Evening star., 1922-04-30

pretext Of going out to see the new
calf. Hephzibah followed him to the
barn. He was hitching the mare to
the spring wagon.
Stephen" she said, would you
fetch some hoarhound drops from the
drug store for Zeke's cough?"
He finished fastening the straps to
the whiffietree. then he turned to-
ward her slowly. I'm not going to
town"
"No?"
The fact he knew she would not
press him for Information made his
reticence an affront. He had not meant
to tell her. to tell any one. Still. he
supposed she would have to know
some time.
I'm going over to Herter's." he
said finally, TO see Anna"
oh"
Instantly Stephen was on the de-
fensive. II don't care what the folks
around here say" he clustered, she's
better than they are. She's real,
she's human. But. mostly, she makes
you forget the things you've wanted
and can't have"
"I know" Her voice was quiet
And she's beautiful"
The boys surprise was patent. 81
Il didn't suppose you'd understand.
Perhaps 1 don't-all," she an
swered.
There was a moment Of silence, and
the mare stamped, impatient at the
fiies. "I better be off," he said. "Old
Nelly's getting restless
Hephzibah's eyes were on the last
streak of scarlet over the meadows
''She loved a man once-an Austrian
fellow-but he went of west. He al
ways said he'd send money back to
fetch her. Maybe he never got ahead
that much Her voile trailed of
Maybe he's forgot her. low life
hasn't been any too easy with her
aunt and uncle since, either"
She watched him drive down the
Long after he had disappeared her
eyes stared into the twilight. So he
hadn't been going to town any Of the
evenings he had driven down the lane
and turned onto the state road! Then
her lips moved in silence. He amt
done it yet" she repeated. 'T.still got
a chance"
TWO days later Hephzibah drove
old Nelly toward the village and
hitched her in the shade Of the will
low grove above the abandoned mill
Bees hummed in the dusty thicket OF
goldenrod and bluebottles with gaudy
wings darted over the black surface
of the pool. In the shadow of the
wheel shed Hephzibah waited. 1t was
already a quarter past 3 and she
had written 8. Then she heard
the rattle of pebbles on the gravel
path and Anna appeared.
Hephzibah took a step toward her
maybe you hadn't got the letter" A
pile Of lumber, weatherbeaten and
discarded, offered a sort OF bench
I'VE might as we'll sit down and be
comfortable, don't you think?"
There was something disarming in
Hephzibah's awkwardness. L sup.
pose So" Anna said.
For a long moment the two women
sat there. To the tip of a hickory
branch overhead q souirred explored
trembling passage. Anna lifted heI
face to watch him. revealing the lone
line of her throat and the beautiful
contour Of her head.
Hephzibah's eyes never left the gir
beside her. 'I-'low it's only natural
for men to love you" she said, finally
With q glance that was at once sur
prised and fierce and vet curious, the
girl met her eyes. but she did moi
speak.
Il low. too, there aren't many thai
could look at you without wantin' tt
have you notice them" Hephzibaf
went on. TT amt wicked. It's sort
of a gift, I suppose, like havin' Z
talent for singin'."
The ferceness vanished slowly from
Anna's face.
Women like you have got ths
power to bring some men great hap
,, piness. You amt humdrum and ordi
nary, like me-" she said. You got .
gift for maxim each day somethin
new and surprisin', not Just another
yesterday-1 mean. II you marry .
man you 1bve."
Annals body was tense with a sort
Of inarticulate misery and rebellion
But nothin' ever comes right" sh'
said; "nothin'." j.
Hephzibah Preston looked ava,
from the agony on her face. Il know
1 low there amt hardly 4 woman al
hasn't thought that But you're young
yet"
Herter's Anna shrugged her shoul'
ders.
you amt been very happy here
she ventured..
The girls. eyes were challenging
"Welh what would you think p
.tSuppoee the man who went wSs