Evening star., 1937-10-03
Magazine Section

the path. He looked at her, puzzled. There's
woman with them n"
"Yes," said Harriet steadily. "Jim's mar
ried; it's his wife"
He didn't say anything, but just stood
there staring at her in bewilderment. Twice
he opened his mouth to speak, but no words
came. He seemed to be trying to tell her
something, and his lips and eyes worked like
helpless animals that knows distress Jim's
shout of greeting jerked him back to himself.
He raised his massive arm and waved it
awkwardly. A moment later Jim was intro
ducing Millie: This is Joseph, Millie"
"Oh," said Milie. There was little silence
before she added, with tinge of reserve,
'Is he a relative, too?"
Jim said quickly. We're all relatives on
farm
But Joseph blurted out in his uncompromis-
ing way, That's nice of Jim but I'm Just
the hired man." He gathered up the valises
under his strong arms and strobe into the
house with them.
Goodness" said Millie, looking after him,
hes the image of Boris Karloff in Franken-
stein = he gives me the creeps."
Joseph wouldn't hurt a fly" protested
Harriet swiftly. Hes the gentlest person in
the world, and don't mind his ugly face;
there's something beautiful about it,
Beautiful Mile gave little screech of
derision. "Oh well. never mind" she added
slyly, I'm sorry; see I've put my foot in it,
my mistake -" She winked at Jim. "Why
didn't you tell me?"
Tell you what?" asked Jim.
Harriet didn't know what she meant either.
Eyes, what? What's there to tell?"
Listen" said Millie. "You can't fool your
auntie about love I'm too smart"
Harriet drew her breath in sharply. Il
don't know what you mean" she stammered.
mo, you don't know what mean," Mille
broadly mimicked.
Jim pursed his lips in low whistle "Sa-ay,"
he said. on long note of incredulity. us
there really something to it, Freckle-Face?"
Harriet flushed to the roots of her hair
"Of course notp' she cried.
Don't believe her!' Millie insisted with
gleeful malice "You can tell by the way he
looks at her that he's crazy about herr
1T isn't true" repeated Harriet in despera-
ton. Then she began to laugh HISTORICALLY
Millie was so smart, was she? You couldn't
fool her about love? She turned on her heel
and ran into the house, choking with sobs.
She stumbled into Joseph as he came down
from taking the luggage up to Jim's room. He
saw that she was crying, and caught her in
kind of frenzy by the shoulders His big ugly
face wore the grandeur of stupendous emo
ton. Don't do that!' he commanded
hoarsely. 'You mustn't be unhappy like
that, won't let you" The sound of his
own voice seemed to frighten him. He dropped
his hands and the passion went out of him.
I'm sorry" he muttered, and went out to the
barn.
Harriet stood motionless. Was Millie right
after all? Had it needed an outsider an in
truder to point it out? Oh, but it couldn't be!
Her heart ached with new misery in her
breast. Poor Joseph! Was he suffering. for her,
the same longing that she knew for Jim? A
veil seemed to be torn from her eyes, and she
read with bitter clarity the timid, inarticulate
declarations of his love. Poor Joseph" she
whispered aloud. Poor all of U.s. )" Everything
was so complicated all at once. Peace and
security had vanished.
All through supper it was as if there was
storm brewing. It might have come from in
side the house, or it might have been in the air