The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-03-19
The End of 1t
By MARTHA M. WILLIAMS

CtS<[LE/L<<L<<ZL<SS SbS.,fy<I S-|1<>,'-''<< ~
%. 1921. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate
If only we knew what viii hc tn"
end of II ~ Cousin Sarah said signing
deeply. Cousin Maria nodded. answer
ing rrevcrcntly The Lord knows
maybe But he'll have To look twice
to get Ann-Louecze straight
Maria - Exclamation points fan
to express Cousin Snrnh's shock, But
Marin went on undismaycd: wv ny
she wns born odd coming month
late, and missing n fortune by II !; o'd
Madame Crane would never have
signed that missionary will If she
hadn't lost hope of n grcat grAndchiid
Not n blood great grandchiid, ! admit
but she thought n heap more OF poor
John than she did of her own kin, II
his pa was Just her husbands grand
son If only she'd lived week longer
hut Ia In The way things happen
will say md stnnd to II, it's hard
lines for Ann LoucCzc to have lost
father. mother and fortune NIL In u
matter of three months and then go
and cut teeth when she was less n
four months old"
"All That running on makes my head
SWIM" Cousin Sarah murmurcd plain
lively. Then something light as gusty
thiStlcdown blew through the half
shut door. ana brought up on the red
rose rug in front of the ancmic fire.
There it mntcrinlized rs n wisp of
girl in Swathiug blue garments with u
big tloppy hat hung low over the icit
eye. You were talking about me-
feel il in my bones" She said accuS-
inRly. what have done now to set
your tcmpcr's teeth on edge
Asking for information or just i'm
pcrtincncc?" Cousin Maria flung back,
but with II twinkle that took MI the
sting from the question. Ann Louecze
flung up her head, answering with II
pout: "Oh. l can guess! You are MS
mad rs Tucker because | let Grayson
Cary kidnnp me, and leave Mr.. John
Tucker to his lonely Lonesome"
Enough, | should sny-considcring."
Cousin Sarah began. The girl inter
ruptcd with an imperative, stop |
know l was engaged to him am
mott never Will he again. lie may
take his fut purse and his fat wits to
somebody who wants them. ] won't
let him spoil for me the only life I'm
sure of-that's fat
Don't he sac-ri-lec-gious honey
| Cousin Maria cxpostulated. You
| know-all of us do-Johns ms good
rs gold. though nobody says that he's
| bright"
bright That's sure enough sacri-
| lcge-that word I'm connection with
him" Ann-Loueeze cried with edged
scorn: "You know what I've come
home for. II is to pack up MI the
things he has bothered me with-his
ring first of all-and leave them
| handy so Aunt Lindy's Jim can take
them to him. I'll stop at the cabin on
| the bundle"
"Bettcr wait till morning ! think
| Jim has gone to MILL" Cousin Maria
| said mcndnciously, but to no purpose.
| AnnLoueeze whisked away half an
hour later, saying over her shoulder ::
please give the things to-whoever
comes for them. I'll send somebody
| sure as death"
Her elders looked after her. shaking
| their heads and sighng-thus they did
| not see John Tucker, tall. slim, blond
| and cat-footed. come I'm the back way.
| In the hall he stopped short. looking
| down mt the shapelcss parcel, speaking
| haste I'm every lump, which lay on the
| table beside the outer door. Since his
name was scrawled boldly upon II. he
was quite justified in lifting it and
exploring its surface with tentative
| fingers. Evidently touch enlightened
| him = with a queer smile he tucked the
| bundle under his arm, and called
| through the living room door: SAY.
| Cousin Maria-if there's no hurry
about this, I'll come in and rest bit
| before | take 1t home"
Cousin Maria ran to grasp his coat
lnpcls. crying breathlessly: John,
you're the direct answer 10 prayer. Sit
| right down and tell us-everything.
| Unless we get the straight of II right
| away" stopping there choked.
"You talk frst-Ann-LoueeZe thinks
| she's done with me?" John said in
| terrogntvely. Both sisters nodded.
| Again he smiled oddly. Silently he
opened the parcel. from which hud-
died mass tumbled down upon the rug.
On ton came two things most unlike
an open ring box holding II big, flash
Ing diamond, and tiny perfume bot
tie, empty but stiIl gorgeous in col
ored label. John picked II up first
saying with working lips; "So-she
kept the first thing ! ever gave her
when she was seven
and well as she loves fine things.
there's the diamond for eighteen.
Cousin Marin added with n deep
breath. John could not speak-he
turned his head aside-thus he was
first to see Ann-Loueexe bringing In q