The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-11-15


foot on the running board of the car.
she paused. Her eyes swept the
small sweet sea OF loved and loving
faces. She found the bright eyes OF
Marjory and Miriam, found her father
standing little away by himself.
Then she found Ginger. a small. sol
emn figure. with lips forced to o.
grim smile. And Helen tossed her
great bouquet, lilies of the valley. for
get-me-nots and tiny rosebuds.
Ginger had not thought of this,
must have been sheer instinct which
shot her 1.-THE young arms high over
others to catch the precious trophy
Helen smiled at her.
"My Ginger" Her lips merely
formed the words, but Ginger. staring.
read the syllables distinctly.
The cab rolled away.
A shout of laughter, chorus OF
prophecies, surrounded Ginger, with
the captured bridal bouquet In her
hand But she heard uone of It. She
was going home. She answered no
smiling thrusts. called no responsive
greetings, to the merry throng about
her. She just set her small face
toward the old brown door, and her
obedient little feet carried her lead
emily toward It j
Up the stairs, heavily, heavily, and
down the hall to the bedroom she had
shared with Helen. The room looked
strange-big and rOOmy. She marveled
at its bigness. for she and Helen had
often complained 'aughingIy Of its
lied. One Of the little twin beds was
gone. and The other. her own, was in
the center of the space the two had
occupied. Ginger's eyes burned sud
denly. But she was glad that other
bed was gone. She had not realized
how 1t would nave Eeen. lying there
and gazing across at that empty pill
low where Helen's brown hair. Helen's
gentle face. Helen's friendly eyes, had
been before.
"She thought of that" she said
aloud
Conscious Of the weight OF the flow
ers. she crossed duly to the desk BY
the window. There size. found fat
blue vase. filled with fresh water.
waiting to receive them.
"She did that, She meant all the
time that should have her flower 7,
I Carefully, with fingers that Snei
:. Z ~ ~ ~ x n - -, = <
loosened the white ribbons,
them carefully. and placed the 4
In the blue bowl
Then she sat down. on the solifar
little twin bed, and stared sf then,
stared all about the room.
"That's what she was ioing an
morning" she Thought, "fNTfng this
room for me. Putting my things where
her things had been, Strengthening the
drawers. and tidyins the closet. 90
everything would be full OF me. and
wouldn't show so much emptiness OF
her."
She got up suddenly. and turned
down the hall. The ladder was againsi
the wall. She climbed dsmally. pull.
ing herself. a great weight. through
the trapdOor, and crossed the beams
to the dormer window. From fOrcV
of habit. she drew the small stool nd
to the table, and reached for heI
pad And then she saw white en-
velOpe.
"NIy Ginger"
She picked up the letter. 1t wa
then she saw the velvet box. ShNl
opened It curiously-a small diamond.
in an ld-fashioned setting-her moth
ers engagement ring that Helen had
worn for sixteen years. Ginger held
1t in her hand long time. and stared
into the dim recesses of the dusty OLD
room with grave, glad, wondering
eyes. This was to her symbol Of
Helen's trust. u
IF I'm not whole lot better after
this, I'm whole TOT worse than
think | am" she decided finally. II
know Helen expects me to keep a
mOtherly eye on father and the twins.
and | shall not disappoint her Oh.
how pleased she'll he when she hears
abOul my home for fhe blind"
There was certain confidence In
her manner as she slipped the small
gold band upon her finger. After all
already. she had taken the family
affairs in charge. The first links of
her chain were firmly forged.
(TO BE CONTINUEDl