Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1946-05-10
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Kessler, why doesn't he ever say
so?"
II suspect it's because he knows
what's going on in your mind, lot
better than you think"
"You mean," she said bitterly,
he knows his father and I aren't fit
to be told. Because we have failed
him terribly"
| Would you believe me If I told
you loved your son, Mrs. Herlong?
l do love him. He's so much like
the son used to think I might
have"
You never had any children, did
you? Margaret told me this after
noon you adopted her after her par
ents died."
mo, never had any children" he
returned steadily. "That was an
other of the things the war made
impossible"
"oh," she said family. After a
moment she exclaimed, "Yet you
have conquered, Mr.. Kessler. You
have gone on living, living well and
nobly, in world that left you abso-
lutely nothing to live for. How did
you do it? 1t seems strange that I
who have everything should turn to
you who have nothing, and say
Please help me- But do. Be-
cause right now it seems that it is
you who have everything and l who
have nothing. Will you help me?"
He asked, "Do you want me to try
to tell Dick what he's being asked
to fight for?''
eyes! Can you? Will your"
"Ill try. I'll do my BEST
THANK you! You can do it bet
ter than I can. You've seen it. And
you are so wise, so gentle, so-how
can say it? mean you're the only
man 1 know I'd trust to do it WE'LL"
There was brief silence, then he
said, "And your"
"I'I take it, Mr.. Kessler. Forgive
me for being such coward"
Margaret was going to have a
Christmas party for some Of her
schoolmates, and Elizabeth suggest
ed that she and the two older chill
dren come to Kessler's apartment
one afternoon to decorate the Christ
mas tree. AS it was hard to buy
ornaments in the stores they brought
their own, part of an abundance left
over from earlier holidays. Margar-
ct was there, jumping with excite
ment while Kessler looked on. He
liked Christmas, and enjoyed her
pleasure in it. While he was show
ing Elizabeth the silver fountain pen
Spratt had given him as Christmas
present, Dick was dragging in a
ladder, and calling to Elizabeth to
move out of his way. We'll start
at the top" he said, setting up the
ladder by the tree and beginning to
climb. "You hand me the junk,
Cherry"
With Elizabeth's assistance, Cher
ry handed up the junk. Margaret
helped, her arms full of tinsel and
her eyes wide and joyous. cts just
beautiful" she kept saying over and
over. cts just beautiful.
She got close against the resplend-
ent tree and looked up through the
branches. Il can see you up there,
Dick! Look at me-"
He bent down, scratching his face
on the branches. Sure, see you.
Hello" AS he leaned over, a collec-
ton of glass balls slipped out of his
hand and smashed on the floor at
her feet.
"Oh!" Margaret cried in dismay.
ut doesn't matter" Cherry reas-
sured her, there are plenty more"
you've hung up about all it will
hold, anyway" Kessler observed as
the door opened and the housekeeper
came in to tell Margaret her supper
was ready. Margaret shrank back
against the tree, looking down at
the broken glass before her.
Tim scared" she confessed.
II might fall down and get cut
Eyes, so you might" Elizabeth
agreed. Come give her a lift,
Dick"
"Okay. Wait minute, Margaret"
| Dick scrambled down from the
ladder. Remarking that he had
jolted some lights out of place, Cher
ry climbed up to adjust them. Dick
reached across the broken glass.
Put your arms around my neck
and hold tight so l can lift you,
Margaret. There you are. She'll be
along in a minute" he said to the
housckecpcr. and as she went out
he swung Margaret across the pile
of glass and set her down. "Right?"
he asked her.
She nodded. Fright, thank you.
I'm always scared of falling down
on broken things. l fell down once,
and got bad cut on my neck. See?"
She drew the collar of her dress
aside.
Dick bent to look at the scar she
showed him. why, you did get
bad cut. How did that happen?"
"a man kicked me-" said Mar
garet, land l fell down."
"What?" said Dick.