Evening star., 1927-10-10
THE EVENING STORY

They were going down the grade
| into Hillville now, and the rafting and
| the bouncing made conversation al
most impossible. Presently the train
stopped with a bump before the dim
little station.
There won't be anybody to meet
this train," Mary Andrews said. "And
it is a good ways to walk. I'm afraid
it is going to be icy, too, with this
sleet falling"
It was icy, and Sidney, on her high
heels with only sandals to protect her
feet, slid about terrifcally. Mary,
however. strode along confidently.
There had been slight ambarrass-
ment when they first started out by
Mary insisting on helping Sidney
carry her bag, but Sidney was deter
mined in this, as in everything else,
to be independent.
When presently her feet began to
go out from under her. she was saved
from a fall by Mary's steadying hand.
Better take my arm," Mary said
dryly. Lucy Mack broke her arm
here last week."
Lucy Mack! Another familiar name.
Sidney sighed and grasped Mary's
firm, muscular arm.
"Now," Mary said compellingly,
"we1l change bags for while. Mine
is light. Hand over, Sidney"
Somehow Sidney obeyed. AS they
labored along through the dark streets
she realized that Mary had become
the woman she had started out to be
20 years before-strong, sensible, self
reliant. AS a girl she had depended
a good deal on Mary'S hard-headed,
common sense, and now seemed to be
doing it again in spite of herself. In
deed, she felt a grateful sense of lean
ing upon a dependable shoulder, and
it came to her that she had never been
able so to lean since she discarded
Mary along with her other Hillville
associations. Scott was a good hus-
band, but when he had given her a
home, a sufficient allowance and a
good position in the world he was
through. She could stand or fall by
herself. She had stood, and because
she had, she found it amazingly rest
full now to be upheld by some one
safe and sure as the woman beside
her.
1t was a long, troublesome walk.
and Sidney was extremely tired by the
time they had reached Mrs. Cottons.
Mrs. Cotton met them in the hall. 1t
was she who had sent the telegram to
Sidney
Dads just the same" she said.
She called him dad as If he belonged
to her.
Mary gave a look at Sidney's face.
"I'm going up with you," she said.
Say, Henrietta, make us a pot of tea,
will you? Well want it when we
come down." She winked significantly
over Sidney's head.
In the difficult haIf.hour that fol-
lowed, Sidney was very glad of Mary's
calm, Unconditional leadership. As
they came downstairs Mary said:
Hope you've come prepared to stay
a couple of weeks, Sidney"
THAT long?" Sidney gasped.
Mary nodded.
"Or longer. He's comfortable, you
know, but he'll have to wear out. 1t
is all the same to him, anyway-he is
so old. But 1t Is going to be hard on
you, my dear. Still, I'm here; remem-
Der that, Sid"
Sidney choked. Suddenly she real,
lied that out of all the world Mary
was the only one there to whom she
could look for understanding and SYM
pathy. Her husband?-he was intent
on big money. Her son?-training
for B. A. Her daughter-planning
for her week end at chum'S home.
Her father?--slipping like a waited
thistledown out OF the world.
No, there was nobody but Mary
sturdy. kind, generous Mary--whom
she had once made use Of, then had
felt she needed no longer. Tears filed
her tired eyes. She put her arm
about the comfortable figure and
leaned upon it slightly.
Mary's plain face flushed a little.
and in surprise her eyes sought Sid
ney's. But she added merely:
Lean on me all you want TO, Sid
lean hard"
Il shall. But, oh. / dent deserve
that you should let me. Sidney Wits.
pered contritely. a
(copyright. 1921