The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1939-09-08
THREE Shattered HOUSES
--===ByB BEN AMES WILLIAMS

the knoll, he was there as she ex-
pected. He saw her approaching and
was swift to meet her.
June stood still as he drew near,
and she was trembling and shaken.
He came toward her, his hands out
stretched; and without knowing
how, or caring, she was in his arms
land happy there.
II shouldn't have stayed with you,
yesterday" she said, after a long
time. 81 might have seen him
again, if I'd come home."
He urged: "June; June, you
couldn't have helped. And you liked
being with me, were happy. That's
what he'd have wanted for you"
II never was really afraid be-
FORE" she whispered. ''Not for my
self. But I am now, Clint. Oh, !
am now. Afraid for me and you"
"I'm going to take you away" he
cried. "Away from all this here!"
"You can't" she protested.
"Grandpa and Grandma Hurder-
they just have to have me there"
Yet she agreed by and by to meet
him that night, after the others
should all be abed.
They had supper before dark, in
June's kitchen. Rab had stayed
with Grandma Bowdon while Aunt
Evie ate her supper; but when his
mother relieved him, he came back,
and June served him, and he said
approvingly:
"You're carrying load, June.
Good lass. / wish / could give you
a hand"
ssIt's woman's business" she
told him. "You do more with them,
keep them going"
GIVE got to leave them tonight, !"
he confessed. 'tI'm due in court in
Providence in the morning. It's just
an appearance, but the judge down
there is crank. And have to
see my client tonight"
When he had finished, he went
home with Uncle Justus; but half
an hour later he stopped in again.
June was washing the last dishes.
Fathers gone to sleep in his
chair" he told her, smiling. "TIe'l
wake up and put himself to bed
by and by. I'm going over to say
good night to Mother and Grand
ma"
June nodded, intent upon the
dishes, intent upon her own
thoughts. 1t was half after seven.
Clint had said he would be waiting,
a little distance down the road, at
eight; but she had no hope of COM
ing to him so soon. Grandpa and
Grandma Hurder were in the sit
ting-room; and once she looked in
on them. They had not heard her
approach; and Grandpa Hurder was
just leaning over to pat Grandma s
hand where it lay on the arm of the
chair; June watched and her throat
swelled with tears unshed. And then
Asa came in. "Any water hot,
June?" he asked. "I've got to have
a cup of tea" He sat down while she
put the kettle on the stove, talked
to her casually till it boiled. She
found tea-ball, and he brought a
milk-bottle half empty from the ice
chest, and poured little milk into
the cup.
"There isn't any cream" she
said. "I'm sorry"
''Milk's all right if you use enough
Of it," he assured her, smiling in
that dry way he had. ''That's the
way with most things, June. Too
Titles starvation; too much is as
bad. But enough's all right" He
drank in little sips, watching her.
you're like a rosebud, swelling as
it gets ready to bloom"
And he declared: "Hey, you're
blushing, child. High time you
heard some pretty things about your
self, if your own cousin can make
you blush with compliment. He
put his arm around her, kissed her
cheek. Elbow about this Jervies fell
low?"
He saw her start with dismay.
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