Arizona republican., 1922-06-01
CHAPTER XIV

Ondpter Nif
The daisies and the buttercups
again turned their faces to the SKY.
awake for another day. shaft OF
sunlight pierced the dawn, the gray
veil faded away Olive let her gaze
wander over the familiar landscape.
a picture full of new. unremembered
beauties. II was home,
She thrust away the fretting mem
orv of what had happened. She would
not think of it amy more. With set
Iips and resolute eyes she turned
from the window. Father and mother
would soon be stirring: they were
early risers. She dressed swiftly. al
hsAt carefully. it was one of the needs
II ner nature, to be correctly garbed
Neatness had been always one of the
rules Mary Lee imposed upon her.
Neatness and despatch.
She loitered a moment at the dress
ing table. The face staring back at
her was not the face of a happy,
care free girl interested in her work.
1t was a ravaged face, full of pain,
the eyes unyouthful with longing.
The face of woman-suddenly wise
They must not know. They must
not!" she said aloud.
She compelled herself to hum a
lifting song as she moved about the
room. She had said she was home
sick-which God knew was true, as
true as Himself. But she must so
back. and at once. Only this day
should be a respite.
Olive knew her duty lay plain be-
fore her. She could no longer be a
drain on the meager resources OF the
dear ones who had loved and cared
for her so tenderly.
Then, too. they had invested their
savings in her. migrate she would be
did she not return them. increased
An engagement with a mother who
wished a miniature of her little boy
also must be kept. Nothing again
should interfere with her studio work,
She heard her fathers voice. hurry
ing breakfast as usual she thought
with a half smile on her lips He
had always claimed he was crochety
until after he had his coffee.
AS she opened the door the odor OF
coffee and broiied ham came to her
1t was her favorite breakfast dish,
homely though it was. She stood
still. a sudden oyerpowering feeling
almost timidity, made her pause on
the Threshold Mrs. Lee called:
Come, Olive. breakfast is ready!
Olive was still trembling. and more
than ever. Oh why had she come
How could she hope to hide from
their eyes sharpened by love the ter
rible thing that had caused her to
flee to them for peace? 1t was selfish
in her. terribly selfish il she had for
her own comfort brought sorrow to
them.
Donald had no right to expect me
to be anything but good--no right.
she whispered Then, at the second
CHEEKY call from below. went slowly
down the stairs and into the dining
room, bright with sunshine and the
glow on the two faces waiting at the
table.
Before she entered she had COM
posed her face, her mind also. as far
Ss she could Her lips smiled, she
Kissed them both, and gayly helped
mother dish the smoking yiands. But
her yes We're hot with brooding. with
their BATTLE of seeking.
Why had this unfair thing come to
aer--why?
Snatches of unformulated thought
came to her. alive out of the mists
of her. early childhood. They--fathei
and mother-used to talk of the
woman who had left her on the door
step, and then ran away Little in
stinctive. fluttering memories came
to her of things the neighbors hat
said and how as she grew older
mother had always sent her away
when they talked Little, palt
/ thoughts. forgotten long ago. bu
Evidently not dead. came back: The
elildish wonder as to what wa:
meant by the shaking of heads. tn