The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-02-17


 hair. ''Good-night. Little Brother." she said affectionately.
 Instantly one of the bony Lands shot out. and Julia felt her wrist caught as in a wise. Richard swiftly twisted about and got on his own feet, and for a minute their eyes glittered not many inches apart Julia tried to laugh, but she was breathing fast. "Richard!" she said in sharp whisper. What is it?"
 "Julia!" he choked, breathing hard For a long moment they remained | motionless. staring at each other. Then Richards grip on her wrists relaxed, and he sank into his deep chair, dropped his elbows on his knees. and put his hands over his face. Julia stood watching him for a second.
 Good night. Rlchie!" she said then, almost inaudibly.
 Good night" he whispered through his shut fingers. Julia slipped softly away, closing the door of her bed room noise1y behind her.
 Anna was asleep in the upper bed. lying flat on her back, with her lovely hair falling loosely about her flushed little face. The little cabin bedroom was as sweet as the sur rounding woodland, wide-open wir- dows admitted the fragrant coolness of the spring night. There was no moon, but the sky that arched high above the little valley was thic?sly spattered with stars. Richie's cat, a shadow among paler shadows, 1eaped swiftly over the new grass. Julia got the milky odour of buttercups, the breath of the little Persian lilac that flanked one end of the porch. Her heart was beating thick1y and excited1y, she did not want to think why. Through her brain swept a confusion of thoughts thoughts dis connected and chaotic. She tried to remember just what words on her parton Richard's-had led to that strange mad moment of revelation, but the memory of the moment itself over1eaped all those preceding it. Ju- lia kne1t, her elbows on the window si1l and felt merely that she never wanted to move again. She wanted just to knee1 here, hugging to her heart the thrilling emotion of the mo ment, realizing afresh that life was net dead in her; youth and love were not dead in her; she could still trem- ble and laugh and cry in the exquisite oy of being beloved
 And it was Richie, so weak in body so powerful in spirit; so humble in little things, so bold ana sure in the things that are great; not rich in | money. but rich in wisdom and good | ness; Richie who knew all aner pitt full history now, and had long sus- pected it, who loved heri Julia knew even now that it was an ill-fated love; she knew that deep under this first strangely thrilling current of pride and joy ran the cold waters of renun- citation. But cool reason had little to do with this mood; she was as mad as any girl whose senses are suddenly blindly, set free by lovers first kiss. After a while sine began mechan:- cally to undress, brushed her hair moved about softly in the uncertain candIelight. And she did she became more and more unable to re- sist the temptation to say Good : night to Ridhie again. Neither brain nor heart was deeply involved in this desire, but some influence, stronger than either, urged her irresistibly to- ward it's fulflment.
 She would not do it, of course! Not that there was harm in it; what possible harm could there be in her putting her head into the sitting-room and simply saying Goodnight ?' Still, she would not do 1t.
 A glance at herself in the dimly lighted mirror set her pulses to leap ing again Surely candleight had never fallen on a more exquisite face. framed in so shining and soft an aureole of bright hair The long loose braid fell over her shoulder, fine ruffle of thin linen lay at the round firm base of her throat. She was st:n young-still beautiful---
 Ann stirred, sighed Fin her sleep And instantly Julia had extinguished the candle. and was bending tenderly over the child.
 Its only Mother, Sweetl Are you warm enough, dear? You feel beau tifully warm! Let Mother turn you over-so,'
 "Is it morning Mother?'' murmur- ed Anna.
 '.No, my heart, Mothers just go- ing to bed" And ten minutes later Julia was asleep. her face as serene as the child's own.
 The morning brought her only shamed memory of the night before and its moods, and as Richie was quite his natural self, Julia determin ed to dismiss the matter a passing moment of misinterpreted sentiment on both their parts. Today was a Sunday, so perfect that they had had breakfast on the porch. and in the afternoon took a long climb on the mountains:de, across patches of blossoming manZanita, and through meadows sweet with the liquid note of rising larks. They came back in the twilight: Anna limp and drowsy on Richards shoulders. Miss ToIand admitting to fatigue, but all three ready to agree with Jul-a's estimate that it had been a wonderful Sunday.
 But night brought to two of them that new and strange self-conscious- ness that each had been s secretly dreading all day. Julia fought it as she might might have fought the on- coming of a physical ill, yet fnexor- ably it arrived. Supper was an or deal, she eound speech difficult, she could hardly raise her eyes.
 Julie. you're as rosy as a little gip y," said Miss Poland approvingly. 'tDoesn't colour become her, Rich ?''
 'tShe looks fine," Richard muttered, almost fnarticulateIy. Julia looked up only long enough to giss Miss To- land a pained and fiuttering smile She was glad of an excuse to disap pear with Anna, when the little girls
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