Evening star., 1925-08-30

BUST one DSluiudS
afternoon of mid August with
~ a hope, an ambition, and des-
tiny. The hope, an only half
acknowledged desire To see Lefty
Carlin. glinnnered under the definite
ambition to Guidance that night any
other cattle ariStocrat of the district
in the weekly hop at the Purple Par
rot. The destiny. all unknown to him,
already waited across the street from
his mothers s cottage in the house
where Caroline Staley had just died.
Had he known the first cards in
the deck he would, undoubtedly, have
ridden back TO his ranch in the val
ley had Mrs. Staley known the fate
arohnd the corner for little Ben and
Jessie she would probably have
foughtdeath to the last gulch instead
of accepting 1T with Christian forti-
tude. for Jimmie Braden was then
about as wild a colt as Burning Bush
flauntedA and Burning Bush had had
its own Share of wild men. But the
mother of the Staley children passed
quietly to her reward without thought
Of Jimmie Braden. which was, per-
haps, just as we'll. since she liked him
even less than anything else in the
town; and Jimmie Braden came into
his own mothers kitchen with blithe
disregard of any discounted future.
bOl d ClteiSI me he ue-
manded, after a purely perfunctory
salute upon the odd lady's red-apple
cheek.
Twould serve you right If I had
none," she told him. regarding him
with that mixture of alteration and
disapprobation which only the Irish
can give their sons.
Then I'll have to buy another
You've fifteen already"
o1- -i,
YOU
Mrs. StaIey's dead" she told him,
TO circumvent the implied rebuke.
THAT so?"
"She went easy, after ALL
"Where are the kirls?'
Lefty CarIin took them off with
her She'll bring them back tonight
so that Ben can have them with him. -
over there?"
mo. here"
"What time?"
after supper. Why"
Nothing" He went into his own
room and began to pull out drawers
in tugging haste. Seen my blue
tie?" he called.
"I did not"
He whistled as he undressed until
his mothers voice rose in sharp
admonition. You might respect the
dead she told him.
"All right" He shifted to low
humning.
HT SUPPOSE they'll take her back
to Iowa She never did like this
place. She never made friends with
any one here, though she was a nice
enough woman. She told me once
she was in exile"
Don't see what she had to kick
Oh i11y Po ~
was good TO her.
She was lonesome for her own
folks"
well, she had the kids. They're
folks enough, I'd say He rose 60
defend his kind. He built her a
good house, didn't hep
We'll, anyhow"
ANY woman's a fool to fuss over
some old burg in the East, he coun-
tered, winking at himself in the
mirror in keen appreciation of how
the thrust got under his mothers love
Tor Chicago.
You ought to be the last one to
talk against people going away" she
said, when you ran off yourself
Winter after Winter TO California or
Florida or N'Orleans.'
I'm not married" be Dragged.
Worse luck she said, but he
laughed, knowing she did not mean
it. In the mirror. though, he saw
himself color sharply as she called to
him, You'd better be hurrying up
with it, or somebody else may get the
girl you want
There's no girl I want he man
aged to say, but the thought of Lefty
Cariin danced between him and his
own image. Where are my silk
socks?" he cried. "And is the water
hot?'
Boiling" she assured him. And
they're in the top drawer Are you
always as blind as this? And you'd
better hurry if you're going to be
dressed in time for your supper"
In spite of her warming he was
ready for supper when she put it on
The table. Across the board the old
lady surveyed him with unreserved
distaste. II should think you'd be
tired of them Saturday night dances, y
she observed.
Say, 1 could die dancing"
"It's a wonder you don't.
"Say, ma, didn't you ever dance"
mot in places like the ones you go
to-"
They don't hurt me-"
They don't help you. And do you
ever see nice girls like Lefty Carlin
in them?"
Il should say not Indignation
SuTReQ IN MIN at the IiiOuShl. ioo
don't go to dances to meet nice girls,
though" he amended. You go for
a good time"
Maybe you'll lose the nice girl to
the good time"
"Oh, cut it, His flush ran deeper
as he heard voices otside. ''Some ones
coming" he warned her, and rose to
open the door.
= =
A GAI.NST the silver of the twilight
IA Let Carlin stood, slim and
straight, between the Staley young
sters The look she cast upon Jimmie
was singularly direct. almost apprais-
ing, as II it sought answer to some in
ward question she held toward him.
Despite the fact that for week he
had cherished the thought of seeing
her again, he could not quite meet
that level gaze, and so turned to the
children. Come on in he urged
them.
They came silently. the children
holding to Letty's hands.
I'VE had supper" the girl refused
his eager invitation, but little Ben
and Jessie edged out into the kitchen,