The St. Charles herald., 1922-03-18

The twins again tucked quietly in
their adjoining cribs, Jim and Grace
groped their way In the dark upstairs
hall toward the stairs. Jim held Grace's
arm very close to his side so that she
would not stumble. They heard the
voices Of Tom and Mabel below, and
they hesitated to listen.
swell, we're back again to home,
sweet home," said Tom. He was sit
ting in the chair just vacated by James
and Mabel was In Grace's chair. James
and Grace went noiselessly down to
the landing, where they could see
them. Then Tom leaned toward Mabel
and took her hand in his. There's
nothing like 1t, Is there. little wifeT
he said. "More than ever I can't un-
derstand the point Of view OF the
younger set. There's my brother, Jim.
could marry any day he wanted to.
Earns more than l do"
"And there's Grace" continued Ma
bel. "She's independent herself. She
wouldn't have to wait for man to
make enough to support her."
II guess they are different. They
don't know the meaning Of home. Here
we went over to that dance on purpose
to get them together and they didn't
even come. l suppose something more
exciting kept them both. That dance
at the club wasn't so dull, but honest
ly, Mabel, l was miserable every time
I danced with any one but you, and
when l was dancing with you l was
aching to be here before our own little
fireplace with you at my side"
There would have been more Of this
sort Of thing between the Gleasons II,
In spite Of Jim's protecting arm, Grace
had not missed a step on the stairway
where Jim and she were standing. She
gave a very little scream and clung to
Jim as II the Gleasons' front stairs
were as the slippery side of an Alpine
chasm. The Gleasons. fearful lest
harm had come to the twins above,
hurried to the hall and snapped on the
electric light that showed Grace being
upheld with rather unnecessary tenac-
ity by Jim.
1--WE didn't mean to overhear you"
said Grace. "But we did hear every
word you said"
Mabel Gleason's face registered
hauteur. She didn't know how 1t hap
pened that these young people should
be In her house clinging to each other
on the landing Of her stairway. AT
the moment she couldn't recall what
she had said, but she remembered 1t
was personal. She chose to cover her
embarrassment by appearing offended.
ut Is too bad you slipped, Grace"
she said, looking as icily at her as she
could, because If 1t hadn't been for
your little scream Tom and / should
probably have said good deal more
that would have interested you"
ave heard all We needed" Jim
laughed. "We heard enough to know
that you and Tom are home folks,
after all. Somehow think that what
we heard is going to make a big dif-
| ference In all our lives" He hadn't al
together released Grace. In spite OF her
little jerks to be free. and now he held
two strong arms on her shoulders and
looked into her eyes. "It viii make
difference, won't 1T" he asked her, as
| if no one had been by and quite re-
gardless Of Mabel's gasps Of surprise.
Perhaps they whispered something.
or perhaps they said 1t aloud, or per-
haps they understood each other just
by an exchange Of glances. No one
Of the quartet just remembered how
It happened later But there on the
landing Grace told Mabel and Jim told
his brother Tom. and there were gen.
eral congratulations and a few tears,
and Tom and Jim shook hands and
Mabel kissed Grace and then kissed
her husband and kissed. Jim. and 1t
was not until later that they remem-
bered that ten minutes earlier Grace
had quite definitely told Jim that she
had no Intention Of marrying any one.