Evening star., 1932-09-04

into Winter quarters. Inside, Ruth
Vanderburg stared out of the window
at the mountain of mist rolling up the valley
and shivered. Then she r7solutely picked up her
broom again, taking grim pleasure in the fact
that her sweeping bothered Ed He sat back
of the stove hunched over piece OF brown
paper upon which he was laboriously figuring
with stubby pencil. She drove the broom peril
ously near him and he looked up pucker OF
annoyance between his eyes.
Cant yer sweep scmewheres else?' he de-
manded.
Got to git the room clean" she returned
shortly sending miniature tornado of dust
toward him.
He coughed and bsat hasty retreat to the
other side of the stove where he seated HIM
self and surveyed her in silsnce for moment.
WHY don't yer set down fer while?" he
asked, not unkindly.
"Set!" she flared Better ter wear out than
ter rust out as Nav alters says It's nothin'
else but work. No movies. Mo-
He jumped to his feet, his face flushed.
'"Thet's the second time terday you've said
movies ter me! It's thet johnson feller thets
put them inter yer head"
We'll, an ef'n he did! He's sorry fer me
stuck off here without nothin' ter lcok at an
nothn' ter do. He asst me why didn't yer git
a job in the city"
''He did, did hel" Ed said, his voice omni-
oTsly calm. I'll thank him to mind his busi-
ness!"
Yer kin live there so easy" she went on.
"An' it's like party all the time-people an
lights an 'everythin'. He sorry fer me-
Yer said that before!" Ed shouted his voice
hoarse. III be sorry fer him efn he comes
around here agm, buttin' inter my affairs!
What's he don here anyway"
"Sellin' things an yer know it"
well I'm buyin nothin'," he said grimly
"An' I'm spendin' no money on movies nor
an all. Sch nonsense never heard!"
Her eyes filled with tears. She went over to
him and laid her hand on his arm.
Ed 1 didn't mean harm. Mr.. johnson
SAYS
Leave him OUTER it
But got ter tell yer what he said! He says
that in the city thousand people go by yer
winder in a minute. A whole thousandi Gee,
wouldn't like ter it,
He took her roughly by the shoulders.
"Believin everythin' lyin' sissy like him
tells yer!" he sneered. Shame on yer
thought yer had better sense Git one idea
inter yer head, though"
"What?" she asked.
I'm done with him comm inter my house!
Ef'n he comes back, don't yer let him in
She made answer and he gave her a little
shake.
Dyer hear? Ef'n keteh him here I'll throw
him out an break his pretty neck fer him!"
CHE wrenched herself away from him and
~ going to the window, stood with her back
to him.
Dyer hear?" he repeated.
"Yes, hear" she said mutinously. An I
think yer the meanest man in the world The
only comp'ny 1 got!"
He went over to a peg and taking down
his mackinaW, put it on.
An dyer know what think?" he asked.
"I think yer goin' crazy!" and with that part
ing shot went out of the door, slamming it
behind him
For one stunned instant she stared at it,
and then she rushed to it and tore it open.
"Ed!' she called. I'm not. Don't yer
say that!"
He was trudging dogedly down the road,
and if he heard her, he gave no sign.
Slowly she closed the door again and dropped
down the floor burying her face on the
seat of the rocking chair.
I'm not" she walled. I'm not!"
He had voiced her innermoSt terror. Some
times when the swirled around the house,
smothering it like a great feather bed, she
had thought strange thoughts and she had
wondered if she were getting queer like Mrs
Roe cross lots" Mrs. Roe had been pretty
once, some one had said though no one
would think it now to see her leathery face
and dull lusterless eyes. Ruth had some
times looked at herself in the little mirror on
the wall and wondered if her hair would
grow straight and stringy and all the light
go out of her face until it looked like burned
out candle. Nothing much had happened in
Mrs. Roe's life. She had cooked and borne
children, even as Ruth doing, and the
mists had rolled up the valley year after year.
"Oh God, don't let mel" she cried and then
she fcll into a passion of weeping.
The sound reused the baby who was taking
his nap On the bed in the next room, and he
set up a wall in sympathy. She went to him
and gathering his little form close, rocked him
until he dropped OF again. The warmth and