Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-18

thing happened In tne morning, DuC IL Htauc
no impression upon Anne It didn't really
matter If he were thief as well, If one were
robbed of money after life has been stolen
first. She recalled now her unce's remark
once that she'd be lucky If he didn't rob her
when he went A splinter of wood under the
cash table in the dining room had brought
her attention to the fact that the little drawer
had been broken into and $3.50 taken.
She did not even think of it again until
evening perhaps an hour before dinner. when
a stranger apparently from Bedford, hurried
in and asked to speak to the proprietor. you
see lady, TIM" He turned back his coat
and flashed his badge. Thought maybe you
could help us, because the fellow we want has
been working the valley, and he's probably
been here"
YES" said Anne listlsssly ''he's been here
a long time. But he left last night"
The detective took out photograph This
the man?"
Anne took the picture and gave little stare,
She was looking into the challenging, assured
gaze of that blue-eyed young man. EYES," she
said that's the man. He robbed our cash
drawer last night at perhaps $50. then drove
off toward the city," And SO Graham Thorne.
If not man, was, at least. not a thief
After dinner she was standing by that little
white fence. watching the stars come out and
thinking and trying not to think. Her Uncle
he asked at once.
What do you mean, how is hep" she said,
Hes happy suppose. He's gone"
Uncle Tom said nothing for q few minutes
Then: Il was even convinced myself, and
when he didn't show up for work today
thought maybe that fall had hurt him more
than he thought"
against the top of her head. but her voice be-
trayed nothing. ooh, he had q fall?"
Yes. You know the two Becker brothers
They were working on the new warehouse roof
with Graham and one of them slipped and
almost fell to the ground
Graham rushed to help him and went over
himself. He fell nearly 80 feet and hit his
back"
And he hadn't been drinking?"
only what poured into him to bring him
to-" s
A CRY escaped her. ooh, it was true
Where is ne? Where did he 20, Uncle
Tom" Her voice rose Historically and she
broke away from him and ran to the gate
She was out Of it, running up that curvina
highway before he could stop her
bue ne found her later, Sobbing against a
bank where she'd thrown herself nearly half
a mile up the road. Come on Anne" he said
Its time to go home"
1t was Mrs. rockingham who made the
NAASASASC All 6a1tuG k1aZarQS I10. aItb0uph IN
IL naont been she 1t would have been some-
body else. Anne never heard of Mrs Froth-
mgham, and, in fact, she dweIt many miles
away from the city and the valley and the
village, in another valley that she admired
quite as much as Anne admired hers
IL was one night In September when Mrs
Frothingham opened her kitchen door and be.
nelo tramp, rather dirty, tattered and dis
neveled fellow, but with fine face. She did
not even think he was so very drunk
yes, she said. allowing him no chance to
speak, yes, Ill give you O cup Of coffee and
save the argument. You don't look like q
tramp"
It used to be all right in my better DAYS"
he said.
Some girl turned you down, SUPPOSE
"You suppose right" he said ct tried being
man, but she wouldn't believe I could he.
don't blame her. Nobody would believe it,
What difference does that maker" she de-
manded. And then Mrs rockingham said the
thing that made the difference in Anne
Hazards life. What difference does it make
who believes you're q man. If you know it
yourself. Nobody's q man who needs ANYBODY
but himself to prove It,"
Say that again, madam, will you?" When
She repeated her remark he thought for q long
time. and then he said: "Perhaps I'll take a
whirl at it. How far is Bedford from here?
That's where I'd have to begin. I left a bust
.ieSo M mole Cnere nve years ago. It's still
IN tne same hole. deeper. What will you bet
I can't pull it out in six months?"
Spring was in the valley again. But Anne
Hazard did not wait any more to see if any
one would come who would know how beautiful
the valley was or had once been.
So she didn't see Graham Thorne jump out
OF his car and leap the little fence. canine"
ne called out to her. "let's go up to the field
and watch that sun 60 down"-just as though
1t were yesterday. And he looked Just the
same. except that he wore his own tailored
clothes and that ne was. If anything, a little
DIT harder and finer even than he had been
before
Your beautiful valley" he said, "I've come
hack To IL Anna xnar naaxa 49, 49, -