Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1930-07-31
tPubliahed By special Advancement with The
Chicago Tribune Syndicate)
Copyright: 1890: BY Ethel Lima White)
IN TWO PARTS-PART ONE

IN TWO PARTS-PART ONE
THE world seemed to end at Pyman's
Corners and pile itself up in a greer
wash of trees. Although it was still
afternoon, the autumn mists had veiled
the evergreen shrubs in Miss Luck's
moist, leaf-strewn garden so that the
lawn seemed peopled with crouching
forms.
Standing at her parlor window, Miss
Luck thought of churchyard lights
the whisper in the lane-the footsteps
on the stairs-all the old nursery tales
Of horror and fear. In appearance,
however, she looked more than a match
for man or ghost. A tall, massive
woman, she wore an iron gray suit
cut on masculine lines; her powerful
shoulders and muscular back suggest
ed almost ruthless strength. Sne
turned her head and the illusion van
ished. Her face was a mere handful
Of little, indefinite features over which
peered timid eyes.
Fay" she bleated, in a small, weak
voice, Il saw "a tree move in the
garden
The younger Miss Luck, a feather
weight of a girl with a small, pale face
and short, dark elf locks, laughed. Did
it? Now, that's quite interesting. Sup
pose we have a look at it,"
AS she rose and put her arm within
that Of her aunt the enormous lady
felt a sudden gust of courage. for this
tiny creature was more than her niece
and companion. She was her pro-
tector. Together they peered into the
gloomy garden, nearly submerged in
that strange medium-the shade be
tween the lights" And Immediately
the creeping, misted trees stopped in
their advance and stiffened into the
definite holly or laurel.
where's your wonderful tree?" asked
Fay.
Miss Luck laughed in her relief. She
did not know that she was unable to
point it out to her niece because it
had crept so much closer to the cot
tage that it was lurking behind the
pillars of the porch.
Draw the curtains and let's be snug,
Felicia" she said.
Il love to be called Felicia" COM
mented Fay. Being small, my name
gives such chances to be obvious"
Il know" Miss Luck nodded. Il
always wish l had been called Grace.
After Grace Darling, you know. It's
my ambition and dream to save life"
She squared her massive shoulders
and flung back her head, every inch
a heroine. At this moment she could
have faced lions or raging seas. Be-
cause-at this moment-the Witched
garden was shut out by thick wine red
curtains; the comfortable room glowed
with light from lamp and fire; the
gilt clock told her that it was only q
quarter to five. And. on the rug. was
a small, dark girl in a leaf brown
jersey and kilt.
Unfortunately, she saw the smile Fay
tried to suppress. 1t made her writhe
with secret shame. 1t was in vain that
she reminded herself that she was a
lady of considerable wealth and, as
such, an object Of interest to her fam
lily. She could always depend upon
some niece eager to keep her COM
pany' in her Sussex cottage.
In spite of her armor of frigid dig
nifty, she was the meekest soul, at
heart. A street urchin could make
her quail by a shouted insult. She
never rode in an omnibus because she
feared the angry glances of the pas
Sengers she crushed. She allowed
tradespeople to o%vercharge her rather
than risk a scene.
OF course, the poor lady was really
to be pitied, since her coWardice was
chiefly due to a deficient pituitary
gland. Nature had given her the frame
Of an Amazon with the heart of a
mouse. Her fault lay in not trying to
control her nerves. Because of this
she was doomed to a terrible moment
when her whole nature hung crucifiec
with suffering and shame.
AS Fay remained silent, Miss Luck
tried to force her to an admission
did you hear how that gardener you
-I-discharged described me to FL
isie?" she asked. He said I was
fat old coward. Really fantastic!"
Really insolent," said Fay, severely
II confess it made me laugh.
Now, would you call me a coward?"
Fay noticed that the tip Of her aunt.
nose quivered, as it always did, in mo.
ments of emotion. In spite Of he
natural contempt, she suddenly fell
very sorry for Miss Luck. Fortunately