Evening star., 1939-02-19

farmhouse which was Miss Matilda
Shreves' abode appeared so forbidding
that Tweedy went around to the back
of the house. Hens scattered on his ap-
proach and an old shaggy dog reused
from where he lay on the grass to bark.
as much in greeting as in warning. A
smell of fresh baking hung on the air.
eyes, I'm Matilda Shreves. What
oyou want?" She was spare and erect.
She had pewter -grayeye whichlooked
squarely at Tweedy, waiting.
He explained the reason for his call.
so you're doing life of Phoebe? l
heard someone'd come to Grafton for
that" She laughed and it had pleas
ant, hearty sound. Take a chair.
Don't know that can help you any.
Never had time to read Phoebe's
books"
mot about her books - herself,
Miss Shreves - when child -
'Humph" Miss Shreves deftly
turned a bread tin upside down and
looked at the crusty loaf deposited on
the spotless table. "She was funny
young one. always making up things.
Spoiled, too. and had to have her own
way. And she never changed any, ex-
cept to get worse. Maybe she got
famous but never saw that as any ex-
cuse to be stricter than the Lord God
Almighty himself with Will Lattimer.
and that girl of hers. They never could
call their souls their own! Take when
Alice got engaged to Jim Pardee. a
neighbor lad Alice had known since
she was little thing - but no. when
it come to marrying, he wasn't good
enough and Phoebe had to raise big
to-do and Jim went off and the next
thing heard he'd bespoke some girl out
west. If they'd waited - well, Phoebe
isn't saying what's what. now
''Oh -- Oh" murmured Tweedy to
himself He wanted to embrace the
outspoken Miss Matilda Shreves. In
stead he asked her if she would give
him a slice of the fresh bread. lie sat
in complete ease and sense of we'll
being and ate the bread she spread
generously with sweet butter and
drank the glass of buttermilk she
poured for him and told her that it re-
minded him of summer vacations at
his grandmother's when he was kid.
Matilda Shreves was drinking but
termilk and over her glass she consld-
cred Tweedy. her gray eyes twinkling.
Il was thinking. you're the sort
Phoebe'd have approved. You got a
city air and you're bookish. Too bad
she can't know you're writing about
her; it'd set her up. She dotted on
praise
Tweedy was sorry when he had no
excuse to stay longer. He thanked her.
For the bread and butter. guess"
she chuckled. II warned you couldn't
give you any posies for your bouquet
for Phoebe never did see eye to eye
with her in anything. You got the
wrong horse by the tail"
"Oh. no. Twecdy laughed
When he went to tho Lattimcr house
the next day and sat again with Alice.
in her mothers study. he caught HIM
self wondering if, her reserve broken
down. she would talk. as Matilda
Shreves had talked.
He had thought that she seemed
glad to see him when she met him at
the door With her in such a mood.
and with little effort on his part, he d
get through her she'll. But her open
relief when he said. Were almost
finished. Miss Lattimcr. put them
back where they were at the start.
He left the house in a highly irri-
tated mood. Damn it. he'd call the
jobfinished and go back to New York.
To give his spirit a pickup he dis
patched a telegram to Rita. Hold
everything Your hero's coming"
At five o'clock he played golf. To-
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