Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1930-07-24
Wn.u. SERVICE


at once when she encountered him on
Michigan boulevard one November
afternoon after the Armistice. 1t was
late afternoon, and the sky was thick
enlng with dusk. VIII stood with his
shoulders against the great granite
blocks OF the library. looking out over
the heads of other people, Into the
mysterious beauty Of the clouds.
She stopped and looked at him, and
her heart missed a beat lest this be
some stranger who might respond too
boldly to her stare. But she was sure
1t was VIII. He did not see her at all,
and his Intense concentration coll
fjrmed her recognition OF him. II was
his old stare.
When she approached him and
touched his arm, his glance came back
from the clouds and rested on her
face, and he smiled. His smile was
charming. His whole eountenapce
broke up into different lines and
planes; his face seemed warmer,
nearer.
Hello, Ernestine," he said In
natural tone. did you get the bird
book?n
She laughed with delight
.eWill Todd, you are Incompatible.
They were shaking hands now and
laughing together. ITO think that you
remember me. after all this time.
Ten years-no twelvel But-of course
I got the bird book. | wrote and
thanked you for 1t Didn't you get
my letter.
She was conscious OF many things,
! OF his clothes, which were all wrong,
/ TOO bright and loud, each garment
! chosen without regard to the whole.
| He was too white. like a person al
ways indoors, and though lie was tall,
he was not at all robust. Yet he gave
a distinct impression of energy. mental
rather than physical. He seemed TO
Ernestine to be positively electrical,
the most alive person she had ever
known.
He put his hand within her arm and
turned her southwark, SO that they
walked shoulder to shoulder.
aNary a letter." he answered. Il
see now why have spent all these
! years misunderstanding you. And YOU
wrote me! My heart was broken
when was ten. I've never trusted Q
woman since
She laughed at his nonsense, but
with certain catch at her throat
When she was eight years old he made
a beautiful book of colored bird pic
lures for her and bound 1t. He haf
brought 1t from far out on the North
west side of Chicago, where he lived
to her home In Sheridan Park. SHE
had been ut dancing school that after
noon, and had never seen him since.
1T seems dreadful that you SHOULD
never have been thanked for the book
I wanted to go to see you again, bu
no one would take me. But | spen
a whole months allowance on a COR
ceous box of stationery with hngt
gold e on every page and wasted
] most OF It before had letter per
feet enough to send YOU
"I'l never have ii now" be said
ut isn't right
II suppose didn't address II cor
rectly. Somebody should have helped
me. But let me thank you now for tn
book, win. 1t was beautiful. | have
always treasured 1t. 1t was the onl,
thing had given to me that the give
made with his own hands"
Don't thank me yet" he said
drawing her into an entrance ant
pushing a gilded button for the ele
yator. Take tea with me, and thanl
me, In detail, and with repetitions."
AS they ascended In the elevator h
gave her arm little squeeze, sh'
looked up at his bright smile ant
smiled In return, memories fioodinI
over her. He had always smiled
charmingly. When he was child sh,
thought 1t was because he was LAM
that he smiled SO sweetly, but now
he was free from any impeachment tina
she could see.
Ernestine recalled the carpenter
wagon at the stone carriage block O
her mothers house. 1t was a brigh
green wagon, with a green and yellow
striped umbrella over the drivers seat
Old Peter Todd who worked for papa
had got down from this high seat ant
turned to help his son. He-Peter-
had come to repanel the dining room
for mamma AS the boys mothe
wasn't well, he explained, he'd had t
bring him. Ernestine had at once ex
tricated the tall thin boy, with meta
brace on one foot, from behind hi
father. He liked her. Silent witt
every one else he was gay and friend
ly with Ernestine. He had come witt
his father every day that summer
and they had played together from
morning till night. How kind man
ma had been to him Ernestine won
dered II mamma would be as kim
now7
She had never had SO nice play
mate. Perched perilously on the hig
wagon seat, she had gone home Wit
him and his father. The tiny hous