Gunnison news-champion., 1922-06-02


ten every few minutes as she asked
ne to. Chat was a Joke. anyway. OF
eaursel But have written ever few
days. and. as said before. told her
ererythlng-
We'll. when the letter came took IL
10 Aunt Jane myself; and ] was crazy
10 know what was In IL. for ] recng-
uized the writing. Of course But Aunt
Jane didn't tell me She opened IL.
read II. kind of flushed up. and said.
-Hunphl The Idea - under her breath,
and put the letter In her pocket
Marie wanted 70 make n scene and
Insist on knowing what was In her
own mothers letter: but Mary con-
tented herself with looking superb and
naughty and disdaiTfui. and marching
out Of the room without giving Aunt
Jane the satisfaction of even being
asked what was IN that letter.
But at the table that noon Aunt
Jane read IL TO Father out loud. So
that's how / came TO know just what
was In IT, She started first TO hand II
over TO him 10 read bur as he put cut
his hand to take II I guess he saw
the handwriting. for he drew hack
quickly. looking red and queer.
From Mrs. Anderson TO your he
asked. And when Aunt Jane nodded
her head he sat stiil farther back In
his chair and said. with q little wave
II his hand. Il never care TO read
other peoples letters"
Aunt Jane said. stuff and nonsense.
Charles. don't he sIllyl' But she
pulled back the letter and read it
after giving kind of an uneasy
glance In my direction
Father never looked up once while
she was reading IL He kept his eyes
on his plate and the baked beans he
was eating. watched him. You see.
7 knew. BY Aunt James reading the
istter to him. that II was something
be had got to decide; and when I
found out what IL was, OF course, I
was just crazy l wanted to go so.
So l watched Fathers face to see II
he was going to let me 90. But I
couldn't make out l couldn't make
out at all. II changed-oh. yes, II
changed great deal as she read; but
i couldn't make out what kind of q
change II was nj ali.
Aunt Jane finished the letter and
was waiting for Father to speak: but
be never said word. He kept right
on-eating beans.
Then Aunt Jane cleared her throat
and spoke.
You viii not let her go. Of course.
Charles; but naturally had to read
the letter TO you. l will write to Mrs.
Anderson tonight"
Father looked up then.
Yes" he said quietly; ''and you
may tell her. please. that Mary will
CO.
Charles"
Aunt Jane said that. But IL al
most ran around the table and hugged
him. (Oh, how wish he was the kind
Of father you could do. that tod
'.CharlesI" said Aunt Jane agnin.
"Surely you aren't going to give in so
tamely as this to that child and her
mother!"
I'm not giving In at all. Jane" said
Father. very quietly again. Il am con-
sulting my own wishes In the matter.
l prefer to have her CO."
i most cried out then. Some way,
1t hurt to have him say It like that,
right out-that he wanted me to 60.
You see. I'd begun to think he was
getting so he didn't mind SO very much
having me here. All the last two
weeks he'd been different, really dIf-
ferent But more OF that anon. I'll
go on with what happened at the table.
And, as I said, I did feel bad to have
him speak like that. And can re-
member now Just how the lump came
right up in my throat.
Then Aunt Jane spoke, stIff and dig
nifed.
"Oh. very well. Of course, II you put
1t that way. I can quite well under.
stand that you would want her to goA
for your sake. But l thought that,
under the circumstances, you would
manage somehow to put up with the
noise and"
"Jane!" Just like that he interrupt.
ed, and he Numbered. too. so that
Aunt Jane actually jumped. And
guess did. too. He had sprun. to
his feet. "Jane. let us close this mat.
ter once for all. am not letting the
child go for my sake. I am letting
her 60 for her own. So fur as l am
concerned. IL consulted no ones
wishes but my own. I should-keep
her here always"
With that he turned ana strobe from
the room, leaving Aunt Jane and me
just staring after him.
But only for minute did starr.
1t came to me then what he had said
that he would like to keep me here
always. For had heard II, even II hs
had said the last word very low, and .
In queer. indistinct voice. I was
sure ! had heard 1t. and l suddenly
realized wis IL Inoans ca -Ak.-