The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1919-05-09
HOMES BEST
BY ADELAIDE r. KEMP.

the pretty klri w the Opeii uOOfWdy u
quick emile OF welcome lighted UP her
fuce.
"Why, how dye do. Phyllis? How
are you. ciiild7 Come right In"
Phyllis black eyes softened at the
. warm greeting, but she shook her
head.
u can't stop-not today, auntie. It's
our wednesday, Afternoon club over at
Westport, aud I'm secretary"
7 Aunt Mary's gentle face fell. "You
haven't been over for a long time. ]
bought your club meeting was yes
terday, Phyllis"
} Il said Wednesday club, auntie. Yes
fer5ay was the library meeting. / don't
know when I Gun get away. You see
orr Study club comes Mondays and !
promised 10 help the Red Cross with
! their entertainment, and"
Aunt Mary had turned uneasIly, and
was looking across to the far side Of
the valley, where In the upper part
Of the big Crawford meadow she could
see a young farmer turning his big
tenn a. the end of flWrow and pl0w-
ing steadily.
Don't you get tired of being away
80 much, Phylllsv she asked.
Two bright spots famed suddenly
in the young woman's face and her
black eyes snapped.
II have To get away often, Aunt
Mary. Tom don't care for me as he
used to when we were first married.
All he thinks about in the wide world
is his cows and his pigs. He cares
more for his big horses than for me,
his wife. FL must go now" She
turned yet not SO quickly that the
old lady did not see the tears that
twinkled upon the long lashes.
The road TO Westport touched the
far upper end OF the big Crawford
meadow where the blowing was go
Ing forward. Tom Crawford could
hardly fail 60 see the neatly dressed
young woman who passed quickly by.
But there was no sign, even the slight
est, from either man or woman, that
they saw each other. With set, hard
look on his face the young farmer
plowed steadily on. The long, straight
burrows fell exact and true. A flash
OF pride lighted his face occasionally
AS he watched the steady, even work
of his team. The hard look had deep
ened perceptIbly in Toms face the
past yeer. Just how the gulf had be-
gun 70 widen between himself and the
uirI he had married three years before
he hardly understood.
Late ir the afternoon shower came
IN unexpectedly and swept down over
Westport--a torrent Of rain accoinpa-
nied by fierce wind. From the shell
Ter OF the club house Phyllis Crawford
looked out at tie downpour and the
big, wlde-armed naples that bent peril
ously. About her the girls we're chat
terlng and busily eating dainty sand
wlches and tOothsome cakes. She had
planned to so home with ore OF them
and stay for supper. But this sudden
storm brought = great wave of lone
Iiness to her. She thought of the
meager supper laid out for Tom on
the end Of the kitchen table. How des-
olate and uninviting after hard after
Moons work. The rain was about over
when a child With white, scared face
stumbled up the steps OF the club
house.
"Why. what's the matter, Joe?" the
girls exclaimed grasping him by the
arm and pulling Him into the room.
The boy looked at Phyllis with
frightened eyes. There's been an ac-
cident. Mother told me to tell you.
Tom Crawfcrd's horses were brighten
ed and ron away and I guess Toms
hurt"
Phyllis stood quite still, staring out
the window. Suddenly with set,
white face, she hastened out the door
and walked swiftly down the road A
sharply defined vision unfolded itself
before her eyes as she stumbled on,
a vision curiously enough not of the
last unhappy year, but only the first
beautiful ones VIXEN she had placed
hpr hand in Tosr's and started with
him TO build home. She reached the
fence OF the big home field and clam
bered over and so down across to the
big barn.
"Tom! Oh, rom !"
There he stood before her in the
doorway covered with mud from his
hard tussie with his frightened
horses. He took her straight into ms
strong arms.
"what is 1t, PAyllies What did they
tell you?"
A sudden thrill futtered her heart.
He had called her the old pet name.
"They told ME" she stopped. then
went on slowly-"Joe Hin said you
were hurt"
AS his arms frightened around her
each knew again there was the old
sweet understanding. They looked
happily down into the quiet home val
:ey.
II mast rub the horses down, Phyl-
lie" Tom said presently. "Well get
the chores done up early and walk
over to Aunt Mary's tonight"
"Yes, dear And l must hurry and
get nice supper ready" answered
m