Hungry Horse news and Columbian. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1946-1948, 1947-09-05
CHAPTER VII

10 sleep. GeOrglne lay LOT a Willie
looking into the quiet darkness
and giving herself a stern fight
talk. What, after all, was the stu.
alton? An old woman had died
peacefully enough, four years age
in this house. Everyone seemed to
feel-for reasons that had not YET
fully appeared-that her death
had been FASTENED. Well, what OF
it? Everything had been serene
enough ever since. it was serene
now.
And yet
Under that serenity there was
something unfathomed; Nella Pea
body's nervousness, for instance,
which went deeper than the nor
NAL night fears of timid woman
without seeing it, you felt her
driven and haunted by some kind
of furies. She had talked for a
while with her guests, after they
returned from the doctors. Horace
and Mary Helen would never have
been living in her home, she con-
veyed, if old Judge Tillsit hadn't
wished it so strongly-commanded
it, was a better phrase.
Was it all question of money,
or was something queer behind it :?
Nella's mouth had curved in a very
odd smile when she said, 1.-THE
Judge is-more than kind to me"
Todd hadn't been able to resist
it. "a lille less than kin, and more
than kind" he murmured.
Nellas reserve of manner had
deepened. He'd see to it, of course,
that l wasn't in actual want. You
have seen all the food he sends in
from the farm, butter and cream
and bacon and chickens-anything
else I must have is just about COW
cred by the children's board
money, of course l can't take much
from them. Oh, they. wouldn't let
me starve. 1t wouldn't look well.
But if Gilbert and I couldn't scrape
up the money to pay the taxes-I
don't know just what would hap
pen to the house."
"All it's contents were willed to
him, you said," Georgine had men,
toned.
Eyes. I could sell something, per-
haps, if I had permission from him.
I wrote weeks and weeks ago, to
ask him what he wanted done, but
there hasn't been a letter for
some time. 1 wouldn't move, 1
wouldn't touch a thing, without
my husbands permission"
Barby started talking of the at
tic, almost as soon as she got up,
in tones of keen anticipation. "She
said I could look in all the old
she reported.
"Mrs. Peabody said," Georgine
corrected patiently.
"Uh-huh. Well, anyway, she said
there were lots of old things up
there, and 1 could dress up. Mann
ma, can 1 do it today? Oh, no, Vir-
1ett's comm to play. Well, if she
doesn't come, you know what I'm
goin' to do, Mamma? I'm goin' up
there-I promise not to go on the
little porch, honest I do"
That morning Mary Helen JEFF
ferson Crane came home. She came
Up the walk with an extraordinary
gait, halfway between trucking
md a short-stepped walk, and she
seemed to be hunming a song.
Georgine, standing well back
rom the window of her room and
observing this arrival, knew at
,nce that she had seen this girl
,efore. 1t was something about the
was it; this was the
voung woman who had been talk
ng to the jeweler yesterday noon.
Barby followed her gaze and
ushed to the window. She stood |
,azing for a moment. Then, her
dice almost breaking, she de-
handed, "Is that Cousin Dykes
,irl?"
Hush, Barby, she might hear
gu! Yes, 1 think it must be. She
ooks as if she might be lots of fun,
ont you see that?'
Come on, darling, we'll have to
o down." she said gently. "You
5ant to meet her, you know"
They heard her voice coming up
rom the foot of the stairs. "Hullo,
Tell. I brought some things home
rom Marge's to be washed, see to
:, will you? And / don't believe I'll
e home for dinn-Oh!"
There were sounds of introduce
on. "Oh, not reaIly!" said Mary
[elen with emphasis. "Oh, why
idn't 1 know that? Dyke talked
, much about you, Mr.. McKinnon,
nd I was just crazy to meet you,
nd here l have to go and waste
he whole weekend, what luck for
lie you stayed over! l just can't
Ill you how thrilled l am to meet
ou." Her eyes swept upward and
let those of Georgine and Barby,
no were halfway down the stair
use. "Oh, that must be your f.
1cee, isn't it, and that darling
tile kiddie he told me about?
gu just can't imagine what a
lrprise this is! I could simply
ok myself for missing so much {
your visit. How do you do, '
rs. Wyeth. And-what's your '
ame, sweetie? Barby? What a {
,rfect darling YOU arei I must |