The Glenwood post., 1919-12-27
The Hour Of Need
NT. .. ALDERsoN

x 3yE. ,. ALDERsoN ;
Sooooc ocooooc ocoooooS
Homesick and heartsick, viola Glenn
arrived at q settled conclusion as to
the best course she should pursue.
Since she was q child she had been
xnotherless. Then for six years her
father and herself had made. their
nome with . distant relative. an old
pviAow lady. At length Mr.. Glenn had
been called West to look after some
property near the MEXICAN border.
Vrem q place named waller he had
written Viola that his duties would de-
hin him longer than he had thought.
< II was only that Viola spent many
pleasant hours with her Aance, Ernest
,Dars. that she was willing to remain
away from her father. Then came q
second cause Of anxiety and loneli-
.aess. Her lover received letter from
Mr.. Glenn asking him to come to
hin. AZ his engineering experience
,woslA be Of much benefit. Viola Glenn
was tearfully solicitous when Ernest
inparted to her this intelligence, but
1. he assured her that within q few
months both he and her fi4her would
return. Then came long spell Of
: silence on the part Of both father and
lover. Viola wrote repeatedly but re-
celved no word in reply. She could
saly decide that they had gone on
business to some remote place and had
i. Been delayed Unexpectedly. Viola was
salient and hopeful for over a month.
Then
/. II can endure this separation from
those love no longer" she told her
relative. II am going to. and father
and Ernest, at least ind out what
thaif strange silence means"
Viola arrived At Wailer. the town
! from which her father had last written
her. It had but one hotel and there
Viola registered, and early the follow
ing day started oat to make inquiries
regarding her father. She met with
he sevsrest disappointment. She
learned at the post ONCE that up to SIX
weeks previous her father had re-
eeivsd mail At the general delivery. OF
Ernest there was no trace whatever.
Viola had very little ready cash. but
she decided that In time her father
must return to Waller. She learned
where she could live at lower rate
than at the hotel with Miss Ora
Aayne. who occupied pleasant little.
cottage, and there Viola established
herself. From the nrst Viola Glenn
liked the pleasant lady. ten years older
than herself, who In turn became
. greatly interested in her guest.
Within q week Viola felt that she
had found the dearest friend and con
Z solef Of her life. In fact, she fairly
beved the gentle-spidted lady. attract
Ing her a. II she were some dearly be-
sSsved sister. A. to Miss Aayne Il
seemed ~ II shs could not do enough
. show her sympathy and affection
<fse the lonely girl. She never ured
sf TIE confidence impaired to her By
Viola eoncerning her father and her
lover. She entered into all the details
sf viola's romance. She built up 4
theory that relieved viola's mind as to
the continued absence and silence OF
M. Glenn and Ernest Dare.
"Thsy must be away together" she
convinced viola. perhaps in some
plsce beyond the frontier where there
are no mail routes"
"But l cannot remain here inded-
Dltely." submitted viola, "at least with
aeut going to work and earning some
thing. Ny money has nearly given out
and cannot become = burden on
vou."
"A burdenr' repeated Miss Mayne
spontansously. my dear, what would
my life be without your Since have
known you have learned to love you
- that I feel toward you as II you
were an own daughter"
One morning Viola was helping
about the house, as was her usual Gus
tom. She was carrying the scrap bas-
ket out to the rubbish heap to burn
the litter and sweepinss she had gath
cred up and had lit 1t, when an en-
velope attracted her attention. Miss
Aayne. she had noted, had received .
letter the day previous and apparently
this was its container. The envelope
i~as Just igniting when Viola observed
its superscription. A thrill traversed
her frame.
: "Why, it's fathers handwriting
she gasped. but as the envelope was
consumed In the flames Viola gradual
" convinced herself that her strange
supposition must be deluslon.
Nhe was in her own room the next
morning when she heard commotion
at the front door. a cry Of excited de-
light from Miss Mayne. and then-Ohi
Il could not be posslblei the hearty.
1oyous tone of her father and. marvel