South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-17

I'm a fool" she told herself
GROSSLY. "A stupid silly girl, I came
here 10 get away from Carter-be-
cause 1 thought / hated him-and
I've never passed such a miserable
week in my life"
Hello" piped a shrill. childish
| voice near her. Katrina looked
around and saw a small ragged lit
tie girl. regarding her intently.
- live over the hill in the gray
house" she began by way Of intro
ductiOn. Il seen YOU sittin' here
yesterday and you looked so sad L
thought maybe you got some trou-
/ ole. too"
And what could a child like YOU
know about trouble ?"
"More'n most felix's. guess.
There's lots OF children over to our
house, and Ma says wherever there's
children, there's trouble. But she
says too that wherever there amt
any, there's more trouble"
Katrina smiled How old are
! you?" she asked with more inter
est
| Il amt sure. Ma says I'm nine
| and Pa says 10. There's 50 many
of US we get mixed. We' got II
in all. countin' my cousin that
! spends a week with us once a year,
an Joe when he marries Mollie If
they do get married now. That's an
other trouble"
is your sister engaged ?"
pany with Joe. but they've broke up
now. Ma says it's all foolishness
and she's awful upset cause she
thought she'd got Mollie off her
| hands for keeps. And Mollie cries
and says she hates him and she
! won't ever get married TO no one!
gotter go. now. it's suppertime, 1
guess, I'll be round tomorrow, if /
get time My names Elfreda. after
! my aunt that died. Goodbye"
She was off like the wind anc
! Katrina watched the shabby little
figure disappear. with the first sign
of interest she had shown for over
a week.
Il wonder. what they fought
about" she said to herself and i'm
mediately, decided to forget all about
them
1t was not so easy. however, for
! the next afternoon Elfreda came
again. she was fairly bursting with
excitement.
What do you. think has happen
ed p" And without waiting for an
answer, she went on: ''Mollie's made
il Up with Joe, and they're goin' to
be married. Amt it grand
Indeed it is, dear. How did it
happen"
Yesterday when Mollie was over
to her place 10 work. the lady was
all broke up because young feller
she knew had gone away from home
to stay always because some girl
give him the slip. An she told Mol
lie if folks would have more sense
an learn very words-such things
wouldn't happen. When Mollie
came home she said l could take a
note to Joe. an l did an he grinned
and said l was a good girl. He gave
me a penny, too
For a moment there was silence.
then the child seized Katrina and
pointed at two figures crossing a
nearby field. The man had his arm
about the girl and their faces were
radiant.
That's them!" whispered Ehreda.
! Amt they made il up great"
Twill you mail a letter for me. on
your way home?" asked Katrina.
1T won't take me a second TO
write"
Elfreda agreed willingly, and ka-
| trina hastily scrawled a few words
on a piece of paper, and addressed
the envelope.
There YOU are. child-thank you
/ for posting il"
1t was dusk in the field by the old
\ apple tree. but Katrina had forgotten
all about time. She was thinking
I that the letter ought 10 reach Car
\ ter the next evening Would he
come? Perhaps he could not get
away. or he might not care TO
come. she thought of Mollie and
Joe and her lips began to culver.
/ YEARLY, she leaned her head against
\ the tree and closed her eyes.
Unseen by her, a young officer
hurried across the field towards the
/ rustic seat w ntll he NdS QuANC hNe'A
/ ne called cheerfully; Wake up and
/ speak to met Katrina opened her
eyes and for a moment gazed at
him dazedly. Then. light dawned
/ and she sprang TO her feet
why. Carter" she cried. You
/ got your commission, oh. isn't il
! wonderful. But what made YOU
come.-tell me. quickly. please"
well. YOU see. / just couldn't
keep away I've missed YOU so, and
. I've hated myself terribly. and then.
yesterday ! got my commission and
/ TN have 70 go away. and ] had 10
see if YOU would 30 with me-
I knew YOU would never send for me,
\ SO / came
But ] did send for you-the let
l ter went an hour ago. And / beg
ged YOU 10 come-shamelessiy /
did,
+ His arms went about her.
What made YOU do it. dearest
/ he asked her.
A ragged. dirty little girl She
made me feel so mean and lonely
and miserable that there wasn't
anything else for me 10 do Then.
/ her voice changed. and she caught
I her breath i'm sob. Oh Carter I've
missed YOU SO dreadfullyi There