The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1937-04-15

very tartly for him. "If we 60
down the road to the bridge we
can see out both ways and find
it again. You didn't expect it would
60 right along shining beside the
road like an auto light, did your"
and Tommy, holding his sisters
hand, walked on briskly until, as
they rounded the curve and came
up to the bridge, he almost shouted.
There it is again bright as never
was! I guess the best way win be
for US to stay right on the road
until we get real close"
The words had barely left his
lips, when a hubbub came from the
direction Of the house. and the full
cry baying Of Toby sounded. COM
ing straight toward them.
"Oh, he'll find US and spoil it all"
walled Tommy dancing up and
down in his disappointment, which
ended almost as soon as 1t began.
for the moment that the dog reached
them he ceased giving tongue. and
in a paroxysm Of Joy bounded about
them all excitement at the scent
OF the many trails held down by
the frost, then paved the ground
and seemed to ask them to take
him with them for q walk.
Stumbling along the road full Of
frozen ruts. the children were con-
tinually stopping to get breath; yet
as loon ~ they barred their faces
the keen wind lashed them cruelty.
Sometimes when for several min
utes they lost sight Of the Star. Bess
would begin TO cry and then IN.
other glimpse would make her wipe
her eyes on the rough mittens and
push on.
After they had Travelled something
over . mile in this way Tommy
began 10 realize that not only was
he growing tired. but that Bess was
hanging so heavily on his arrA that
he was bearing half her weight
Az he hesitated. wondering Il they
must turn back and give up the
quest and the surprise, there came
a break in the trees that had walled
the road to this point and the out
line Of a fence and some low build.
ings seemed to block the way.
which, in fact, merely curved sharp.
ly. A few steps more and Tommy
gave a cry of surprise for directly
ahead, only q few rods further on.
was the great Star. Moreover il
seemed to have come nearer and
to stand still in the sky above .
long, low shed.
cts our Star and it isn't NOV.
ing away from us any more; it's
stopping over the house to waiti
Wake up. Bess, we've found the
place. See, we r coming to the
door and I al e a light through
the crack"
Thus encouraged, Bess made .
final effort, and the two half-frozen
children, with the hound following
close behind and shifting the air
suspiciously, came to a large,
square, wooden door that surely did
not belong to an ordinary house. a
door without latch or handle. Tom
my waited a second to rub his hands
so that he could feel and then
knocked, while Toby threw back his
head and gave a bay that sent the
echoes %scurrying from rock to rock
up and down the glen. Is
Heavy footsteps trod across a
floor that was old and loosely laid.
There was a pause and the sound
Of two voices, n deep pitched and
the other very faint and low. A bar
by which the door was fastened
turned in its socket. and a man,
spanning the doorway with his arm,
peered into the darkness. It took
him q full minute to see and COM
prehend the group huddled on the
step. then he opened the door only
wide enough for them to enter with
out letting in the wind, at the same
time calling over his shoulder -
There's nothing to be afraid Of,
Marie. it's only a couple Of lost
children and q dog"
Expectation, and the relief Of Zee
ing people and getting out OF the
darkness and cold. struggled for
precedence. and Tommy. while un-
wrapping himself. looked about the
long. low-rafted place. little better
finished than q barn. and his hope
quickly turned to realization.
no BE CONTINUEDl