The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-01-24

Her little Derry
The child that might have been the
loy Of happy home. that might
have grown 90 a dignified inheritance
of the love and tenderness that had
been between his father ana mother
Robbed ia hiH bthshood. taken away
from tho father b" adorcd. and now
this' sixty one miles 90 go.
"Dotour 60 New York" Tho sign.
with an its hidcoua Import. rose be
fore her suddenly No help Tor n
she must lose one or two perhaps
a dozen miles sho must give up the
good road Tor bad one. She must
lose her way too. perhaps. had
lt.cne gone over this road Yesterday
/ IL was much farther on that she bad
/ spoken 10 Kane. Perhaps no had.
hut she could not remember. doubt
made every foot ~ the way terrible
Co Rachael. She could only plunge
ON. over rocks. over bumps. into
I mud holes She could only blindiy
Jake what seemed ~ two turnings
+ tho ono most probably right
oh Mother The little wall
came from Derry. Rachael. her heart
turned 10 Ice. slowed down stopped
and leaned into tho hail darkness In
+ tho back Of the car. The child q
lovely eyes we're opened. Rachael
could barely nee his white face.
My darling she said
WIN sou not bump me 90.
Mother" tho little boy whispered.
Il will try not 20. my heart" IA.
chaol. wild with terror. looked TO
7 Marys face Was he dying. now and
horcr
+ on Moth--it hurts so''
Does a.. my dnrlinR7"
fic drowsed again. fachnei turned
+ back TO her wheel They must 80
more slowly now. "a ans cost.
The road was terrible. In parts.
after the hours 81 heavy rain. It
/ seemed almost impossible. Rachael
F pushed on Presently they were back
F iu the main road again. and could
make better time OF the hundred
miles only 30 remained. But that
I meant nothing now. How much time
I had she lost In that frghiful bypath7
{ Rachacl'H face was dripping with
rain. rain had iricklcd under her
+ clothing ~ neck and wrists. Thru
+ her raincoai the breast OF her gown
[ WAS soaking. and her feet nchod with
7 the strain of controlling the heavy
car. Water came In long runnels
thru the windahleid and struck her
( knees. she had turned her dress back.
F her thin Hiik pctiicoat was soaked.
and tho. muscles Of knees and ankles
+ were cold and sore. But she felt
these things not at all. Her eyes
burned ahead. into the darkness. she
I heard nothing but the occasional
{ futirrinr NOM from Derry. she
{ thought nothing but that she might
( l.v too laie-too late--too lnto'
T ~ tho FIRST town Of any size she
; stopped. a telegram 10 GeorE. taking
I FIRST shape IN her mind But the
wires here were down. az they had
been farther down the island, The
rain was thinning. but the wind was
\ rising every second. and as she
I rushed on sho saw that In many
I places the lights ON the road were
E out. all the island lay battered and
/ bruised under the storm.
Slowly az they seemed 20 creep. yet
( the miles were going by. Frcepori -
[ f-ynhrook Jamaica like n womna
/ in "a dream rhc reached the bridge
and moment later looked down
upon the long belt Of lights winking
I in the rain that was New York
And here. on the very apex Of the
bridge. came the most hcart.rcnding
moment Of tho run. for the little
boy began TO cough. and for two or
three frlehiful minutes the women
hung over him. spocchless with ter
rur. and knowing thnt nj any second
( the exhausted little body might sue.
cumh to the strain. Bllpdly, as with
"A long. chokcd cry he sank bnck
again. Rachael went back 10 her
wheel. Third ave. Fifth ave.-i2d
81. tore by. they were running
straight down toward Washington
arch as the clocks everywhere struck
midnight. The wide street was de-
serted IN the rain. it shonc like a mir
ror. rejecting long pendants OF light
They were turning the corner. she
was out Of the car. and had glanced
at the familiar old house. Wet. OK
hausted. fred by passion that made
/ her feel curiously light and sure
Rnchncl put her arms about her
child. and carried him up the steps
Mar, had preceded her. the door was
opcncd % dazed and frightened maid
was looking at her.
Then she was crossing the familiar
hall: lights were in the library. and
I Warren in the library. somebody with
him. but Ilachael only caught a
glimpse OF the old familiar attitude:
he was sitting In straightforward
chair. his legs crossed. and one firm
hand grasping silk clad ankle as he
/ iutently listened 10 whatever was be
I ing said.
warren" she said I'm n voice that
those who heard II remembered all
| their lives. Its Derry He's hurt
/ he's dying. | think. Can you--can
YOU save him?" And with a great
burst Of tears she gave up the child.
My God what Is it, said War.
rem Gregory, ON his feet, and with
Derry in his arms. even as lac spoke
I For second the tahlcau held: lia.
chnci. agonized, her beautiful face
colorless and dripping with rain, her
husband staring at her as IL he could
not credit his senses, the childs limp
body in his arms. yet not quite freed
from hers. In the background were
the Whitehead servants and the
gray headed doctor upon whose con.
vcrsation the newcomers had so alb.
ruptly broken.
We've just brought him up from
Clnrks Hnlsr Rachael said.
From Clark's Hills Youv'
His look. the dear familiar look Of
fsolicitude and concern. tore her TO
the soul