CHAPTER Vill
ww So
Cella waited impatiently In the
shadow of the lilac bushes beside the
gate at the end of the garden. Tom
had said that he would come In half
an hour. It seemed an eternity since
she had crept quietly out into the
dark. If Tom shouldn't come , .
She was frightened, desperate. The
devil of doubt and his fifteen broth-
ers marched in a flendish procession
through her mind.
Hugh was In love with Janle. Some-
thing had happened this afternoon,
Janie had fallen downstairs. She wore,
at supper, a bandage and a blissful
smile, Celia hadn't needed to be told
In words. Janle's face was enough
and Hugh's expression as he pushed
in her chair at the table, Janle had
taken Hugh away from her. How
had it happened? How could he pre-
fer brown little Janie? C(Celia’s nalls
bit sharp crescents into the palm of
her hand,
She had to get away. She couldn't
stay on in Mulberry Square with Fa-
ther a cripple and Mother economiz-
ing and people talking and Hugh In
love with Janle. Tom must take her
away, California! She had never
traveled. Only stupid trips with Great-
aunt Rose, It might be pleasant. Tom
had always loved her. Would he take
her? He must.
She grew very fond of Tom as she
waited for him in the shadow of the
lilacs. He was, In his way, quite as
good-looking as Hugh. Every one pre-
dicted a brilliant future for Tom.
Senator McAllister, Governor MeAllis-
ter. The Governor's Lady, She would
advance Tom's career, be a perfect
hostess, entertain distinguished peo-
ple . . “He owes it all to his wife,
Lovely little thing” .
There were volces In the garden.
Hugh and Janie walked towards her
under the arbor. Celia drew back
further into the shadow of the lilacs.
“I'm going with you,” Janle sald as
they passed very close to Celia,
“Do you feel like driving that far?’
“I'm going with you everywhere
. a always.” Janle's volce was
singing.
Celia felt very lonely, crouching
there in the shelter of the bushes, It
hurt her to see them walk together
through the gate. Hugh's arm was
around Janie; her head, with its white
bandage, rested against his shoulder.
Janie was secure. It was Cella who
was frightened, desperate. How had it
happened? Piain little Janie. Pretty
Celia. Everything in the world was
most decidedly wrong.
She heard the engine of the ear they
called “Horatius.” She felt lonelier
than ever . . . If you are pretty you
can take what you want from life , . .
That theory hadn't worked out very
well. What was the matter with the
world?
“els , .
Tom had kept his promise.
surged into her heart,
“Tom!” She gave him both of her
hands,
“What's the idea of having me meet
you here? He looked at her search.
ingly In the glow flickering in from
the corner light. *1 feel like Rachel's
gentleman friend.”
“Something has happened.”
sliver harp strings quivered.
“Are you consulting me profession-
ally?" he asked In the teasing volce
which Celia could never quite under-
stand. “You're trembling, dear,” The
teasing vanished. There was a ten-
derness In his volce. “Your hands
are cold.”
“I'm miserable,” she sald brokenly,
“Tell me about it.”
Celia drew a long quivering breath,
“Hugh is in love with Janie.” She
lifted her face, dampened with dew,
wan and wistful. She thought that she
must look very appealing.
“I know that,” Tom sald quietly.
“80 I must go away.” Cella's hands
crept up to her heart. “Janie is my
dear little sister. Her happiness
means everythifig in the world to me.”
“Celia, Cella!"
She drew away from him.
head lifted proudly,
“No one understands,” she sald In
the patient volce of a martyr,. “There
is no one who understands.”
“l understand, my dear.” There
was only tenderness in Tom's pleasant
voice. He drew her close to him, "Of
course, I understand.”
His gentleness disarmed her.
“lI am unhappy,” she sobbed, know-
ing that with him she could not pre-
tend, “Take me away with you, Please
take me away from it all”
“Would you go with me, Cella?"
“Yes.” Her eyes were wide and
imploring. “You must take me. 1
can't stay here”
He was silent for a moment.
“Would you marry me, Cella?" he
asked gravely,
“Tonight 7
“Tonight.”
There was, just then, no thought of
the future In her mind, She wanted
only to get away, to climb out of this
predicament with some credit to her
self,
« “Yes,” she sald. “Yes, Tom, I'll
marry you . , , now , , , tonight”
She raised her lips. He kissed them
gently,
lelief
The
Her
“The Scotch In me tells me to let
you work it out alone,” he sald pres
ently,
Fear returned, a sinking sensation.
“You wouldn't Tom?"
“I couldn't,” he amended, “The Irish
in me has always loved you too much.”
“Then you will take me with you?"
She waited breathlessly for his an-
swer,
“It seems llke taking an unfair ad-
vantage—"
She swayed towards him,
brushed his cheek.
Her halr
She felt him trem-
bling. She knew that she had won.
“Yes,” he sald. “I'll take you with
me. I'm feeling all Irish tonight,”
II
“Janie!”
Janle, roused from a pleasant dream,
opened her eyes with a start. She
fancied that some one had called her,
Dreaming, of course, She glanced at
the illumined dial of the clock. Quar-
ter of three! She turned over, yawned,
burrowed her head in the pillow.
“Janle I”
This time she sat up and listened.
It wasn't a dream, Hugh was calling
her. He was rapping at the door.
“Janle!"
“Yes?” she answered,
“Come to the telephone, dear”
Hugh was calling her “dear” in that
tender intimate way. She forgot to
wonder why some one should be tele-
phoning for her at quarter of three
In the morning. Hugh was calling her
“dear”! She sat on the edge of the
bed, drowsy, ecstatic, totally uncon
scious of the chill in the alr.
“It's long distance. Hurry, dear.”
She tucked her toes into tiny slip-
pers, fastened the cord of her quilted
kimono and opened the door. Hugh
went downstairs with her. Shg didn’t
wonder much about the telephone call
He loved her, That was the only mat-
ter of any importance in all the world,
“Hello,” she called drowsily Into
the transmitter, Cella's voice an-
swered from somewhere very far away.
Cella’s news, somehow, did not seem
tremendously ‘exciting. Janle talked
for a few minutes. She placed the re.
ceiver on the hook. She glanced up
at Hugh,
“Celia is married,” she sald.
“Married!” Hugh echoed the word
and yawned again,
“She and Tom were just married.”
Janle explained. “Somewhere down In
Maryland.”
“They're leaving tomorrow for Call-
fornia,” Janle added. “Celia said she
left a note for me.”
“Cella would.” Hugh actually smiled.
“Where did she leave it?’ he asked.
“Under the bowl of lilies-of-the-val
ley on the plano.”
“Appropriate.”
ened Into a grin,
repeated.
The note was short,
“Janle-darling,
“Now that I know how matters are,
there Is nothing left for me to do ex-
cept go away. Your happiness means
more to me than anything else In the
world. Tom seems to need me. | shall
go with him. Don't let any thought of
me sadden your happy hours,
“Cella.”
“It sounds sad, doesn’t it?" Janle
nestled closer to Hugh-find brushed
her cheek against the shoulder of his
dressing gown,
“Artistically sad,” Hugh sald drily.
There was quiet in the living room.
Jar™® knew why Celia had done It
She couldn't bear that anyone should
think Hugh had preferred her. She
hoped that Cella would be happy. It
didn’t seem fair to Tom. But Tom,
she thought, could take care of him-
self. Cella could never deceive him
with her poses. It might, after all,
be a very good thing for Cella,
“What are you thinking?" Hugh
asked softly, :
“1 don’t think Tom really needs her”
Janle answered. “But the Irish In
him has always loved her. He must
have been Irish tonight.”
“Will your father mind?" Hugh
asked, stroking with a caressing finger
the peak of her brows,
“Father likes Tom,” Janie answered
thoughtfully. “Mother will probably
be upset because of old Thomas and
all” She glanced up at him, an anx-
lous question in her eyes. “Do you
mind, Hugh?
“Poor Celia!” he sald gently.
The last small lingering doubt van-
ished forever. Janle sighed blissfully.
The question was answered. There
was peace in her heart,
aL
CHAPTER IX
Hugh's smile broad-
“Celia would,” he
Father was coming home! That was
the first thought which popped into
Janie’'s head as she opened her eyes
one morning late In June. She pat.
tered over to the window and curled
herself up on the seat. The sun was
shining and the sky was a lovely blue,
Father was coming home! Uncle
Bradford was to drive (nto the city to
meet them. Janie hugged her pink
pajama knees, Father would be home
for dinner at one o'clock!
“Isn't it nice It's such a beautiful
day?" she sald to Flugh at breakfast,
“Great!” He swung her up from
the floor and kissed her brow where
the chestnut hair dipped In a peak.
“You mustn't, Hugh,” she protested,
liking It very much,
“Why not?”
“It isn't dignified.”
“It's nice.” He set her down in the
chair at the head of the table behind
the coffee urn. “Now, Mrs, Ken-
nedy,” he said with a crinkly smile,
“you can be as dignified as you like."
The brightness faded out of her
face. It was grave and very anxious.
“Don't call me that,” she sald, her
voice catching a little,
“Don’t you like the name?" Hugh
pretended to be offended,
“It's a lovely name” She looked
up at him with the sunshine slanting
In across her hair, a brown little girl
with a shining look In her wide-set
hazel eyes. “Only It scares me, I'm
afrald something will happen. I'm
afraid it can’t possibly be true”
“It 1s true, Janie,” he sald gravely.
“I love you, little fellow."
Janle glanced around the familiar
old dining room bright this morning
with sunshine, at Kiitle curled up on
the floor beside her chalr, at Mrs.
Quillen puffing In with a plate of muf-
fins, at Hugh smiling down at her with
a tender expression In his ruddy brown
eyes. She thought that today Father
and Mother were coming home, She
drew a long deep breath,
“If Heaven is any nicer than this”
she sald In a hushed sort of volce,
“I simply couldn't stand it.”
The old brick house was filled all
morning with a great bustling and stir.
Janle scurried about In a frenzy of
excitement with the small black dog
at her heels. There was only one
thing to mar her happiness. It didn't
seem right that Celia should be so far
away. On one of her frequent trips
“Artistically Sad”
Drily.
Hugh Said
upstairs she peeped Into the cream
and lilac room. She couldn't make it
seem possible that Celia was married
to Tom McAllister, that Cella would
never be just Cella again, Cella had
been a trial. But she missed her, She
wished that Celia were home,
People came with offerings.
a gala day In the Square,
“It's not much,” said Mrs. Bangs,
the elder, presenting a mound of a
delleacy known as “Apple Float.”
“It's lovely, Mrs. Bangs.” Gay little
laughing notes sprinkling themselves
through the alr. “Thank you very
much.”
“You may find it a trifle sweot™
Mrs, Bangs lingered in the hall. *I
told Annie to use twice as much sugar
as the recipe calls for 30 you wouldn't
think we was stingy.”
The “Apple Float” was more than a
trifie sweet, Kiltie, In the privacy
of the vine-screened kitchen porch,
enjoyed it very much.
All morning the doorbell rang,
“Roses, Mrs. Quillen!” Janie un-
covered a box of fragrant pink blooms.
“From Mrs. Leland, Did you ever see
80 many?”
“Every. last vase In the house Is full
up now,” worried Mrs. Quillen who was
enjoying the excitement. *‘*Twould
seem a shame to cut them handsome
stems."
“The umbrella jar!” Janie dragged
it out of the hall closet, a hideous af-
fair of mottled green ch na which
nicely accommodated the expensive
stems of Mrs.-Leland's roses,
“You do beat all, Janie,” Mrs Quil-
len admiringly observed. “If a brass
band was needed, you'd find somethin’
that would do.”
It was a gala day in the Square. All
morning the offerings arrived. Miss
Ellie brought custards baked In pot-
tery cups, Old Thomas brought the
first strawberries from his garden.
Tony Sliver brought an indigestible
looking cake Iced with swirls of bright
pink frosting. The “General” brought
three geranium blooms which he had
probably “borrowed” when the owner
was not around.
Great-uncle Charlle brought his last
bottle of sherry wine, There was an
alr of suppressed excitement about
Great-uncle Charlie today,
“What time do you expect them?”
he asked,
It was
i * I —
“About twelve,” Janle answered,
wondering If it could possibly be true
that Father was coming home.
“Think I'll stay,” the old man sald,
“it I won't be a bother.”
“You're never a bother.” Janle em.
braced him warmly, She couldn't help
hugging people today.
Hugh come in during the morning
with a man who carried a box,
“What is it?" Janie asked.
“This Is my present for the Doctor.”
Hugh smiled at her sparkling eyes.
“A radio.”
“You think of everything, Hugh."
She clung for a moment to his arm,
“You taught me) young fellow.”
The radio was installed In the room
which had once been the parlor. Janle
surveyed it with some satisfaction.
“It does look cheerful,” she sald.
“It's great,” Hugh agreed,
“We'll try
everything.”
“I can, If you'll help me.”
¥
her close,
He held
“You're a very good little
egg.”
“Not that" she
“Call me ‘darling,’ Hugh"
“Darling,” he whispered with his lips
against her halr,
They were lost to the rest of the
world. They did not hear the front
door open and close. They were total.
ly unaware of an audience until a
voice asked from the doorway:
"Can't you lavish a little of that on
me?’
Celia
sald very softly.
was standing between the por.
Celia faintly tanned from the
fornia sun, Celia in a smart new
uit and buckled slippers and a mam-
moth corsage of violets.
Janie ran to meet her. They clung
to each other, both talking at once.
Hugh was forgotten for a8 moment.
He lit a cigarette. He sald nothing at
all,
“My husband had to stop at the
office.” Cella, before the mirror, re
paired the ravages of Janle's enthusi-
astic greeting. “He sent me on In a
taxi"
“Your husband !™ Janie echoed. “It
seems #0 strange” She searched
Celin's face to see If she were really
happy. She appeared to be. Celia
looks like the cat that swallowed the
canary, Janie thought. There are
feathers all over her chin.
“We're going to be friends, Hugh?
Celia extended a slim gloved band.
“Of course.” Hugh took the hand
she offered, bent to kiss her lightly
on the cheek, “The tan Is becoming,”
he sald, “You look almost real”
“Tom adores beaches” Cella re
marked with the wifely alr of criticiz.
ing her husband In the most dulcet of
tones, “He's as brown as an Indian”
“Did you know Father and Mother
were coming home today? Janie, to
the detriment of the violets, was em-
bracing Celia again,
“What a little cyclone you are!”
Celia gently disentangled Janle's arms.
“Tom knew. He simply dragged me
away [rom California. We flew part
of the distance. Tom is a -masterful
man.”
Celia looked to be happy. She
greeted Tom prettily when he arrived
half an hour later at the old brick
house, Tom was obviously very proud
of his beautiful wife, It was quite
as obvious that he did not intend to
let her rule him. His manner towards
Cella was still half tender and half
teasing. A good thing for Cella, Janle
thought, and a blessed good thing for
Tom,
They all talked at once. In the ex-
citement, the real event of the day was
temporarily overshadowed. Celia, since
her first birthday, had contrived, on
every occasion, to hold the center of
the stage.
The clock was striking twelve when
Great-uncle Charlie bounced into the
room,
“They're coming,” he announced
with his air of suppressed excitement
increased a hundredfold, “My sainted
Aunt Maria! I'm giad I'm not asleep I"
tieres,
WNU Bervice
There was a rush and a scramble
towards the door, They gathered in
the open doorway. People were as
sembling from all parts of the Square,
“You'd think it was Lindbergh!”
Tom exclaimed.
“It's a great day In the Square"
Hugh sald quietly,
“1 wish they'd hurry !™
dancing up and down.
Janie sald nothing at all, She just
clung tightly to Hugh's arm, a lump
in her throat, happy tears on her
lashes, Father was coming home!
Uncle Bradford's car turned into the
Square, It seemed an eternity before
it stopped In front of the old brick
house, There was Stoney on the front
seat with Uncle Brad. There was Aunt
Rhoda, There was Mother in a new
blue hat, smiling and waving her hand
There between them was Father, thin
and pale but smiling, too, and waving
his hand at them,
Stoney opened the door of the car,
Aunt Rhoda stepped out. Mother fol.
lowed, Mother not quite so plump but
pretty still and wearing 8 new blue
coat, Stoney would have to lift Fa-
ther, of course. Janle felt that she
couldn't bear it to see Stoney carry
Father up the steps. She hid her face
against Hugh's arm, The arm was
shaking a little, She knew that Hugh
was minding it dreadfully, too.
pressed her eyes tightly against the
tweed of his sleeve,
“Praise Gawd!
camp-meeting volce,
Cella wus
That was Rachel's
It indicated that
great Importance had
Mrs. Quillen was booming.
Celia was crying. Tom was exclaim-
ing,
“Look, Janie dear,” Hugh whispered
in a choked-up sort of volce.
Janie lifted her eyes from his arm,
They widened with surprise. A wave
of happiness rushed over her which
almost bore her away, Father was
walking! Using a cane, leaning on
Stoney's arm, Father was walking
towards them, mounting the steps of
the old brick house.
II
There was a great deal of confusion
at dinner. Mother sat behind the
coffee urn and smiled tremulously.
Father, in his familiar place, ate a
little, sipped Uncle Charlie's sherry,
embraced them all in the genial
warmth of his smile. Stoney stood be.
hind his chalr and could pot be per
suaded to move. Mrs. Quillen hov-
ered In the doorway. Janle left her
place beside Hugh half a dozen times
to perch on the arm of Father's chair
and rest her cheek against his
“I'm so happy,” was all that she could
say. It was quite enough. She made
a song of it. Gay little laughing notes
sprinkied themselves through the alr.
Father smiled at Hugh.
“You won't have to make the sacri.
fice, my boy,” he sald kindly, “You
can go whenever you like.”
“1 shall stay as long as you need
me,” Hugh answered in a choked sort
of voice. "And when I go—"
He looked at Janle. Every one
looked at Janie. She felt that her
cheeks were flushing, that her eyes
were shining like stars,
“Janie is so young”
jected,
“Time will take care of that”
ther patted her hand,
“No definite
looked at Janie.
a year or two."
We! That meant Janie and Hugh,
She knew it was true but It seemed
like a beautiful dream,
“We'll talk about It later,” Father
sald. "Surprised, weren't you?! Uncle
Charlie knew.”
“But I didn't tell” The old man
chuckled. He glanced at Cella. Janie
glanced at Celia. Her lashes shad.
owed her eyes, What was she think.
ing? Was she happy? Her hand, lft.
ing a goblet, trembled. Drops of wa-
ter spilled down on the cloth, Mother
looked at her anxiously,
TO BE CONTINUED.
something of
happened,
Mother ob-
Fa.
“Plans, Hugh?"
ones.” Hugh still
“We'll go abroad for
oy
The physician
formal
he remarked, “it recently been
found that the human body contains
sulphur”
“Sulphur 1»
was giving an in.
{alk on physiology. “Also”
has
exclaimed the girl in
“And
there, then, in a
the blue-and-white blazer.
much sulphur is
girl’s body 7
“Oh, the amount varies”
doctor, smiling.
“Ah!” returned the girl, “And is
that why some of us 1 s better
matches a B 7"
how
sald the
’
ancouver
Province,
Pa's Part
The two vil “
changing the
“And those Richleve” sald
ge ROBSIDE were ex.
intest pews,
Mra
Jones, “He says very bitte i
about
but
cuses for them”
Mrs, Hayes nodded.
“Yes
the excuses
IK wey or f - }
his two good-for-noth
his wife is always
she smiled,
, but he ha
allowances.”
SURE THING
“What causes hard times?”
“Soft heads™
Nremerically Speaking
A little boy was balancing himself
on his head when an old lady who
knew him came by:
“Aren't you too young to do that?"
she asked. "You're only six.”
“IU's all right, missis” replied the
boy without losing his balance. “I'm
nine while I'm upside down.”
Fleeting Time
Lecturer (who has spoken for two
hours)—I shall not much
longer. 1 am afraid | spoken
at rather great length. There is Do
clock in the room, and 1 must apolo-
gize for not having a watch with me,
A VYolce—There's a bee
hind you, mister !—Exchange.
keep you
have
calendar
Ferry's Seeds are sold only in fresh
dated packages, When you buy Fer.
ry's Seeds you are sure of the finest
quality available. Ady.
Right Size
McPherson was to be married.
*“Ye'll be given’ us a send-off 7
inquired of his best man.
“We will”
"With rice and white ribbons?
“Aye”
“And old shoes thrown after us?”
“Oh, aye, of course.”
*Well—-1 wear. tens, an
takes sixes”
"ehe
*
Janet
To the Nth Degree
New Hospital Patient—Say, doctor,
I asked that nurse to put a hot water
bottle at my feet and she stuck up
her nose and walked away.
Doctor—~What else could you ex-
pect? That was the head nurse.
Patient—Oh, do they specialize
that much? Then get me the foot
nurse. —Capper's Weekly,
Doing Well
Mrs. Naybors—Your husband dusts
the car very nicely.
Mrs. Nexdoor—Yes, I'll put him at
housecleaning soon.
These extracts from a bulletin of
the National Geographic soclety vivid.
ly bring to mind the glamorcus days
of the winning of the West. A marker
is to be placed at Ingalls, Kan, as a
memorial to Jebediah Smith, one of
the ploneers, The bulletin says:
Sunburnt, long-whiskered traders
and trappers in bucksking and moc
casing came into old Franklin to
brag of their adventures and scatter
their quick-earned profits, They made
the river bottom ring with nightly was-
sall, with rough-and-tumble fights,
news of big profits In the newly opened
Santa Fe trade, rubbed elbows In
Franklin with buck-skinned mountain
men and returning freighters. And in
all men's mouths were new place names
«Yellowstone, Columbia, Taos, Rio
Grande. America was in the making.
Seattle, Denver, San Franclsco--they
had yet to be bullt and christened.
The Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Salt
Lake-the East had never even heard
of them, Hardly a handful of white
settlers then where milllons now make
thelr homes. Arizona, Nevada, Cali
fornla-their stupendous wealth of
gold, silver and copper was not even
suspected.
Yet, in all the history of civilization,
no region was ever to see such swift
and amazing transition from wilder
ness to populous empire of richness
and power. It can never happen again;
no empty place Is left on earth where
it could happen.
Today a speedy motor highway ties
St. Louls to Kansas City. It sweeps
through fading Franklin, wherein Kit
Carson's youth the trail began. Over
it parlor busses hum, running as far
In 20 minutes as ox teams went In a
day. Now men watch market reports
or play golf where thelr forbears
watched for Indians or tinkered with
mink treps.
From a spot near where Kit Carson
stitched horse collars and bellybands,
a big highway bridge leads off to span
the Missouri, Here busses and motor
tourists stop for gas. Men get out to
strotch thelr legs or buy a ginger ala
Across the Big Muddy stands Boon.
ville, nnmed for Daniel, whose
whittle” ramrods from
ory and made salt from the deer |
packed it in hollow logs, and
it down to St. Louls, .
RE
taste intune