The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1934-10-12
BY Elisabeth Sanxay Holding

I to know better than to eat leaves. II
might be poisonous. What wa it?"
"Just q leaf" said Steve with a sigh
1T didn't kill James, did 1T"
Mrs. Porter was halted by that un-
! srrmountable fact.
IT want you to understand. Steve
she said, "that In the future"
AL right" he said, closing his eyes
Whatever you say"
Don't close your eyes while I'm talk
ing to you, Steve!"
He opened his eyes, raising his brows
and Mrs. Porter turned away.
IT won't be irritable" she thought
That's the very worst way to man.
She returned to the front of the
house to see If James had brought any
letters. But he had not come back; he
| was out in the road, in front of the
house next door, kicking up a cloud OF
dust. She was about to go into the
house when she saw an envelope in his
hand.
james," she called, and he came
running, with his elbows back and his
chin up, like a young Indian. He put
the letter on the gate post and ran off
to the back garden.
She took it up, and at the sight OF
the handwriting she paled a little. Then
| she tore it open.
Dear Lydia: Your letter, which I
got yesterday morning was more
than welcome. I appreciate your
generous and friendly attitude, and
I am certainly anxious to recipro-
cate. If it suits you, how about my
coming out on Saturday for lunch?
IF this Is not convenient, will you
telephone me at the office before
eleven? Otherwise I'll be along.
Give my love to the boys.
Yours sincerely,
Stephen.
With the letter in her hand she turn
ed toward the house and she was SC
happy that she sang to herself.
I'm so glad" she thought. IT could
MT bear there being any bitterness. I'm
so glad Stephen sees it as I do-that
, even if love has gone we can be friends
We can behave like decent, civilized
people. There's no i'll will between us
We found that we couldn't live hap
PLY together, and we've agreed to sep
arate, that's all. There's no blame or
either side."
Next autumn she wa going to send
the boys to board at that nice school
while she went to Reno to get the
divorce. Stephen had agreed to every
thing; there had been no pickering, nc
recrimination. He had himself offered
a very generous allowance to be paid
her for the children's support; he con-
coded her their custody, and she had
willingly agreed that he should see
them whenever he liked. She had sug-
gested their spending a weekend In
the city with him, but he had thought
it would be better if he came here the
first time.
"Weu take the whole thing as a
matter of course" he had written in a
previous letter. when they ask ques-
lions, just explain that you like to live
in the country and I prefer the city
on account of business. Well let them
see that W. meet as friends"
The queer part Of it was that neither
Steve nor James had asked any cues
lions. Every week Mrs. Porter told
them to write their father a nice let
ter, and they did; they always showed
her the letters to see if the spelling was
right, and they were the same imper-
sonal, stilted letters they had written
to her when they were in camp.
They don't seem to have much feel
lng," thought. stephen was al
ways such a wonderful father to them
! was afraid they'd miss him badly at
first. But they've never even asked if
he wasn't coming here"
She went into the kitchen where the
colored girl was cleaning the silver.
"Mr. Porter will be out for lunch
Annette" she said. Suppose you make
some OF your nice cornbread."
Yes, ma'am," said Annette. "But
what he want for dinner?"
H won't be staying for dinner
said Mrs. Porter, and she was astound-
ed to see, on the girls face, a wide grin.
It annoyed her u~nreasonably; she
left the kitchen in haste, because, OF
course, she could not ask Annette what
she meant by that knowing smile.
i can't expect her to understand
she thought. cts a new thing in the
world for a man and woman to be
friends. She probably doesn't believe
ne IS my husband at all. Well, what
does it matter what she thinks?"
With the letter still in her hand she
went u into the garden again to find
the boys. Steve was standing in the
path, talking to a red-haired boy in a
Scouts uniform.
"An right" Steve was saying. But
I bet you hollerl"
Il bet I DON'T" said the red-haired
boy loftily.
"Au right" said Steve. "Here!" And
he passed something which the red
haired boy put into his mouth.
"Steve!" said Mrs. Porter sternly.
He started, and turned with a guilty
smile. 49,