The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-16
Vjth The Boy Scouts Al Ouer To1Un

to be done. He was playing truantl But his heart was building strength.
 As he lay so quietly a little girl with red hair came darting down q wooded path like a dryad to fetch back a bucket of water to her little home hidden near.
 She was quite unaware that any body was near, and when she almost stumbled over Bob. it was hard to tell which was the more startled.
 Bob was the first to recover.
 little sweetheart" he said, T vow you scared me within an inch Of my life l wonder if you would al- low me drink from your dipper.'
 And Bob was on his feet In min ute to dip the water for her and to set the bucket upon q flat rock.
 She could not have been more than six years old.
 Out Of the Past
 'What is your name, midget?" pressed Bob. An God, the hair was so like that of the little red-headed girl of the long ago. It was torture to look upon it.. And stilI-and still he had never been able to find just that exact shade before.
 My names Margy," replied the midget.
 Short for Margaret. guess2a quesu uoned Bob.
 But the little girl did not under stand. She merely gazed st kim with her little bare feet wide apart
 That settled it for the man.
 How would you like" he asked of her gallantly ito go with me some- time, little lady, back to Birming ham and see all the beautiful things for children in the fairy stores, and let me make picture of you that shall gladden. the souls of great many people?"
 Margy did not comprehend all this fine program, but she was quite will- ing to enter into the spirit of so gay q thing as going to Birmingham.
 T should like some candy" she confessed.
 Well when We go you shall have oodles of candys and some beautiful dresses. a doll with great eyes that go to sleep when you put her to bed, and
 But little bare feet were wildly eager to be off.
 T will ask mamma she cried breathlessly. Then picking up tie bucket of water Bob in longlegged strides found himself chasing her fluttering little figure. which turned almost at every step to demand what other delights she would find in the city, where she had once seen Santa Claus. dressed in his north pole best, in one of the department store win dows.
 The Little Home
 When the pair reached the house, which was a mere two rooms with a tiny shed attached for a kitchen, the gaunt mother was quite abashed at
 
 for the lack of her est frock, draw ing her apron to one side that not a soiIed stain upon it might be visible
 When Bob had finished his inter- view with her. he left her as thrilled as even her baby girl could have been, and it had been arranged that she should come to Birmingham and bring the child within the month whereupon drawings would bc made of her for the idealistic thing which the architect intended as the cen traI figure which should take prece~ dence of all of those he planned to erect in electrical splendor over great Birmingham
 As long as he was in the presence of the mountaineers he was gay and debonair in his demeanor. But when he had regained the automobile he leil ds llOs Ell d ndnQ or udfKneSS had passed between him and the sun shine.S Suddenly scsnded upon him the wild restlessness of his boyhood days, when he was compelled to wait until nightfall to continue his search for the little butterfly girl which had belieyed-so believed-in him!
 Come on, flivver, and let's go. I'm getting morose, and that means work"
 Still he could -ot drag his mind away from every memory of those youthful w nderings. though they were bitters-- eet. Thus by the time he reached his office again he was in a highly nervous state and quite un- prepared to eind waiting for him the father of Annette Kingston.
 Annette had been good as her word to himself. and had arranged ii so that Bob could ot. by any chance, have failed to come out to the house, even if Lad he'd.
 (To he continued next wee-)