Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1923-09-21

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ried to Mrs. Enslow's.
Half an hour later, when the baby
was relieved, Mrs. Penfield went back
TO her interrupted routine. She
switched on the Light and began clear
ing the table-stopped In the act of
lifting a plate. Her eyes had fallen
on chair overturned on the floor of
the living room. A slight thing, but II
had happened while she had been
gone. While all the family had been
gone
Her heart stood still as she thought
Of the money which she had failed to
deposit that afternoon. More thar
two hundred dollarsl 1t had totally
slipped her mind in the excitement Of
the Enslow catastrophe. She dreaded
to look in the suitcase. Seconds passed
while She stared at the overturned
chalr' paralyzed by dread. At last she
nerved herself to investigate The
front door was still locked, but the
back door had been left open, that the
children might enter when they re-
turned.
She went into the bedroom. The
suitcase was on the floor The r;ckety
old fasteners were undone.
The envelope of bills was gone. So
was Gussie Bosley's package.
Mrs. Penield sank back on the floor
by the suitcase, faint and sick. Her
blood seemed to have stopped. The
room whirled. She was hanging over
chasm black ruin.
Crink came IN.
"Where's Thad, Penzie? Amt he
here?"
'Thad!" repeated Mrs. Penfeld, still
in daze.
Yes. Hen Jimmy were playing in
the Catterbox back yard. and Thad
came home for his spools Jimmy
waited for him till Mrs. Catterbox
called him in. He spoke to me outa
the window"
my goodness We must find him
right off. Time he went to bed, any
how It's most dark"
They went through the house, look
ing in hunks on the chance that Thad
might be hiding, moving boxes behind
which no one could be concealed. They
searched in the back yard, in the
driveway. No Thadl
Mrs. Penfield was alarmed.
"Crink, we must find him. Must,"
"Cracky, yes" cried Crink. 1--WE
couldn't live 'thout Thad."
They separated. each taking side
of the driveway and ringing doorbells
In rotation. Some one was at home In
every fat-except the Bosley's, where
the windows were dark and the eve
ming paper was still on the steps. But
no one bad seen Thad since he had
left Jimmy Catterbox.
They went up and down the side
walk outside The Custard Cup
through all the yards once more
through Number AZ.
Lettie bounded in. She had known
that Crink had rung Mrs. Sanders
bell looking for Thad. but it had taken
few minutes for this information TO
turn into anxiety in her mind.
"Have they found him?" she de
manded.
The silence answered her. They had
all loved Thad, but no one had real
lied how large place he held.
Mrs. Penfield stood in the middle OF |
the room. dazed. unable to see the next |
move to make. Her face was chalky I
white. Her brown eyes looked black; |
they burned with a fierce fire. She
had totally forgotten the loss Of the
money. She had not even mentioned /
1t TO the children. What was money
compared with Thad, the baby that
she had loved as If 1t had been hers
by blood?
Lettie had never seen her idolized
penzie look like that had never seen
her withdrawn from the ways OF
speech. A mighty impulse surged up
N the child to make her Penzie happy
,qain: and II was as If the rising tide
II thar impulse lifted recollection
allen In one corner Of her brain. and
,Ore Ii TO tile surface. 1er hhiu wa"
llumined with conviction.
'Tll get him. Penzie; I'll get him.
he screamed. waving her arm wildly
md dashing toward the door.
Mrs. Penfeld sprang forward and
augbt the child by the shoulder. you
tay right here. Lettie. Amt no use
tarting OF az random. I'm going 20
frs CattsrbOx's 20 telephone the pc
zee. and"
sI.eggo 2" cried Lettie, working her
,an shoulder madly in the EFFORT 10
rec herself. Lego III get him"
sTAftie-v
DLeegol gotta GET him"
The fran cotton fore under MIS-
endeld's grasp. iettie bad "reneheo
erfeif l00se
sDouf sou worry penzle. darling
10 ehnekef. az she daried toward 'lif
nj ~ know who're he n, iD ge'
M Jgl ga bim"
iTo nF confihrfp@
Dsnqeg ln 6o0'e inflWeeleg
lr..... nuaIlUlIllfi Nife fIN HnIN