American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1920-01-17


on Miss Parkins' face.
I'm not going" she said bitterly.
Not going?" Miss Parkins frowned
why. l thought il was all settled.
That's what thought. That
what mother thought, when she wa,
dying. But-he's gone back ON hi.
word to her"
MISS Parkins led the way to tn,
rear OF her office. lighted only By tn,
green-shaded lamp above her desk
The sound of their footsteps on tn,
bare floor echoed through the desert
ed room. She'll put down a velye,
carpet. and pin tides on the chairs.
male Mapleton had sneered when
Miss Parkins took her fathers place
at the head of the Eagle. But male
Mapieton was wrong, as II very quick
ly learned.
Miss Parkins pointed to chair be
side her desk.
sit down, dear" she said.
The girl flung herself down.
He told me today" she continued
that same incongruous bitterness in
her voice. HE said he'd been to too
much expense-and that, anyhow, my
place was here at home"
AS his servant" said Miss Parkins,
with sigh.
In mothers place he said"
That means as servant" re.
marked Miss Parkins, more to herself
than to the girl.
Il never cared SO much about 60
ing away to college-while she lived"
the girl continued. But her whole
heart seemed set on i'll never could
understand just why"
Il could" said Miss Parkins. be.
meath her breath.
She fairly fought to get father to
promise" The girls eyes widened
with the wonder OF IT, TT was the
only time ever knew her to oppose
him.
Poor Mary" Miss Parkins whis.
pered.
"Yes-I didn't care SO much about
it-then. But now that she's gone
the girls voice broke-'I want to 20.
II was her great wish. want to 60.
And he says-I can't"
Hot anger in her heart for once,
Miss Parkins walked the floor Of her
office. She thought OF Henry Brad.
ford. with his boarded thousands, his
oily sanctity. and her fingers itched
to shake the meanness from him.
Did you remind your father of his
promise to herr" she asked.
Yes. And he said he couldn't I'm.
derstand her strange notion-that she
must have been little Eighty in her
sickness-that he'd promised Just to
make II easier for her at the end"
"F1ighty!" Miss Parkins' tone was
hot with scorn. She thought OF her
last interview with Mary Bradford, OF
how the defeated. crushed little WON.
an had cried to her: HE sha'n't make
slave OF my girl. too. He sha'n't,
Ann. he sha'nt!" Poor Mary. II had
been her one fight, and. now that she
was where she could wage II no long.
en- tne Jay seemed lost.
Il had to tell someone" The girl
was sobbing now. And thought
mother would have wanted me to tell
you"
She threw her arms down ON the
desk. and her head upon them. Her
slim shoulders shook. "Mother!" she
moaned. "Oh. mother. mother!" The
capable. businesslke little woman
who edited the Eagle stood at her
side looking down at her: and sud.
denly across that usually businesslike,
capable face. a shadow passed. Il
was shadow of the expression seen
on the faces of those women who
dream for their sisters. and grow i'm.
patient that the day they dream OF is
30 long I'm coming.
Reaching down. Miss Parkins pat.
ted one heaving shoulder.
That was right-to tell me, dear"
she said
The girl raised her head. The
agony OF her sobs died out. Some
thing she seemed to see in Miss Par.
kins' face soothed her.
What are you going to do?" she
asked.
This blind faith touched Miss Par
kins, even while II dismayed her.
What could she do. indeed? Her heart
iched for the daughter OF her old
friend. but what part could she. an
outsider. play in the struggle her
friend had forever laid down?
"Oh. Ina dear" she said. 81 don't
know what I can dol"
She walked away from the girl, to-
ward the corner where the two limo
ype machines, of which she was 80
proud. loomed grim and shadowy In
he halflight. Strangely enough, IL
vas not OF Mary Bradford or her
laughter that Miss Parkins was think.
ng now. but of handsome. keen-eyed
10Y. Perhaps II was the moon that
brought him back tonight, for II had
hone that other August as II shone
low. They had stood together be.
leath the trees in her fathers yard,
The and this boy, and his arms were
bout her, while on her lips she was
eceiving the only kiss man had ever