The Ordway new era., 1921-01-14

The 1nsn E,,es-Iing RI Ber side. ehs-f'!
drinking in every word tisliteiiet his
fingers reassurinElY upon hef hAne-
= answered never word
couldn't" she falte-ed on 'lly ifshs'
wns hollow: empty IS L sr1y Sly!
THE lady cun answer TINT, hsiLfo
rhe rulce Of the-uthsr mun siieer
-'T'be-e WIS L err. uud your lrfhe'
sp-anr HI him The minds screamed
] uncovered my eyes expecting 10 loot
upon 5eutll But flIe-otber mHu leiI''s
through the window End vas gone
Your 1nther put .he mHids on %
rhe room and stood over me. dared
not look up His fRce-it whs iei-
rifIe- Once he rnised lis greHi arm
to strike I've pruyei ti'ousNna
times be had-4t would hu7s sg7H1 me
many deafh.
You But IT nnt sT''uf me
name that belongs 20 you. Bis voiee
WIS hHrd; hua-se; Evfl- AND i's-
liered Yum There's HE w-udpW-stlH
open, Go. Il you WIKI, himl IN
through with you"
''He strobe out II he dnur and
slammed Il ufter him ] huTH never
seen him since The lrun-Griy-
woman snuddered; turned her face
toward the strong rocEs EbGve the
trees. y remember ] took one ster
after him. ! knew nothing more ril
some -i1nE IUte ir -hg right when !
vuE=5 with v1ur CRYING md tHgul my
=.
M hear grew hHrt rs rgIg-ed you
Hs probably 1houE1t 20 5u5 ne uH-r
morning al tears iu5 repentance 1r
2 sin of which WIS EE Luuaceu- rs
the hBbe II NV breast. : wuul5 show
min that my blood WIS proud ls Ills.
Wrapping yOu IL yUur c-ade clothes
! mufad q clunk Bbuut NE and stole
from the house; stole down 70 me riv-
sr There ! luased sEir- whose,
never knew. lay down ~ The stern and
sat Il Bdrfft There wEs not & stEr
Only The moon looked down opt Of the
duu sky, pale md sicEfy gnd riumed
with red; rhe gray sky my huson; The
sicklE moon my heart ] rose and tried
70 ROW. but q fsintDess came over ne
and lsy down nEhiu Il the skif-
THE nsxt ! knew ! WAS on z rude
bed IL q houseboa1 miles down the
river. with kindly family Of pearl
fishers They fold ne ! Ind been SICK
for long time. When grew strong.
! sold my 3evelry. all but my wedding
5ng-thnt ] ssved fo- y1ur snke-
bought this t,oussbuat. snd became E
pear fisher You know the rest"
The IrDn-Gray Woman fell silent: :
rocked softly back and for;A E time or
two; allowed the chair 10 settle stfIl.
The nEn reached en arm around her
shoulders and drew her head over
upon his breast. The little Hci Of tep-
derness seemed to touch her deeply.
For q long time the tears flowed on
while the Young man knelr End mr.
veled.
Mother he said very gently at list,
stroking her hair, +'we must 20 back
70 him
He felt he- culver Al the word. She
sat for long time staring down 1t
the floor
For your sske-we must" she an-
swered 81 length But not Until Won
are twsnrT-ons. or-we find the pearl
the pear1T~
But an twe1ty-one in June-tfls
June-tbs twentieth; and This is the
thirteenth" The man WIS trembling
with an eager1ess he could not con-
ceal. The tine Is 50 near-his name
my fathers naIne,"
He searched bar wet sres for 1hs
answer In al his life. it WIS the frs,
time the curtain that hid his Jlasr he d
eTsr raised II must have been The
fever that made her speak now. II
WAS 10 light matter to unlock tina,
door; TO probe wound Of twenty
years She traInbled up from her
chair, her eyes wide and wild.
Your father" The young man
too, had risen She clufehed Lis arm
Your father"
The words seemed TO choke he,
There cane torrent Of coughing
and the nsn gently eased her bscf
into the chair.
As be STOPPED over her, anxious IA
DO something to alleviate her suffer.
ing. yet not knowing what. she raised
her face IN gasp for breath and he
saw blood upon her lips he snatcbad
another cup Of wEfer and knelt besids
her. but for long time she hu1n1,ed
forward, her shoulders cupped In and
her arms locked as If trying TO bold
baek the cough, until she seemed az.
runlly TO conquer If by sheer force q,
Will Finally She CROPPED with ons
hand for the cup; supped the cool wa.
ter. strsightened. and lay back in he,
chair There was no more blood on
her Fps, and the nan said nothing O.
the tiny feck be had seen there.
Mother. they're getting worse
these spells Let me bring the doc,o,
down from the village"
4