Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-05-11

1
| as the two gentlem2n turned to go
And Hazelton added: IF at any time
before that you change your minds and
md you cannot give it up-just let me
know and it will be all right. Just
| think 1t over till then" 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
1t over with me-" he finished.
Certainly sir, certainly" said Ra.
chel, longing for the man to so.
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 1t 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, fancy; We'll move such
as are worth anything, and make
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
bin'g, upon the bed. Tabitha. found her
there an hour later.
=. @You.poor dear-they've gone now,"
! she comforted. '- ~
Rachel raised her head. r.
"They're going to cut down every
thing every single thing" she gasped.,
Il know it" ch0ked. Tabitha,;, "and
| they're going to tear out lots of doors
jnside,s and build in windows, and
things oh; Rachel-what shall we
=. do?" .>.
do? Why, We'll stand it, of course.
| We just mustn't mind if he turns the
/ bnr ;rt a o1 thn word inth
"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. Goddard's."
With a long sigh and a 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.
81 didn't suppose rooms could be so
little" whispered Tabitha, as they
closed the gate behind them.
eve couldn't grow as much as a 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;
land, 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 Inter- AS the lawyer took off his
hat he handed a letter to Miss Rachel.
II stepped into the Office and got
your mall he said genially.
THANK you" replied the lady, trying
to smile ITS from Ralph"-handing
1t over for her sister to read. .
Both the ladies were In somber
black; ribbon or a brooch seemed
ouI VI piuSc W tllCll lllul uuy.
! broke the seal of the letter, and re-
tired tos the light, of the window to
read It, '5r. 49,
The papers were spread on the
table, and the pen was in Rachels
Hand when a scream from Tabtha
shattered the oppressive silence of the
room. 60.
.tHStQp--stop-oh stopw she cried,
rushing to her sister and snatching the
pen from her fingers. I'VE don't have
to--see-read! "-p6lnting to the post
script written in a round boyish hand.
e Oh, I say. I've got surprise for you.
! You think I've been fishing and loafng
| all summer, hut I've been working for
the hotels here the whole time. I've got
a fine start on my money for college. and
| rye got a chance to work for my board
all this year by helping Professor Heaton.
| met him here this summer; and he's the
right sort-every time. I've intended all
along to help myself bit when it came
| to the college racket, but | didn't mean
to tell you until l knew l could do it
| But it's a sure thing now.
Bye-bye. I'll be home next Saturday.
nAHhn