New Britain herald., 1924-12-26

wv nv +AA4 AN4A 9ENNA AA' V 044AN phaticaly and then the children emerged from the thicket, their clothing covered with mud and leaves as if they had been Iy1ng prone upon the damp ground
 was too astoniShed for reproof. Never has Marion failed in the most met!cul1us care Of Junior, What hli induced her 10 play such n prank as this could not imagine, but my small ind dancing about me, offered m enthus.astic explanation.
 I've were hillns rom Indians an! - and p.rs;es,' he caro'ed, An3, oh, Mama, we saw q h,g one"
 Marion gave a cautious glance olcr her shou.1cr and then sidlel aoSe 10 me.
 I'll tell you all about #, Auntie Madge, when We get home" she sad, but let's hurry away from lere just as fast as we can"
 There was an urgency in her voice which eGec' ually postponed he words upon my lips, and taking my little son hy the hand I hurried "ltA Marion across the footbridgc 10 the shelter of the purhee gar den.
 The startling Story Which Marion
 Told Madec
 Marion halted as soon as re were well within the bounds of the Dur kee garden.
 T can reu, VOL aboYt 1t now, AUntie Nalgo she said with dig nitv that re5uke1 my mental cen sure of Ter few minutes before. T wouldn't have let Junior get down oY that damp ground and get his clothes all muddy just for a game"
 put my arm around her and drew her tightly to me, for saw hat with intuition uncannily like her mothers Marion had guessed my aatcushment 9 her apparently a9ed]sss prank, and vas griaved by my doHht of her.
 Forgive me, sweetheart" I begged, tor ! would no moe haze pretenied that l had not Jouhted her, than I would have offered such | suttarlVge 10 her cIear-eyed mother. "To. T s4cond or two I did think that the woods had sud, denly turned your brain, but might have known that you always have 2 good reason for evcrytAlnE you do"
 Oh, Aurtta lLadee' Not always'" she protested flushing.
 But tkts time I did tru,v l 7,as terribly frirhtanei," she lowered her voice cautiously so tha' Junior, already absorbed in th9 antics Of Mrs purtee's pet cat, could not hear her
 I left Junior 10 the contonapla- ton ot the cat and drew her q few paces away from him
 "You Can Tel Me"
 Now you can tell roe aho'l. i" l sail reaszurtnely. He cannot Pos- slalv hear you
 I told Juror 77 were hi1lns from Indians anl pirates" she said, "but wa really were htiing from 6 man who spoke 10 us and fright aned me, he looked al me so queer y. And he tried 10 find Us, too.'
 l felt my throat constrict with an old fear, one which always comes to me at tha hint ot any thing unusual near my little lad I suppose that until he is 9 gray beard, I shall have that tense dread Of anything harm!ng him, born If that awful. time when Grace Draper was instrumental in havlng him stolen from me. and sale for Hugh Grantland would have succeeded in her purpose or having him killed.
 A man spoke +o you' I repeated whea I could speak. What sort Of man, what did h. sav ?'
 Marion trownej q bit in q pal 7ahle effort to visualize the appear ancs of the man who had fright ened her
 He - he ras dressed ro1ghtv, Ike . tramp, and he had beard ' she sad, But I don't think, f he were shaved ard clean - he was pretty dirty - he would be had- lcoktng man at all. H. vas about IS tall as -- as - Uncle Dlcky - ves -- that would he tls size. but he weighs more than Joc!s U.cKY. l n sure
 Despite my vague terror, I coQli not help smiling at the pretty earn estness Of the chld in her endearor to get every detail Of the mans ap-