Evening star., 1934-04-09
CHAPTER XVIII.
-y&rrr,Yr,o ETvTyED

JUDITH DALE stepped to the
door to greet the natives of
Big Tom Town. She expected
~ to see the same scraWny, III
nourished crowd she had LETT
there eight months before. True, Big
Tom had arranged loans for the heads
of the families and she herself mad
arranged to have cases of canned milk
sent in. but even at that she was un-
prepared for the change.
The people who stood before her
were not cowed, broken, lifeless in
dividuals, they were sturdy, self
respecting land people. The new
confidence born in them with proper
nourishment and hope for the future,
showed in the carriage of the men,
the clothing of the women.
Miss Lane . that is Mrs. Dale"
Scoggins, the leader, was speaking
in a sonorous voice, I'VE have come
to bid you welcome to the city Of
your
But Judith had spied the children.
The small one who had hovered close
to her boots months before was back,
tugging at her hand. She looked
down into a rosy, smiling face.
''Delphy," she cried to the old
woman, "see them, look at this
precious butter ball and only
last August she was as thin as
rail oh, and Tommy Scoggins
come here, you immense creature :.
and look at little Timothy, if he isn't
the picture of health"
I,,sE
all without your special food, you
sent him." declared Scoggins.
Judith was suddenly contrite-"1
interrupted your nice welcoming
speech; can you forgive me?"
Scoggins laughed with the others
Don't need to make one now. We
folks got to thinking. Now that Miss
Judy's got s5,OOO,OOO and been livin'
swell and wearin' grand clothes. we'd
better try to act up to her
but, pshaw," he exclaimed, here you
come back in your same old clothes
we admired so much, an likin' our
kids. You don't need no speech to
make you know you're welcome, you
kin see how We feel 'thout us usin'
big words"
You bet I can, Mr.. Scoggins
oh, say, how's your garden doing this
year; you've had more rain, haven't
you?"
Miss Judy you should see
my pole beans"
"Pole BEANS" scoffed Duniway,
"why, they amt nothin'. I'll bring
you up a mess of crookedneck squash
fore his beans get more'n blossoms
on them"
Have you ordered your trees yet,
Mr.. Scofield?" she asked a small. shy
man on the outer fringe.
Sure have. Miss Judy, waiting for
the dam to be in fore their deliv-
ered though, SOS they won't get
washed out fore they are rooted"
Miss Judy" spoke up his wife,
"remembor them rags I was about to
burn and you told me not to? Well,
I dyed them like you said and 1 got
the prettiest crocheted rug in Big
Tom Town"
An hour later a distracted Del
phinium located Slim Sanford in-the
main office on the brink of the cut
MAS Slim" she puffed, ''if you don't
come long up there an light that
contraption in my kitchen. Miss
Judy won't never get nothin' to
eat what with that stove and
that passel of folks sittin' there brag-
GIN bout who's got the spinkinest
garden, I'm a mind to pack her home,
bag and baggage. Ten O'Clock, Mas
Slim, 10 in the mo'nin an she amt
had her orange juice yet"
Judith was writing when they
reached the house, writing a letter
with fine, firm strokes of the pen.
There was no hesitation now no
nibbling of pen-end for words. They
came clearly as though spoken in an
inciSive voice.
Dear Norman: I know how un-
eXplainable my conduct must seem
to you. I won't insult you with an
apology. I have followed my con-
victionS, just as you have followed
yours. Some day I hope that we
may understand each other better.
Our love, at least my love for you,
is not in question. It is true and
steady, but had I stayed to forget
my trust, it would have turned to
bitterness.
I am comfortably housed in a
shack built by the boys, in the lee
of the rock where we sat through
the storm. Delphy, as Lige may
have told you, followed me to the
depot, insisting upon accompany