls and put them on a small ia
BILE My eyes had watched him with
growing interest and l got TO the
table about as soon as the porridgo
and mounted a chair and seized q
spoon.
zone moment, Bart, said my host,
"By lingo! We've forgotten to
wash, and your face looks like the
dry bed of a river. Come here
minute"
He led me out of the back door,
where there were a washstand and
pail and tin basin and a dish Of
soft soap. He dipped the pail in
rain barrel and filled the basin. and
/ washed myself and waited not
upon my most, but made for the Ia
BILE and began to eat, being very
hungry, after hastily drying my
face on a towel. In a minute he
came and sat down to his own por-
ridge and bread and butter.
Bart, don't dig so fast" said he.
You're down to hard pan now.
Never be III hurry to see the bot
tom OF the bowl"
I have never forgotten the look
of amusement in his big, smiling,
gray eyes as they looked down upon
me out OF his full. rudy smooth
shaver face. It inspired confidence
and ! whispered timidly:
could / have some more?"
"All you want" he answered, as
be put another ladleful in my
bowl.
When we had finished eating he
set aside tile dishes and asked:
Now could I go and see Sally
What in the world do you want
Of Sally Dunkelberg? he asked.
"Oh, Just to play with her" |
said as I showed him how / could
sit on my hands and raise myself
from the chair bottom.
Haven't you any one 10 play
with at homer"
"Only my Uncle Peabody"
Don't you like. to play with
him?"
Continued tomorrow