Show iiii HIM 1 from the she cottage window by DOROTHY DOUGLAS gavin cuthbert tossed feverishly dav bout hla his great four post poat bed muttering r us woken broken sentences hla his mother trained strained e every ery nerve in an effort to catch the words perhaps her mother love could fathom some slight alight longina in I 1 her nor sons ravings As she sha bent over him to smooth ht hl rumpled pled hair she caught tb the word music it was MS repeated again and nd again with an accent of longing mrs mra cuthbert cutlbert fit stood oad aud suddenly denly erect why had bad she been so BO dense denae gavin loved music and through his delirium his very soul was calling tor for it she quickly enumerated her musical friends and sed that her took would be d difficult it was and the cites population was scattered broadcast she and mr cuthbert had bad returned from the isle of wight at the first intimation of their sons illness they were now in their country estate in to find somo some one who could wield the power of song gonat mrs Cuth cuthberta berts h band and was waa on the bell to order the landau for her ber drive to the station when she stopped an idea bad suddenly prevented pre scented ted itself often when driving down the lane mrs rs cuthbert had heard beard a womans comans voice emanating from a tiny wistaria covered cottage that nestled just oft the t e road beyond the fact that ittai a mrs ars W wallace line and her daughter from americ occupied the cottage mr cut cuth M berta knowledge was limited feeling that the voice olce that came from the cottage would appeal to gavin she did not hesitate in her purpose ten minutes later the beavy gate or of the cottage swung back admitting her to the sweet smelling gardens when a young girl with two thick braids of golden hair answered the fall of the brass knocker mrs cuthbert faced a very beautiful picture framed in the low doorway 1 I hope introductions are unnecessary a in so small a community began the elder woman with a smile 1 I have come com on a pe peculiar ullar mission she continued but many things are permissible where illness calls I 1 am mrs cuthbert stood suddenly erect going to ask a very great favor of you miss wallace 1 I 1 hope mr air gavin ts Is no no he is no worse but be calls for music incessantly and I 1 was at a loss what to do when I 1 remembered having heard a glorious voice creeping through these little casement windows mrs mra cuthbert turned with a gh charming arming gesture to indicate the windows around which rose buds were peeping when her gaze returned to tho the girl she ehe was startled by the change in her the eyes glowed with an intense fire the slight figure was drawn and tense while her entire being expressed latent emotion mrs airs cuthbert was no longer in doubt as to the owner of the voice this girl was waa music incarnate she arose and went to the firl will you come and sing sine to my son she asked the wistful appeal in the mother 8 eyes went straight to the girls bearl heart 1 1 I shall come with you as spon boon as 1 can wind up my hair it looks so BO pretty as aa it Is coaxed gavins mother running a hand down two silky braids and it cant have haie been up very long she had her way and a few moments later ruby stuby wallace was waa sitting bitting at ua ga vins piano which was waa visible through the doorway or of his bla private sitting room like the ripple of 0 a woodland brook the prelude to an old negro melody drifted into the room her voice was not ordinary in fact it was very rare possessing the quality of tone that goes right to thu the heart and lightens the rha dows of life As she sang the patient became interested then calm and finally the dul apathy faded irom from his bis eyes and they closed into tranquil sleep A deep sigh of relief escaped mrs cuthbert and sh she e too was soon lost in a long needed rest A tear glistened on her lashes and ruby wallace seeing it and the sleeping Ble man knew that the ehe had bad won ono one of the greatest triumphs of her life she played on from one ano melody to another gavins gavens eyes opened slowly they rested on the profile of a girl who seemed to be all delft beltt blue and gold an aureola of sun thone shone on her head nd ind trail trailed ed down her back where it in two silky hassels tassels gavin gavan raised himself on one arm and tried to see it the eyes of this tee ma matched hed the gown ills concentrated gate gain drew ler attention and chis turned to meet his bis eyes yes they are blue it a tone darker than come here berel he called then when she tool beside him are you you real with n whimsical anille he stretched out a doubting hand smiled oh yes yea very very real you know he continued holding taut fast to tier her hand ham 1 I imagined Im alneil that I 1 was vas entering another world and that yon were there to welcome me with your music but his voice became softer you have brought mo me to life in our own world orld ile he raised tier her hands to hla his lips before letting them go where Is mother ills mother had risen at sound of her name and dropped on her knees beside the bed my itly son little mother tt it Js a goodgo bo be back with you he said the girl went quietly out the following days saw ruby at the patients piano very often and it was not long before he was ushered back bach to the glory and strength of life late one afternoon when they h hid had ad finished tes tea and the twilight shades added harmony harr nony to hn an already great friend friendship gavin voiced a well matured thought under the lightness of hla orda his voice rang with ness of purpose miss wallace I 1 am going to inflict a heavy punishment on your arts for having wielded their powers over me when I 1 was too III to deslat ile he looked up to meet an interested glance from his bla mother and a startled one ona from the girl 1 I shall send bend you to some terrible music master who will make you breathe from your dla dia and place tones to in head baad until you are completely his slave when that la Is accomplished you are to come back and show the world of art what a really great voice Is 13 the girl was silent two large tears gathered in her eyes when she scolie her voice was waa low but the quality spoke volumes volu w es 1 I 1 can say nothing at present you have made too much possible all at once I 1 have longed for what you have put before me and now 1 I 1 I want only to cry there there said eald mrs cuthbert rising if you must cry cry here on my shoulder but im not going to came a mut mul fled voice 1 I 1 am too happy to cry not many twilights had come and gone before gavin and his mother were etain aloiv each kaw a great long ing for the thel music of one voice voll toi fit the be heart of 0 the mother ruby huby wallace had wrought a great loveana love and in the mans something g told gavin that it was beat not to tell the girl until such time as she herself beckoned him ifer her letters from germany were filled with humorous and sometimes tearful fearful accounts of her studies and always intermingling ter mingling were little phrases of love and gratitude for those who were her benefactors benefactor one evening after three years had passed gavin stepped into the drawing room looking so handsome in his hi evening clothes that even his mother stopped to caress him before putting the question uppermost in her mind gavin thought her wonderfully lovely radiant with some inner excitement have you any engagement tonight to night dear she asked none anything special would you mind taking me to the opera tonight to night the opera I 1 thought you mother what la Is it you are hiding 1 then suddenly 1 I 1 know she la Is yes yea boy ruby Is singing juliet she sent me word today to day with this mrs cuthbert drew a scarf from her neck disclosing an exquisite necklace it represented a few bars of music the lines were fine golden strands held together by tho the bars of tiny diamonds each note was a matchless pearl it Is beautifully full gavin turned away his head quickly tho girl seemed suddenly very near and a great gladness thrilled him my boy said his mother tenderly you need not hide bide it from me 1 have always known tie lie turned and caught her in his bis arms gavin sat far back in the box ho fie seemed to be chained down waiting for the entrance of juliet Julie tonly only the sight ot of her could release him ilia hla heart gave a great bound for she was there and his whole being went out ou t to meet her every note every gesture was like a long drawn breath from a garden of flowers to the roan man who waited she was the same ruby whose voice had bad coaxed him back to life now she r stood food leaning over the balcony with a moon casting its tight light on her head and trailed down her back and yes yea it ceded er led in two golden tassels cassels tas sels gavins hands bands clenched on the velvet of tho the box railing when the romeo of the opera clasped juliet in abac bat looked like an unnecessarily close embrace but that memory vanished when n afterward juliet J sat beside him in I 1 n the carriage so eo close that the soft down of her cloak was waa warm against his bis arm ile he slipped that arm under the coat and drew her to him 1 I have waited three years dear he said she did not speak peak but somehow there here in the darkness of the carriage carr lae b afe knew that he be need wall wait no lonser |