The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-05-27
CHAPTER xII-Continued


--16-
Don heard! Nora knew that he
heard. His head turned little.
Something that tried valiantly to be
smile, flickered for one brave mo-
ment across his face A gong
sounded A voice: "This way,
Bill. Room for another here :"
The ambulance swallowed him
while Leonora struggled to get near
swallowed him bore him
She reached out, trembling from
head to foot She touched the wet
arm of a fireman.
please, can you tell me-is-is
he ="
The man wheeled-faced her.
"You mean that teller we just
brought out, lady? He's hurt bad.
Stayed under the balcony for hours
tryin' to free a child that was
pinned down. Time and again he
was told to quit-that any minute
the balcony was due to fall-but he
just stayed there-kept on workin'.
And not five seconds after he passed
the kid to safety the thing collapsed.
Tough, amt it? 1t took three of us
an hour to uncover him. Say! I
take off my hat to guy like him!
never saw-My God, lady! isis
he anything to your"
"He-he is my husband" said
Nora proudly; and then, suddenly
conscious of pain that rent and tore
her, yet not forgetting the dear bur-
den that she carried, sank gently
down into the drifted snow.
On an October evening nearly
three years later, James Lambert
went slowly up the stairs to room
that Martha Berry called "my par
lor." It was a pleasant room with
crisp white ruff1ed curtains at the
windows, and scarlet square COW
ering its center table; room as
prim and orderly as Martha her.
self, yet with a home-like quality
about it too. It was here that both
Ned and Nora had brought their
childhood troubles to be smoothed
away by Martha's gentle hand. 1t
was here Though he did not sus-
pect the fact) that James Lambert,
during the years of Morals absence,
had brought his.
This was Martha's birthday.
James never forgot the date, partly
because it was Ned's birthday too,
and years ago they had celebrated
the event together; partly because
it was his habit to remember the
anniversaries which most men for
get. Martha was not quite well, and
the fact troubled him. She had been
the prop and stay of his household
for so many years. She had moth
cred his children, and, James adj
mitted with little smile, mothered
himself as we'll They must take
care that nothing saddened this
faithful woman as she grew old.
The door to Martha's parlor
stood wide open. She was expect
ing him. A fire burned in the small
coal crate, and his accustomed
chair was waiting by the hearth.
Martha was waiting too. Her work
basket and copies of church week.
ly which usually occupied the center
table, had been put away to make
room for a display of birthday gifts;
a vase of roses from Corinne and
Ned; cake, her narae in fancy
pink frosting on the top. gilt bas-
ket filed with stuffed dates; gray
knitted bedshoes; gloves; two
books, and a lace-edged handker-
chief, obviously yellowed from be-
ing laid away.
James, glancing at the table,
knew that he was expected to ex-
claim and admire. When it came
to birthdays Martha was something
of a child. Now, though she looked
up with her customary smile of
greeting. he saw the unmistakable
trace of recent tears. It was dis
tinct shock. Never before had Mar
tha's clear gray eyes been cloud
ed. He said, despite his inner per-
turbation: Happy birthday, Mar
thai" and producing small, white
package from his coat pocket, pre-
scented it.
Martha said, as she had said on
every previous occasion of the same
sort: "You shouldn't have done it,
Mr.. Lambert" and proceeded to
unite the cord with the eager fingers
of one who was very glad he had!
Those fingers trembled as she
held aloft the beautiful gold chain
with its drop Of fiawless amethyst
which was James I.ambert's gift.
Save for a watch which Nora had
given her years before, Martha had
never owned SO valuable an orna-
ment. Regarding her closely, James
saw that she was thrilled; though
all she said was to repeat: "You
shouldn't have done it, Mr.. Lam
bert. When can an old woman like
me wear anything SO fine?"
Every day." he answered,
pleased that the trinket had made
Z her smile. That's what it's for,
Martha. And now. what have we
here?" He moved toward the ia
= HE ssf3aver,'f vo,i Jared even het-