Evening star., 1926-03-21

there. Their words carried over to
Matbilde. She heard plainly what they
said. But 1t was so terrible, so in
rredible, 40 cruel that at first she
iidn't comprehend--and when she did
comprehend 1t was too late to run or
hide, for she had heard 1t oil.
One. of the speakers was DR.. Mad,
lens aunt. with whom he lived. a
alky person at whom DIR. Fred. in his
oily way, poked a lot of fun. The
women. as Mathilde realized too late,
we're discussing the doctors imminent
marriage to the stunning Miss Lois
Blair. And this was the gist OF Miss
Madden's revelations:
We'll. I gave him to understand he
wouldn't have the easygoing time that
he's always had at my house. She's q
fine young woman, no doubt. And
she's got plenty OF money and lots Of
ambition, and she'd make q hustiing
wife for him. Shed pull him up,
whether or not. But he wouldn't en-
joy that by good deal, for he's got
bossy ideas of his own and she'd be
bound to have her way. She only con.
sented to him setting up his practice
here because 1t was on that condition
his uncle gave him the money. Look
how she picked out his offlce heipI She
wasn't going to have him working
along with any of the pretty girls out
here In Meldon, and there was plenty
applied for the place. She was the one
picked Matte Parish, and 'twasn't be-
cause Matte was bright and willing.
1t was because she was such a doWdy,
homeiy little thing that It looked like
no harm"
Maihilde walked out into the rain.
Only kindly god OF weather kept her
hat from ruin. The rain stopped, but
she didn't know 1t.
4 4
MATHILDE choked over a dish Of
plums at supper. Her mother
was saying:
Matte. saw Henrietta Madden
today. She stopped me on the street
to tell me how well DR.. Fred says
you're getting along. He seems to
think you're just wonderful; says he
could about leave his practice to you
if you had a diploma. Maybe
And the plum Juice seeped into a
suddenly uncomfortable windpipe and
finished things. 1t was terrible spell.
Out OF II Mathiide went into Mysteries.
Such sobbing and gasping and carry
ing on the four walls Of the little
house had never before contained.
=
never acted so. so her mother de.
eided 1t was from overwork and she'd
have to speak to Fred Madden about
it. She put her daughter in bed with
an ice bag at her head and the elec-
trio pad which Matte had given her
tor Christmas at her feet.
AS soon as her mother left the room
Aiathiide kicked the pad out of the
bed and threw the ice bag into a far
corner. 1t is maddening when your
ht art Is broken to have people insist
on hot and cold applications.
Her heart was broken because she
loved DR.. Fred with all OF II. But II
was the kind Of love that few could
understand. 1t was white and pure
like a garde MIA blossom-biooming In
the secret dark. and so delicate that
the least touch would curl the petals
and turn them brown with bitter
blight That was how Mathiide, lying
on her cool, white bed, felt inside
all shrinking and curling.
Ever since the Old days in school
Fred Madden had been her hero. He
was SO jolly and roiiicking and un-
afraid and she so shy. He was beau
tifully callous to the taunts and gibes
and bruises of daily existence. HIS
spirit carried him over them like
strong wings. The skin over Ma.
thilde's sensibilities was gossamer
thin. And If her spirit had wings,
they were the wings OF a dragon
fiy-beautiful. but Of slight carry.
ing power. One precious Winter
her desk had been across the aisle
from his at grammar school. and
many q sentence did she diagram.