The Dolores star., 1922-05-19

the folks here. | needn't say whose
| fun'ral 1t is that's Goin' ter be on Sat
urday, Thaddeus, l want yer ter hitch
! up an drive over ter Hopkinsvilir ter
send the kilograms. The mans new
over there, an won't know yer You
couldn't send 'em from here, OF
course"
Thaddeus Clayton never knew Just
how he allowed himself to be per-
suaded to take his part in this crazy
scheme" as he termed it. but per-
Suaded he certainly was.
II was miserable time for Thad-
deus. then First. there was that hur-
rled drive to Hopl;iusvlle. Though
the day was warm he fairly Shivered
ms he handed those two fnteful telc-
grams to the man behind the counter.
Then there was the homeward trip.
during which. like the guilty thing he
was he cast furtive glances from side
to side.
Even home itself came to ne mis-
cry, for the sweeping and the busting
and the baking and the brewing which
he encountered there left him no place
to call his own. so that he lost his pa
tlenCe mt last and monned:
Seems ter me, Harriet, you're
pretty lively corpse"
His wife smiled. and flushed little
There, there. dear, Don't fret.
jest think how glad We'll he ter see
EN-! :" she exclaimed.
Harriet was blissfully happy. Both
the children had promptly responded
to the kilograms, and We're now on
their way. Hannah Jane. with her
husband and two children. We're eX-
pected on Friday evening: but Jehiel
and his wife and boy could not possibly
get in until early on the following
morning.
All this brought scant Joy to Thad-
deus. There was always hanging over
him the dread horror of what he had
done, and the fearful questioning as
TO how 1t was all going to end.
Friday came, hut telegram at the
last moment told of trains delayed and
connections missed. Hannah would
not reach home until o 40 the next
morning. So 1t was with a four-seated
carryall that Thaddeus Clayton started
for the station on Saturday morning to
meet both of his children and their
families.
The ride home was silent one:
but once inside the house. JehieI and
Hannah Jane. amid n storm Of sobs
and cries. besieged their father with
questions.
The family were all in the darkened
sitting roOm-all, indeed, save Harriet,
who sat in solitary state in the cham
ber above, her face pale and her heart
beating almost to sutfocatiOn. It had
been arranged that she was not to be
seen until some sort of explanation
had been given.
Father, what was it?" sobbed Han
nah Jane. How did It happen?"
at must have been so sudden" fall
tered Jehiel. at cut me up COM
pletely."
II can't ever forgive myself"
moaned Hannah Jane hyStericaliy.
She wanted us to come East. and |
wouldn't Twas my selfshness-'twns
easier to stay where I was; and now
now"
"We'be been brufes. FATHER" cut in
Jehiel, with a shake in his voice: "alI
Of us. / never thought never
dreamed-father. can-can we see
herr"
In the chamber above. woman
sprang to her feet. Harriet had quite
forgotten the stove-pipe hole to the
room below, and every sob and moan
and wailing cry had been woefuIly dis.
tinct to her ears. With streaming eyes
and quivering lips she hurried down
the stairs and threw open the sitting.
room door.
"Jehiell Hannah Jane, I'm here.
right here-alive!" she cried. An
I've been n wicked, wicked womanl T
never thought how bad t was goin' Ter
make you feel. / truly never, never
did. Twas only myself wanted yer
so. Oh, children, children, I've been
so wicked-so awful wlcked!"
Jehiel and Hannah Jane were steady
Of head and strong of heart, and Joy,
1t Is said, never kills; otherwise, the
results of that sudden apparition In the
sitting-room doorway might have been
disastrous.
AS 1t was, wonderfully happy fam
lily party gathered around the table an
hour later; and as Jehiel led n tremu-
lous. gray-haired woman to the seat OF
honor, he looked into her shining eyes
and whispered:
Dear old muTsey. now that we've
found the way home again, reckon
wen be coming every year don't
you"