The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1920-03-19
FRIENDS
5y MARGARET X. SULLIVAN

4SSSSSSSssSSssssssss
Copyright les Mcclure Newspaper SYN.
dicate)
A sweet. clear voice rang out above
the rattle of dishes. and reached the
ears of the tired, dusty driver of the
big touring car on the hot rond With
quick. voluntary motion. and II glance
in the direction Of tie cottage from
which the sound came. The driver
sloW' Il down 'ho ear HlinoSt 70 u halt.
then the singing crHScd and Huuthcr
sound came to his herring II was
that of a child CRYING. and The sweet
sony was changed rn n n.nthrr'~ coax.
ing. comforting u,uul"i,o while the
rattle of dishc- Il Slorn"H What.
ever the driver ':s. IN min,! ~ hen he
slowed down H., ,ar could MOI hc con
ceivcd, for with an inpatient move.
mcur he released hp brakes and sen,
the machine forward ut high speed.
\ few minutes later II pretty Young
Sirl in her early tNcnficS appeared on
the porch cnrrNing in her arms n little
enid of about tW" years.
Now, Jnni". biz girI like You
should not he crying. Why can't you
be Go"d liz" little brothers.
jamie hood dirt Mudtlie,' protested
the Iiill" one. ana then catching sight
OF tn" @Icauin" car fast disappearing
III III" distance She dimrlcd and cur
glcd stretching. her Iiitlc diuplcd arms
toward il.
Suddenly She heard u soft llrrn.
sound "a tho diStaIrr. Yes il was the
motor reluruit.. Iinlf curtonSly shp
watched it. 'uc"n~ci"r y >rnouthn"
the pretty g.n@lrau dress SIN wore.
| until suddenly ~hr realized thai il was
coming no nearer What can he the
lr"uhi"f SD" Wondered. For trouble
II surely must hC. for there WAS ne
other house within Halh'n" distance
81 III" car bus this on". %It" >aW =
! hSNf' IN IN" hiN'llrr drSrs mi from
the ear and begin Walking -l"Nly to-
wards the house, without even II back.
ward glance toward the ear,
'Wator or gn>uliurt' was her
thought
Slowly she went forward aud stool
framed in the doorway. The least >h.
expected was a SURPRISED glance from
the man she stood facing. but to her
surprise she was addressed IN n tunc
of studied poitcuess. and met y look
as stony and unrecognizng as the one
she felt on her own face.
please may have u bucket Of wa.
| ter for my engine?" he inonirrd.
"Certain1y. sir; I'll get it for yon."
she returned in the same polite, casual
tone rs his own
'But-er-I. Nav get II for you?"
he asked. IT'S liable to he heavy"
oh no. thank Won. am nrrfrctly
able to carry it,"
"Wail lust moment" She said in
a kinder tone. "IIl Get Won u drink"
As she returned with the water. her
face tlushe,. from the excrrion Of
pumping She noticed that the man
was staring moodilv ut the ground
/ then with a quick motion he stared AT
| her, and from her to the children with
a queer expression on his face.
Flinging out his hand ilnuIISiyclv
lie said: Maud. let us at lrn>, be
friends, if only for the sake of these
| children here"
With SURPRISED look at him. she
ignored his hand. and stood as if
stunned.
"AIuddie middle" broke in little
| jamie Jamie wanna wide"
At the sound of tie little nueS voice
the light broke on the as,onishrd girl
oh Fred. Fred" She cried. and
then droppin. into a chair she buried
her face in her hands and her Shout
ders shook conyulsively. With one
leap over the low railing the Young
man reached her side.
"Maudie. it's my fault. dear. thar
you came to THIS. Let us forget it, I'll
always be your friend. .bunf dear.
don't feel So bad. ~
oh" came from the girl, ITS -
! f-f-fuuny-"
1t was now the mans tniu 10 he
aStoni>hed. for the face turnad ny Ia
him was wet with tcars-nf daughter
well, what the deuce is M II
What is it, Maud?" he finished dies
pcratoly.
"Oh. Fred sec it All now. jamie.
| come here, dear. Whore is mo,her"