The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-05-13

AND HaZeltOn added: III at any time
| before that you change your minds and
| find you cannot give it up-just let me
| know and it Will be all right. Just
! think It over till then" he said kindly,
| the dumb woe in their eyes appealing
to him as the loudest lamentations
could not have done. but II you don't
| mind, I'd like to have an architect. who
| is in town Just now, come up and look
| 1t over with me-" he finished.
Certainly sir. certainly" said Ra-
chel, longing for the man to go.
Mr.. Hazelton appeared the next
morning with two men-an architect
| and a landscape gardener. Rachel was
in the summer-house, and the first she
knew of their presence was the sound
Of talking outside.
you'll want to grade it down
there" she heard a strange voice say,
"and fill In that little hollow; clear
away all those rubbishly posies, and
mass your Towering shrubs in the
background Those roses are no par
ticular good, l fancy; we'll move such
as are worth anything, and make a
rose-bed on the south side-well talk
over the varieties you want, later. or
course these apple trees and those
lilacs will be cut down, and the sum-
mer-house will be out Of the way.
You'll be surprised-a few changes will
do wonders, and
He stopped abruptly. A woman, tall,
flushed, and angry-eyed stood before
him in the path. She opened her lips.
but no sound came-Mr. HaZeltOn was
lifting his hat. The flush faded, and
her eyes closed as though to shut out
some painful sight; then she bowed
her head with a proud gesture, and
sped along the way to the house.
Once inside, she threw herself, sob
bling, upon the bed. Tabitha found her
there an hour later.
"You poor dear-theyve gone now,
she comforted.
Rachel raised her head.
They're going to cut down every
thing-every single thing" she gasped.
Il know it." choked Tabitha, land
they're going to tear out lots Of doors
inside, and build in windows and
things. Oh, Rachel-what shall we
dor
"Do? Why, we'll stand It Of course.
We Just mustn't mind If he turns the
house into a hotel and the yard into
"a pasture! she said Historically.
I'VE must just think Of Ralph and OF
his being a doctor. Come, let's go to
the village and see If we can rent that
tenement Of old Mrs. Goddard's."
With a long sigh and a smothered
sob. Tabitha went to get her hat
Mrs. Goddard greeted the sisters ef-
fusively, and displayed her bits OF
rooms and the tiny square Of yard with
the plainly expressed wish that the
place might be their home.
The twins said little, but their eyes
were troubled. They left with the
promise to think it over and let Mrs.
Goddard know.
II didn't suppose rooms could be so
little" whispered Tabitha, as they
closed the gate behind them.
1--WE couldn't grow as much as sun
flower in that yard" faltered Rachel.
"Well, anyhow, we could have house
plantsw Tabitha tried to speak cheer
fully.
Indeed we could!" agreed Rachel.
rising promptly to her sisters height:
"and, after all, little rooms are lots
cheaper to heat than big ones" And
there the matter ended for the time
being.
Mr.. Hazelton and the lawyer with
the necessary papers appeared few
days later. AS the lawyer took Off his
hat he handed letter to Miss Rachel.
II stepped into the Office and got
your MAIL" he said genially.
"Thank you," replied the lady, trying
to smile. Its from Ralph"-handing
it over for her sister to read.
Both the ladies were in somber
black; a ribbon or a brooch seemed
out Of place to them that day. Tabitha
broke the seal Of the letter, and re-
tired to the light Of the window to
read it.
The papers were spread on the
table, and the pen was in RachePs
hand when a scream from Tabitha
shattered the oppressive silence Of the
room.
"Stop-stop-Oh, stop" she cried,
ic<n nd <Chi ho
pen from her fingers. 1--WE don't have
to-see-read !'-pointing to the post
script written in a round boyish hand.
Oh, / say I've got surprise for you.
You think rye been fishing and loafing
all summer, but I've been working for
the hotels here the whole time. I've got
a fine start on my money for college. and
I've got a chance to work for my board
all this year by helping Professor Heaton.
I met him here this summer. and he's the
right sort-every time. I've intended all
along to help myself a bit when it came
to the college racket, but I didn't mean
to tell you until I knew I could do 1t.
But it's sure thing now.
Bye-bye I'll be home next Saturday.
Your aft. nephew,
RALPH.
Rachel had read this aloud, but her
voice ended in a sob instead of in the
boys name. HazeltOn brushed the
back of his hand across his eyes, and
the lawyer looked intently out the win
dow. For a moment there was a 81
lence that could be felt, then Hazelton
stepped to the table and fumbled nois-
lily with the papers