Copyright Macrae-8mith Ce.
SYNOPSIS
To the quiet household of Doctor
Ballard, in Mulberry Square, youthful
Dr. Hugh Kennedy, comes as an as-
sistant, to stay a year. He first meets
Janie, nineteen-year-old daughter of
Doctor Ballard. Her older sister, Cella,
a petted beauty, is away from home.
Hugh regards Janie, a universal favor-
ite, as a small girl, to be treated as a
chum, Hugh sees a photograph of
Celia, and is impressed by her love-
liness. He continues to regard Janie
as, as he expresses it, a “good little
fellow.” a “funny kid,” but she has a
far different feeling for him. Celia re-
turns home. She accepts Hugh's open
admiration as her due, just one more
in her train of admirers. Tom MecAl-
lister is another, and Carter Shelby,
whom she has met on her recent trip.
is a third, Shelby is believed to be
wealthy, and escape
from the “drabness” of Mulberry
Square. Follow visit by Shelby
to the Ballard home, Cell is visibly
depressed. Hugh unexpected.
ly announce Janie,
heartbroken, arra to return to col.
lege. She is = rr ed 1 ie when
her father ] an auto
accident,
Celia longs to
their nent,
is seriou
CHAPTER I—Continued
The
early
watch,
prayers.
moving at
passed. The
more thickly now
her green
fastened the beaver col
green
then sat
The train ran
tunnel of shed. Sh
stream of passengers toward the door,
She felt the wind ping her cheeks
and her fingertips. A red-cap had her
bag. She was followl him through
the crowded stat
“New Kir
“Has {it
gone?”
“Waitin'
Oh, thank
or whoeve
A quarter
ing. Icy steps,
“Well, Jan!
She looked up 1 ! iliar face.
It was Mr. Mapes, the conductor,
lived in New
“Father?
“He's holding
“How?
*Acclident,
night in the storm.”
train
twilight.
ey y al or
cap eq
iar of her
her galoshes and
new
coat, buckled
very still,
slowly in under the
with
moved the
who
last
The sound « famill volee after
the long, weary broke
the ice around
clung to the
pressed her face against his buttons,
sobbed gratefully In his i
“There, there, ie.” He led her
into the car. “We're ready to go. In
half an hour we'll have you
home.”
She
heart,
cnndnet
conductor,
rms.
safe at
I
Hugh was waiting
Janie saw his face, raised to
the windows as the train moved past.
Her heart turned over. She knew that
he would be sorry. of course. She had
not expected to find him so haggard
on the platform.
watch
The Train Rushed On Through the
Early Twilight.
and white and distressed,
and lifted his hand. [is eyes. be
neath the down-turned brim of his
hat, brightened for a moment and then
were somber again.
“Hugh! Oh bere I am, Hugh!" She
tumbled dowr the train steps straight
fato his arms,
“Janie! Thank God you are here!”
Horatius was parked in the station
drive, chugging sturdily, covered all
over with snow,
“Tell me about It, Hugh.”
“He crashed Into a gully beyond
the White Marsh creek.” They were
moving now, Horatius was plowing
through the snow.
“Was he alone?”
“Yes,” Hugh's volce was rough and
husky, “He was coming howe from
He saw her
the Weaver place. There's another
baby out there.”
“Is—is he terribly hurt?
Hugh did not answer. Icy fingers
clutched Janie's heart.
“Tell me, Hugh" She clutched at
his arm. “I have to know. Is he—"
The word stuck tight In her throat.
“He's still unconscious, They don't
know yet" Hugh repented the words
dully as though he had sald them a
great many times. “He's at the
pital”
“Can | see him tonight?™
“Not tonight, little fellow,
row, perhaps.”
He told her, In words which Janle
could understand, what Father's condl-
tion might be. She couldn't
somehow he was talking about Father,
She had heard Father and Hugh dis
cuss cases like that dozens and dozens
of times. It couldn't be Father, This
dreadful thing couldn't be true
“God wouldn't let Father die,
sald with a sort of cenfidence,
always been %o kind and so good.
couldn't let Father dle.”
“Do you believe that, Janle?' Hugh
asked brokenly.
“I—I'm trying to”
“Keep on,” fe sald, “and make me
belleve it, too.”
The car drew up at th
of the
hos-
Tomor-
believe,
"
she
ul {e's
God
old brick house,
stairs windows
fan-light was a yellow crescent,
It was home,
»] her out of the car, held
it before he set her
down on her feet.
“I'm glad you're het
Her
Was
The
The
were lighted.
f
lanterns were twinkling.
little fellow.”
cheeks cheek
wet, nigh @ i nelting
Snow,
“Oh, Hugh !™
A wave of
the snowy steps
as clinging to
would never let
older
full
years
by three
time ago.
left hand
to bear. After
) -at least, not so m
“Where's Mother?”
80 usual ;
slender
the hospi :
There was a Celia
She had neser
taking
“Car
sweetness about
: looked so lovely,
er out some things.’
i't 1 go?" Janie
“You couldn't see Father” Celia's
eyes brimmed over with tears. “And
you must be tired. Take care of hen
Hugh, Stoney will drive me out”
red around the
hall
Janie's arms were around
Khe
Rachel, suspicio
eyes, lumbered out
“Rachel I”
her neck. was clinging hard to
something that was familiar and solid
and dear,
“Go on wid you!”
into the
Rachel was wip-
ing her eyes on her apron, “I'm fixin'
a bite of somethin’ to eat.” She lum-
bered back toward the kitchen, grum-
bling.
It was Hugh removed Janie's
coat and set her on the Chesterfield
to unbuckle her galoshes, Celia picked
them up to put them in the
closet,
“They're so tin
never remember
who
away
y.," she said.
that
small”
“Small,
She's a very good
*
Janie lay on the living room daven
port pulled close to the crackling fire
Hugh sat on a stool and fed her
things from a tray,
“Open your
One more bite,
getting sick.”
She swallowed the bite obediently.
In spite of everything, it was lovely
to be at home,
“I'm getting warm.”
into the cushions,
all day.”
“Poor baby!" Hugh held her hand
in both of his. “It's my fault, Janie”
he said.
“What is, Hugh?’
“All—all this.”
“You mean-Father?"
He nodded his head.
“Why is it your fault, Hugh?
“It was my patient.” His voice was
rough and husky. “1 knew that baby
was coming. 1 had been there at
noon,”
“Where were you?
“I'm ashamed to tell youn” He
stared: miserably at the fire. Janle
could feel that his hands were shaking.
“Please, Hugh. Tell me, please.”
“lI was at the movies, They called
twice, Then Doctor Ballard went,
“I was, Janie,” he repeated dully.
“1 was sitting In the movies. Doctor
Ballard went out to do my job. He
hadn't expected to go out at all last
night. He had given Stoney the ove
foot
nouth,
We
small person.
can't have you
She snuggled
“I've been so cold
ning off. It had bezun to storm. You
know he doesn't see well enough to
drive at night”
“Oh, Hugh!” She could only say It
over and over, that husky reproach-
ful “Oh, Hugh!"
“I'd have done anything for him.“
Hugh dropped his head on the edge
of the davenport over her hand and
his own. She felt a wetness on his
cheeks, There was no snow In here,
“He's been like a father to me. It's
my fault, Janle I can see well
enough to drive at night. 1 shouldn't
have let her—" he stopped abruptly,
Janie was, all at
and very still
“It wasn't her fault,” Hugh said
quickly. “1 shouldn't have let her"
“She coaxed you to take her?” Janie
Oh, Celia!
Hugh
once, breathless
asked evenly.
“1 have
a defense for Cella.
time to take her p
sweet about it,
Celia I"
framed
haven't had
She's been
I'm horribly jealous,
heen
busy.”
Janie ™
“She
body
“She might.”
ted
I was thinking
to the
sald she would
'
go with some
else?
His hands were knot.
fists, Some
into “1
that.
ime, she might,
‘
[1 took her
movies”
Janie wanted to comfort him.
hurt her to him so miserable.
only she knew what to say
see
Sit down,
to talk
“Come here, Hugh.
“Do
I shot
Diesyp!
you
You
1
loved
you want to me, Janie?
would despise me,
you i
You loved
loved matter what
the people
they
were sorry and hi
them Just the
1't quite reason It out,
he pana of
, in the case of
ugh's
eyes were youn “1 swear
wu, Janie, iwvthing to make
ythin i
his forehead
t hr bE
“I talk like a
was ad
Inughing and
“You're a comfortabl
Hugh sald
+
CK to the Squs
wearily.
“Janie ™
“What 1s it? Janle,
her
her heart In
switched on light be.
Mother's bed. Celia, huddled in
a bathrobe, was closing the
hind her.
“1 was frightened.
here with you?”
mouth, the
door be
Can 1
Janie snapped off the light. They
lay curled together in the middie of
the wide soft bed.
“It wasn't my fault,
Celia presently asked.
“1 don't know."
“Janie, please say It wasn't” Cella
was trembling all
have happened any
that it wasn't my fault.”
“1 don't know,” Janie repeated
“How could 1 know? Cella
close to hysterics, - Father
dearly. Hugh is ab wasn't
his fault or mine”
“Don’t think about it now."
said gentl; “Father wouldn't
you to be unhappy.”
“I'l be nicer” prom
God will let Father get well,
only say that it wasn't my
you'd only tell me, Janie”
Janie couldn't say
couldn't scold her, either. Celia was
trembling so, She put her arms
around her instead and nestled very
close, They cried in the soft wide
bed. Towards morning they slept,
curled together, Celia's cheek against
Janie's, the brown head and the golden
head nestled into the same warm hol
low of pillows,
CHAPTER 11
There were anxious days in the old
brick house. Father rallled, at times,
only to sink back Into unconsciousness
again. Mother stayed on at the hos
pital. She had a small room next to
Father's with a eommunienting door.
They sat there, sometimes, In the
afternoon, Mother and Celis and Janie,
holding each other's hands, waiting,
talking In whispers, listening for
sounds beyond the closed white door.
“We're doing everything possible,”
Doctor Alden, the chief of staff, would
say. “We can't tell yer."
Once the door opened - ' Janie
saw Father, He looked ver. ug and
thin in the narrow white bed. His
eyes were closed under white wrap
was it, Janie?
over, might
way. Please say
v
was
ove
urd. It
Janie
want
Celia ised, “if
If you'd
fault. If
that. She
pings of bandages. His hand was
lying on the counterpane, thin and
brown and familiar. Janie remem-
bered how he had stroked her hair
that day on the White Marsh creek.
She heard again the rustling sound of
the reeds, saw the bird with the
speckled brown breast. That day she
had run away from Father, She had
been thinking only of Hugh. If they
might go fishing again
Doctor Alden sent them out for
drives In his car, Father's car could
never be used again. Hugh plowed
grimly around In Horatius, trying to
do all of Father's work. Stoney drove
Doctor Alden’s big closed ear. Mother
and Cella and Janie would sit together
on the back seat. Downtown was gay
with Christmas, the air and the bustle,
with holly wreaths In
along Manor street. fe
the windows
signs of
Christmas, the the bustle,
were could bear.
nem out along
ich were clear
They i
talked of
ssh ey'e to ¢
HAR 8 DOR BS
care of, any
other woul glance grate
hand.
sup
he ring on Celia's left
and 1 could manage, 1
oom table, i
and poured the or tea.
ather's vacant chalr was more than
Janie could stand.
“You sit there, Hugh,
ed one evening at supper,
“I couldn't, Janie™ His face
working queerly.
“Father would like it."
“Do you think soY
eagerly.
“I'm sure of it.”
Hugh seated himself in the vacant
chair He looked, Janle thought, as
though a general had pinned a ribbon
on his and kissed him on both
of his cheeks
place coffee
she suggest.
was
he asked
chest
A shadow lay across the Bquare.
knocked at the kitchen
3 with unashamed
in their eyes: girls from the mill, the
frowsy citizens of Vine and Juniper
door,
tears
People
shabby people
siroeis
the Doctor this morning?
“They're doing everything possible,
They can't tell yet”
"How's
The Square, proper, called at the
front door; the rector and Mrs, War
den. The rector cleared his throat
very often and quoted things from the
3ible . . . "Greater love hath no
man” . it belonged in church, Janie
thought, or cut in a marble tombstone,
It had nothing to do with Father who
had been Inst summer so healthy and
happy and brown,
All day there was a stream of eall-
ers. From uptown and downtown,
from Manor street and the mill see
tion, people came to inquire for Fath-
er. Celia, very pale and lovely In de-
mure little gray wool frocks, an
swered questions, smiled faintly, led
callers In and out of the living room.
Cella was wonderful, Janie thought.
She wished she herself could talk and
smile, She couldn't. There was al
ways a lump in her throat,
Aunt Lucy came, unexpectedly, with
Muriel and Uncle Frank.
“1 was so anxious,” she sald. Aunt
Lucy's face, framed In an astrakan
collar, looked very anxious Indeed.
“We're going to open ‘Sportsman's
Hall’ and stay until after the New
Year, at least.”
“Anything 1 can do to help?” Uncle
Frank said.
“T'" be In and out every day.”
Muriel hugged both Janie and Cella.
« +» +» Cella and Janie and Muriel
WNU Services
playlng house in the Square. That
wns & long time ago, , .
bustle of
brick house
mas eve, There was no
preparations in the old
this , year, ‘There
anxiety, a new
the rang.
tion changed very little from day to
day.
“We're
the doctor said.
Janie and Celia clung to each other,
Hugh worked on with a dogged sort
of persistence. He slept In Father's
telephony
doing everything
on the table beside the bed. Some.
Janie heard him ing u
middle of the nig) Once
times y In
the
¥
¥
It was seven o'clock on Christmas
Alden
was shining:
eve when
door.
were
Doctor opened
His face his eves
Mother stopped rockin
back h. Celia's hands
up to weart. Janie stood very stil
They all looked at Doctor Alden,
“Merry Christmas” he said
blew his nose very loudly.
“You
-“
Mean —7 Mother's
able to frame,
means,”
door into Father's room.
conscious and asking for you.
can see him for a moment.”
Mother gave a happy cry. Celia
flung herself at Doctor Alden and
kissed his gray mustache, Janie just
stood still
“Can [ go in first? she asked
Her grave little face was pale.
Mother murmured. Celia made a
low sound of Doctor Alden
nodded and blew his nose again,
Father's room was dim and fall of
shadows. There were flowers every-
where and Father's head on the pil
in a dim circle of light, He wa
pale and woefully thin but the eyes
under the bandages were Father's
eyes, They looked at her and smiled.
“Merry Christmas, Janie,” Father's
dear voice said.
In a moment she was beside the
bed with her cheek against Father's
hand.
“Father, oh
could say.
“You look like a Christmas candle.”
Father tilted her chin,
“I'm happy.” Her eyes were shin.
ing: her lashes were jeweled with
tears,
“I'll be home pretty soon.” Father's
voice was pitifully weak,
“We'll go to Canada next June,
Jumping Trout lake.” Father's eyes
brightened. “You and I, Janle It's
a date
TO BR CONTINUED.
“But he's
You
protest.
low
Father!” was all she
Canada’s First Incorporated Town
Saint John, N. B, is the oldest in-
corporated city In Canada, It takes
{ts name from the river at whose
mouth it lies, christened by Champlain
when he arrived there on the twenty.
fourth of June, 1604, the day of the
feast of St. John the Baptist. The
City of Saint John was first called
Parr Town, being founded In 1788 by
United Empire Loyalists, and named
after Colonel Parr, the governor of the
province. In 1755 It was Incorporated
as a city and the name changed to
Saint John,
CORRECTED
A fourth-grade boy was reading his
weekly composition in English class
for the eriticism of his
One of the sentences he
“Edgar did not hit
birds.”
When he sat down, the teacher
asked for remarks about the compo-
sition,
Willlam Jumped to his feet and ex-
“He said airy
d nairy.”
classmates,
read wae:
alry one of the
claimed:
ought to 8:
when
Empty
A lawyer was endeavoring
press the court with
his clients had always beer
to settle
“Your
months ago we
branch.”
“Yes”
there
the
the cas
Honor”
respond
were no ols
Confession
EXPLAINED IT
As Time Flies
Learn to Cook, B
“Tr: » ¥ er Mo ey
“Rise every morning.” a
rother
man in cot
determination
advised a
fixed
wife realize that sot
the bouse and see what
We know what
have to get
ton Transcript.
will happen.
his own breakfast
One Consolation
“It must be dreadful
have your own son in
riding.”
“Anyhow, it's a comfort
where he is at nights"—Bo
Cites Star.
Bills and Bills
Mr. Zipp—Meet Mr. Zink, wifle.
You often heard me talk of old Bill
Mrs. Zipp i 1
old bills I can’t remember them all,
alk about so many
Life's Darkest Moment
“Pa. what's
“Dignity, my son, is what yon
think you possess until the boss says
5 oo.
‘What is the meaning of this?
dignity ?™
Real Tragedy
Falr Young Thing (to friend)
Not only has he broken my
and wrecked my whole life, but
meseed up my evening!
heart
he's
3