The Washington times., 1919-06-08

e@P $50
Mary.
= FOUND Mary with Robbie in the gar.
den She got up from her rustic chair
= under . big magnolia tree and came
hu5ying to meet me-, more to keep me-
from her charge. thought. than to shorten
my walk She need not have distressed
herself ! felt keenly enough RobbIe's
daytime fear Of me, but that ! should In
spire horrible dreams Of red-haired women
bending over his bed at night nIled ne
with 3 real terror Of the child. would
not, for anything. have come near to him
stopped and waited for Mary.
She looked as fresh and sturdy as some
hardy blooming plant, nothing "peaky'1
about her that ] could see; short and
trim, with round, loyal eyes. round, rudy
face. . puuscious nose and bulldog OF
. iaW-not pretty. certainly, but as trustyI
and delightful to look at as health and
honesty and cleanliness could make her.
] Feioiced In her that morning. and have
Tejoicsd in her ever since. even during
that worst time when her trust In noe
WaVered . little, q very little.
MARY" I said. "ean you give me aVsI
minutes or sol have . good deal to say
to you"
She glanced back at Robbie. He vas
busy. playing with some sticks on the
gravel path.
~Yes, miss. Certainly" And I had her
quiet complete attention.
"You aren't frightened out Of your
senses, then. this morning?" / asked.
She did not smile back at me, but she
shook her head. mo, Miss Gale" she
said sturdily, though did see that thing
come out Of the nursery plain enough
But It might have been Mrs. Brane's
angora cat. Times like that, when one is
bit upset, why, things can look twice
as big as they really are, and, as for Rob
bie's nightmare. why, as make it out, It
means Just nothing but that some time,
when he was a mere infant, maybe, some
redhaired woman give him a great scare.
He's q terrible nervous little fellow, any
way, and terrible secret in his ways. At
first couldn't take to him, somehow, he
was so queer. But noW-Why," and here
she did smile with an honest radiance, 1t
would take more'n q ghost to scare me
away from takin' care Of him And .
scared ghost, at that"
did you know that Della and Annie and
Jane are all leaving Us to-day?"
NJ -.
blue eyes. my loF'! The poor, silly
fools! Excuse me, Miss Gale, but never
did see such q place for towards. Them
housekeepers and their nerVes!"
"Housekeepers, Nary"
"Yes'm. We've had three this Summer
They was as lonely and jumpy women as
ever ! saw. The first, she couldn't sleep
for hearin' footsteps above her head, and
the second, she felt somebody pass her in
the Railways, and the third, she wouldn't
say what the matter was, but she was
the most frightened OF all. You promise
to be a young lady with more grit I'm
glad Of It, for ] do think q delicate lady
like Mrs. Brane had ought to have some
peace and quiet In her house. Now, miss
I'll do anything to help you till you can
find someone to take those Women's
places. I can cook pretty good, and l can
do the laundry too, and not neglect my
Robbie, neither"
dismissed the thought Of the three
housekeepers.
"oh, Mary, thank you. You are Just
splendid. Mrs. Brane says she is going
to get a man and wife"
Now, that's good. That's what we need
"a man." said Mary. She was emphati
cally an old-fashioned woman; that is, a
woman completely capable Of any sort Of
heroism, but who never feels safe unless
there is a man in the house. Those black
men, ! think, are worse'n ghosts about .
place. Not that they come In often, but
one Of the housekeepers was askin' that
George be allowed to sleep inside ] was
against II myself. Now, you may depend
upon me, miss"
] was almost absurdly grateful. partly
because her pluck steadied my nerves.
which the mornings occurrences had hur-
ried little, and partly because / was glad
that she did not share Robbie's peculiar
prejudice. l went back to the house thor
Oughly braced and watched the three old
women depart without q pang.