The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1922-07-22

III answer to the knock at the door
I'm little late tonight"
"Oh, to be sure, Miss RAYMOND ::
come Income In. Why, child, what
ails your cried the woman, as Helen
stepped into the light
"Ails me? Why nothing" laughed
the girl evasively.
AS she set the tray down and turned
to 60, the elder woman, by a sudden
movement, confronted her.
See here, Miss Helen, it amt none
o my business. l know, but I've Just
got to speak. Your eyes are all teary,
and your cheeks have got two red spots
In EN-. You've been cryin'. / know
you have. You're so thin could Just
blow you over with a good big breath.
And know what's the matter. You're
all wore out. You're dom too much.
No mortal woman can work both day
and night!'
But | dOn't-quite," stammered the
girl. Besides, there is so much to be
done. You know, mother-though she
isn't very sick-can do but little for
herself"
Eyes, l know she dont-seem to. But
isn't there someone else that could
help?"
The girl stirred restlessly. Her eyes
sought for means Of escape.
why, no, Of course not There isn't
anyone" she murmured. you are very
kind, really, Mrs. Mason, but 1 must
gO-now."
The other did not move. She was
standing directly before the hall door
'There's-your brother"
why how did you come to know
that l had-a brOther?''
"Know It'll" scoffed Mrs. Mason. II
have known your mother for q year
| ever since she moved here; and as II
| a body could know her and not hear Of
him! He's the very apple Of her eye.
Why can't he-help? Wouldn't he, If
| he knew"
"Why Mrs. Mason, Of course! He
| has-he does" declared the girl quick
ly the red deepening in her cheeks.
"He-he sent her money only today"
Yes, l know; she told me-Of that"
Mrs. Masons voice was significant in
its smOothness. your mother said
she was going to get her-a tie"
Eyes, tie" repeated Helen, with
feverish lightness; lace, you know.
Mother does so love pretty things! Oh,
and by the way" hurried on the girl
breathlessly, ''if you don't mind-about
the dinners, you know. Mother doesn't
care for codfish-and-cream, and If you
could just substitute something else.
| I'll pay more, Of course! I'd expect to
do that. I've been thinking for some
time that you ought to have at least
ten cents a day mOre-lf you could
manage-On that. And-thank you; II
you would remember about-the cod
fish. And now l really must-go! y
she finished.
"Well, Of all things! Now what have
l said?" muttered the puzzled woman,
staring after her visitor. Ten cents
day more, indeed! And where, for
the lands sake, is the poor lamb going
to find that?
Long hours later In the Raymond
fiat, after the mending was done. the
waist irOned, and the mothers queru-
lous tongue had been silenced by sleep,
the poor lamb" sat down with her
little account book and tried to dis
cover lust that-where she was going
to find the extra ten cents a day to
buy off Mrs. Mason's Goldfish.
1t did not rain the next morning.
The sun shone, indeed, as II 1t never
had rained, and never would rain.
There was the same apologize rush
in the morning, the same monotonous
succession Of buyers and near-buyers
at the counter, the same glitter and
sparkle and chatter-the youth, and
love, and laughter Then at night came
the surprise.
Helen Raymond went home to find q
little fiat dominated by a new presence,
a presence so big and breezy that un-
consciously she shifted the air as II she
were entering a pine grove instead OF
a stuffy, four-room city fiat.
Helen, he knows Herbert, my Her
bert" announced Mrs. Raymond rap
turously; and as she seemed to think
no further introduction was necessary,
the young man rose to his feet and
added with q smile:-
my name is Carroll-Jack Carroll
Miss Raymond, l suppose. Your
ther-er-suggested that call, as !
was In the CITY,"
"Of course you'd CALL" chirruped
Mrs. Raymond. las II we weren't al
ways glad to see any friend Of my
boys. Helen. why don't you say some
thing? Why don't you welcome Mr..
Carroll?"
81 haven't had much chance yet,
mother" smiled the girl in some EN-
barrassment. perhaps IL haven't
caught my breath"
mot that Mr.. Carroll ought to mind
of course" resumed Mrs. Raymond
plaintiyely. "And he won't when he
knows you, and sees how moderate you
are. You know Herbert is so quick,
she added, turning to Herbert's friend
rs he?" murmured the man and at
the odd something in his voice Helen
looked up quickly to find the strangers
ewes full upon her. You see, I'm not
sure, after all, that do know Herbert.
he continued lightly. still with that odd
something in his voice. Herbert
mother has been telling me lots OF
things-about Herbert"