The Coolidge examiner., 1933-08-18

farm of Mr.. and Mrs. Iwlckham. 1t
was located in region for the most
part taken up with big estates.
Hope hadn't felt so foolish at first.
She had gone to pieces after her
break with Bob Johnson. Perhaps
the old family doctor sensed the real
situation. He had known both Hope
and Bob since their childhood.
You're worn out, Hope.' he had
told her.
"Yes-Tm worn out" she an
swered. I've been going to too many
parties and things"
TOO many parties-yes. You need
a rest. l know just the place for
you. It's on farm up in the Berk-
shires. The Twickhams are old
friends of mine"
That was the way Hope found her
self settled in a real farmhouse.
A week after her arrival she
started out one sultry, overcast aft
ernoon-thinking motoring would be
less breathless than sitting on the
shady porch or under the old,
gnarled apple tree by the side of
the house. She hadn't gone far when
q sharp thunderstorm broke and she
turned for refuge into the driveway
of a small cottage on the edge of a
village. II wasn't a pretentious
place at ala little white Colonial
house done over just enough to make
! il charming. AS Hope ran back to
the house from the garage where
she had parked her car-she noticed
that it was two-car garage, so she
didn't mind mOnopolizing half of it
she thought of the trees only as a
menace.
She let the big knocker drop,
sending its loud summons through
| the little house. Nobody answered
it, though she sounded it again and
again. Then, in a lull for moment,
she ran round to the back of the
house, tried the back door, and
slammed it shut behind her as it
gave to her push.
The kitchen was in almost dead
darkness. outside the black clouds
seemed to settle closer and closer
down over the roof.
1t was a cosy kitchen in which
she found herself-brlght with red
and white gingham curtains, clean
with blue and gray paint. a box of
groceries was on the table, a kettle
hummed softly on the coal stove.
Thoughts of tea and toast came into
Hopes mind. 1t was one thing 10
take refuge from a terrible storm
in somebody's kitchen; it was an
other TO make a feast of tea and
toast and the Jar Of marmalade you
saw sticking from somebody's gro
cery order.
A resounding knock echoed through
the house, but 1t was so mixed up
with thunder that for a moment
Hope wasn't sure what 1t meant.
But it sounded a second time and a
third, and at last she realized that
somebody was pounding on the front
door knocker. Cropping through the
strange dark dining room and living
room and hall, she finally found the
door. She couldn't see clearly, and
bungled with the opening.
THE knob sticks, Mrs. Tracy"
came a cheerful voice through the
door-and Hopes heart stood still.
1t was Bob. "Give Ii an extra twist
to the right and it'll come Open"
Hope twisted it smartly to the
right, and almost fell backward into
the dim hall as the door came open
in her hand.
That's fine, Mrs. Tracy. I'm Mr..
light in the kitchen so l knew you
were here. left the back door
open for you-had TO run down to
the post Office, and got caught in
the storm. Awful good of you to
promise to look after me. You see
I've been a little tired out, and my
old doctor recommended this village
and this house as a good place to
rest up, and his wife remembered
that you sometimes helped out the
summer people So l wrote you,
and here you are. l wonder if l
could have some tea and toast-and
maybe some marmalade? l ordered
things at the grocery, and they're
on the table"
Hope shrank back into the dark
ness, found the door into the back
entry, and faded away into the
shadows. Once more in the bright
kitchen, she set quickly about max
ing tea-and toast. She spread the
pretty china she found in the cup
boards on a table under the window,
and as she Drowned the bread over
! the Goals her cheeks flushed with
heat and excitement. Perhaps-it
hadn't been such serious quarrel
between Bob and her. They were
both too stubborn, that was the trOu-
Bile. But nothing that little ex-
planning wouldn't cure Perhaps
The door opened, and Bob came
blinking into the kitchen. He had
ohviouSlv changed his wet things for