The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1922-05-12


know and it will be all right. Just
J think it over till them" he said kindly,
the dumb woe in their eyes appealing
| to him as the loudest lamentations
could not have done. But if you don't
| mind, I'd like to have an architect, who
is in town just now, come up and look
it 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 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 strange voice say,
| land 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, fancy; we'll move such
as are worth anything, and make
| rose-bed on the south side-we'll talk
| over the varieties you want, later. Of
| course these apple trees and those
Iilacs 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 ewes closed as though to shut out
some painful sight; then she bowed
her head with q proud gesture, ana
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-they've gone now"
she comforted.
Rachel raised her head.
"They're going to cut down every
thing every single thingl' she gasped.
81 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 lust mustn't mind If he turns the
house into q hotel and the yard into
"a pasture |" she said Historically.
1--WE 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. Goddards."
With a long sigh and smothered
sob, Tabitha went to get her hat.
Mrs. Goddard greeted the sisters eff
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
plants |" 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 a few
days later. AS the lawyer took OF his
hat he handed letter to Miss Rachel.
81 stepped into the office and got
your mall" 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; q 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 Rachefs
hand when a scream from Tabitha
shattered the oppressive silence of the
room.
| "Stop-stop-oh, stop!" she cried,
rushing to her sister and snatching the
pen from her fingers. "We don't have
| to-see-read l''-pointing to the post
script written in a round bOyish hand.
| oh, I say I've got a surprise for you.
/ ,;,I< Hahfn0 lOaf1nR
| all summer but I've been working for
| the hotels here the whole time. I've got
| q 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 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.
Ladies, withdraw my Offer" he
announced. II can't afford to buy this
house, can't possibly afford tits
too expensive" And without another
| word he left the ROOM mOtiOning the
lawyer to follow.
The sisters looked into each others
eyes and drew long, sobbing breath.
| "Rachel. is 1t true?''
ooh, Tabitha! Let's go out under
the apple trees and let's-just know
| that we are there!"
And hand in hand they went.