Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-10-06
HER SUMMONS
BY JOHN WESTON.
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Copyright, 1921. Western Newspaper Union
She was a frail little thing, unaccus-
toned to the confusing ways of city,
and when Barrie first saw her, MS
heart went out to her. He had come
recently himself from an affectlonate
Scotch home, to the cold barrenness
Of a boarding house, and his sympa-
thies were dormant. Phyllis lowering
like some frightened butterfly in the
dingy hall, had gone forward to him
in shy eagerness, as he came down the
STAIR
please" she said, 81 have rung the
bell several times, but nobody answers.
Will you tell me where / can find
Mrs. Banby? 1 have rented her rear
bedroom
Come on up invited Barrie cheer
lily, "Pll show you the way Mrs. Ban
by's probably out in the yard the rear
room is right next to NINE
I'm glad!" said the girl impulsive-
ly, then blushed at her holiness.
Phyllis was more glad as weeks
passed that her room happened to be
next to Barrie MacDonald's. He had
way Of leaving little surprises out
side her closed door that made her an
ticipate, and feel less lonely. Com
ing from the unfamiliar city office at
evening, it was cheering to find we'll
read book lying there for her perusaf-
or magazine maybe, Or fresh-cut
flower in WaXen paper. And some
times there would be fruit, or later
us the friendlinesS grew and the two
took pleasant walks together-there
would be a small box Of candy before
her door. Phyllis insisted upon the
"SmallneSs" because she had learned
that Barrie was earning his profession
there in the strange city, and economy
was necessity. Once or twice she
took him out to Aunt Marthas in the
country for Sunday visits, and shrewd
Aunt Martha agreed in her choice Of
Barrie as a friend. Barrie learned
much Of Phyllis during those visits, of
her past sacrifices in caring for an in
valid parent, and how the brother who
should have helped had gone far away
TO seek his fortune. Barrie grew more
and more sure that Phyllis was the
one girl In the world for him, but
Barrie was not sure--of Phyllis.
She liked him, that was evident; but
the liking was so genuinely natural
that Barrie feared the feeling was far
from love; so he waited She had
confessed to him, laughingly, her fear
of the creaking old house during the
lonely night.
Sounds" she told hin, 'as if ghost
ly steps were coming and going In the
halls"
SO, sometimes to reassure her, Bar
RE, waking, would tap gently On the
wall And measured, smiling there
in the darkness, Phyllis would tap
back her response fram the other side.
And then >ane day she went away.
Barrie was stunned Try the Saddenness
of his loss. Phyllis no longer bright
eIled by her sweet presence the gloomy
wallis; Phyllis no more singing COM
pantonably about her adjoining room,
1t was the brother who '-eaturned all
unexpectedly with his won fortune
who had carried Phyllis away. The
brother, jeering at the shabby rear bed
room, had carried her few belongings
DOWN to Ihts car, while RhEalis quickly,
AND more Eike "a tf1itting butterfly than
ever. kissed Barrie warning and all I'M
0SExas1 .orxE ,YY111yYrvn,ro6 bor. Snirit
would cume back to the sIfLtle room at
nigat, She knew, to answer his taps
on the wall. Barrie lay miserably
that night Later, he might hear from
her, perhaps, and Aater they might even
see each other e9ccasioAally-but it
would not be the same. Phyllis would
no hanger need hinz, call fer him. Dis
tincHy from out the silence came q
sharp summons. Barrie sat up and lis
tened There were the farce familiar
tappngs OF Phyllis upon the WALL the
usual waiting pause, then three more.
door. His breathless call brought
no response. Mrs BanIy called to
him from the lower hall.
"Say, I'm glad you're gp, MacDon-
AID" she said. There's been an au-
tomobile accident out en- the boule-
ward; some ear ram into Phyllis Dale
and her brother Mr. Stearns, who
just came in, told nae The brother is
raving at the hospital, he says; came
tearing on there alone with cut in
his head. He says Phyllis is lying
dead in a ditch near the road. Some
men have gone out after her body. It's
TERRIBLE
How Barrie got to the ditch by the
boulevard road he never knew. And
he was there first Instinct may have
carried him, while the brother in his
confusion gave wrong directions. The
grass was very soft and deep from
which Barrie lifted the girl, her face
shone CHASTITY in the moonlight. He