Show LYDIA OF THE PINES By HONORS HONOR WILLSIE I ntH a Ma I 0 by r r A 1 Kt revs N c c 1 STORY FROM THE START L Idl Lydia dja Dudle Dudley with h her r baby I tr return from an afternoon tt of pia play to their thIr untidy household hour home the th I o hed house house- hold of f her ether Amos Amo Dud Dud- Dudley Dudl Ie ley y In Lake LAI City CIt Her ner father friend and her h r own devoted d vot d ad- ad admIrer admirer ad admirer John L LevIne ar are InK ng affair In general Land le Ie getting more mor valuable every cry day Amos things that th t It Is Ie I time tim the who occupy a llon lion hrent twenty mile awa away were moving In order that the th white whitmen men might have hav this land John Levine after talking thinK thing over o announces hoe hili Intention of going into Inlo politic politics The Th next day da d y Lydia Patience and companion Kent Moulton playing by b the lake laic are nr accosted cco td b by en an n old squaw who live on the ta reservation re erv Lydia Ldla gives her h r food tood Margery argery em email all daughter of Dave Dav Marshall the to towne banker blinker joins them Mar Mar- Marger Margery Mar fry ger gery fall fail talle into the water wahl Pulled out unhurt but kut frightened she ehe he Ie taken home horn by Lydia and Kent liar ner father tather calls on Amos Amo to com com- complain complain complain plain blaming Lydia and Kent for the tir mishap p Lydia Ldla explains the accident t and says ay that be- be because be became cause came Margery Is I stuck tuck up she ahI is Ie not a popular playmate pl mate Mar Mar- Marshall Mar shall hall arrange for Lydia to teach Margery to become becom one on of ot the crowd Levine Levin tells Amos his hll plan to take Ink timber from the Indian reservation and ultimate ultimate- ultimately ly ly h have It opened for tor settlement CHAPTER Continued IV-Continued IV Continued 5 5 I Lydia dla struck the kind old hand from her shoulder and dashed out or of the house She ran through the snow to a giant pine by bJ the gate cate and bent beat beather beather her fists against It for how long she shedid shedid did not know Pain In her bruised braised hands and the Intense cold finally brought her to her senses senes A self self- self control control that was partly Inherent and partly partly- the result of or too early knowl knowl- knowledge knowledge edge de of grief came to her rescue With a long sigh she walked stead steadily II Into the house and Into tho room where the lie baby sister lay 10 In a stupor breathing The doctor nod and Amos were there Mrs Norton was now soothing Uzzle In tile the lie kitchen now obeying the doc doc- doctor's doctor's doctor's tors tor's orders Amos did not stir from his chair by the bed nor speak a Word all nil that night The doctor was In his shirt f sleeves lee prepared to fight as best he could I S GO OUt Lydia said Doctor Fulton quietly Shell want me replied the child In a stupor and wont won't miss you LydIa She Is 1 not suffering at atall atall atall all Now ow I 1 want wont you ou to go co to bed like a good girl girt I wont won't said Lydia qUIt quietly LydIa the doctor octor went on as It if be were talking to a grown person all your life lite you will be grateful tome to tome tome me If it I 1 make you obey me now I 1 know bow those wild nerves of ot yours Jours too much an and too early controlled Lydia o jo o to bed Not because she sir feared reared him but be- be because because be because cause some somi knowledge beon beyond her years Jears told her of ot his wisdom Lydia turn turned found Florence Dombe Dombey In to the thA living U room and with her and a n blan blan- blanket blanket ket crept under her fathers father's bed Into the farthest corner where she lay eyed wide eyed until dawn Someone closed the door Into the room then and ond short shortly ly robe abe t he fell tell asleep e In three days the like of ot which are r the th longest the shortest days or of life lite tile the house had returned to the remnant of ot Its ol old routine The fhe place had bad been heen fumigated Lydia had placed In her bedroom everything that had belonged to the baby had locked the door and had moved mO herself elf Into room Amos departed departe before dawn as usual with witha his dinner pall like lI an old moan ronn over oer the ther road r d l The Th quarantine sign was on the house and nt ns n ne ne but the undertaker the doctor U 8 Norton Korton and ond John Le Ie Tin Lc-Tin vine had been allowed to come to see seethe seethe the stricken little family excepting the minister 1 Lydia and aud Lizzie put In ht tile the morning cleaning the cottage Never since the they had lived d In It had the little house home been Jo 0 spick and aud span At noon they sat down to lunch In a splendor of or nets cj that made the place place seem stran stran- stranger stranger ger than ever to them both Neither talked much At Intervals ran rundown down old Lizzle's wrinkled ild cheeks and looked ft lit her lier wonderingly Lydia had not shed a tear scar Hut lint all the time lier her cheeks were wre scarlet her bands bunds were cold and trembled an and her hei stomach ached You must eat You haven't ent haven bird alive eat t enough h to keep a since since- luce there Then was a ban bang on the door and Lizzle trundled o over r to open It For Fur the lie Lords Lord's Iak sake K Kent nl big and rosy with his Kent K lt It was skates over o his shoulders He lie walked into Sulo the II ID living room deliberately said I 1 come came out outto ou ouo II Hello o Lydia he lie Christmas presents to o see your our Lydia clasped lier her liand hancl hands Oil Oh glad d 11 But lut you JOu you can cant can't castay t 1 Kent lIt Im I'm so 50 o stay Were We're quarantined thunder bugs thunder What the life seventeen fe co Ca 1 I care enre returned Kent gruffly rum 1 froth from appealing aoI away c s J she ul a always s 's did sat us la Kents Kent's astonishing oaths ostha At the sound of ot the tir Jau laughter old gave ra avei a 1 as os though some of ot her own 00 tense nerves had relaxed Now see sec here growl growled 1 Kent they e got no business to shut stint you OU up this way You come out and slate skate for a 8 while We wont won't meet anybody at this end of or the lie lake Just the thing quarantine or not t I 1 Lizzie Lizzle briskly briskly- And Ill I'll cook R a surprise for tor the two of or you Keep Kep her out an nn hour Kent Lydia silently got Into overcoat t and leggings and pulled on In her Tarn Tam oShanter She Slie brought her skates kate from the kitchen and the two n made mado their way wa to the lake shore With unwonted consideration helped Lydia Lydin strap on h her r skates Then the two tiro started hand In hand hond up the he lake They skated well as did most of ot the children of the lie The wind In III their faces was bitter cold making conversation con Whether or not Kent was grateful for tor thIs one could not say pay a He lie watched Lydia Ldla out of or the tall of or his eye e and a nit anthe the wind whipped d the old red Into her cheeks i he began to whistle They Ther had hod been ben going perhaps fifteen min minutes utes when the little girl stumbled severa sev e several era eral times the matter Lyd asked Kent I dont don't know she panted I I 1 Iguess guess Im I'm tired Tired already 1 I Gosh Goshi I And youve you've ou e always ays worn me out Come on up to the he shore and ond Ill I'll make a fire sos so's you can rest Lydia who always nh had scorned the thought of ot rest while at play followed fol tol followed lowed meekly and stood In to silence while Kent without removing hIs skates hobbled d up the bank and pulled some dead branches blanche to the shore Shortly he hind had a n bright blaze at ot her feet teet lIe He kicked the lie snow sno off of a small log Jog here Sit here down down here where you get the warmth he ordered hIs Ills voice olce as gruff g as he could make It It Lydia sat down obediently her mit hands clasping her knees Kent stood staring at nt his Ills little chum lIe took In the lie faded blue tam tarn the out out- outgrown outgrown grown coat coot the red mittens mitten vo co badly mended the leggings with patches on the knees Then he e eyed Ed the hea heavy circles around her eyes yes and ond the droop to the mouth that was meant to be merr merry Kent was only a boy but he tie was mature In spite of or his heedless wa ways s Staring at the tho trag tragedy y In Lydias Lydia's ra ravished shed little face a sympathy for tor her pain as real as ns It was vas unwonted uD swept SW-pt over o him lie he dropped down besIde her on the log and threw JIg his boyIsh arms about her Im so 10 dog doggone one sorry for you ou 1 Ly- Ly Lydin Ly dIn dla I he whispered I Lydia dla lifted startled eyes to his Never Ne-er before had Kent shown her the slightest affection When she slie saw the sweetness and s sympathy In his brown bro gaze Oh Ob Kent l she whispered wh why did God let It happen 1 1 I Why did lie and aud she burled buried her face tace on his shoulder der and began to sob Softly at first then with a racking agony of ot tears Even a child Is wise In the matter ot of grief Kents Kent's lips ups trembled but buthe buthe he be made no attempt to comfort Lydia Idla He only held her tightly and watched the fire with bright unseeing eyes eJes And after litter what s seemed med a long long longtime longtime longtime time the sobs grew less Finally lie he slipped a pocket handkerchief Into Lydias Lydia's hand It was gray gray- gra with use but of ot a comforting size Wipe your our ees eyes old lady lady- he said Mid In a cheerful matter of or fact tact tone Ive got to put t the be fI fire re ou out t sos nos we can start home mopped her race face and by theline the time line Kent had hud the tile tire fire smothered with snow she was standing sad sad eyed eyed but calm except for tor dry sobs fobs Kent picked up one of ot the sticks slicks he be lad had brought for tor the fire Catch hold he said Ill pull you home Old Lizzie was watching for tor and when they cam came stamping Into the dining room the they found a B pitcher ot of steaming cocoa and und a 8 plate pinte of or bread and butter with hot IlOt gingerbread awaiting them see Sec S e If it you can can get lCt 11 her lier r to eat foat K Kent nt said sold Lizzie Lizzle Sure shell she'll eat ent Kent answered her back my hanky hunky Lyd t LizzIe gave a keen look at nt Lydias Lydia's stained d face tuce and turne turned abruptly into luto the kitchen She came back In n moment to find Lydia Ldla silently eating what Kent hind had set betor before her lier Kent ate hugely huely and talked without cessation About what Lydia L dla did not notI I know for tor the sleep that had been I dented her was claiming her lier She did not know that she slie almost burled buried her head In her lier second cup of or cocoa nor that Kent helped carr carry tl tier her r to tie the couch th ilie lie living room base lase burner burn r Is she Blie sick Shall I 1 get the doc doc- doctor doctor tor he whispered as old LIzzie tucked a shawl over o her Sick No No t She's Just dead for tor sleep She's neither cried nor eat eai nor had a decent hour of or sleep since Blue It happened lOpp ned And now thanks to you tille she's done nil all three Tou Rou ou are arc a good goodboy goodboy lit boy boy- bo Kent Moulton looked suddenly foolish am and embarrassed A that's Aw Aw w-tha w that's ts t's nothing he muttered Wheres my coat coat Maybe Ill III come out again tomorrow If It I 1 got an anything better to do All the rest of or the winter after after- afternoon afternoon noon Lydia Ldla slept Amos came home at seven se and lie he and n Lizzie ate supper In silence except for the old ladys lady's s story ory of oC Kents Kent's visit Ioor Poor young Joung one muttered Amos looking slowly toward the quiet blond hu head on the tul faded brown cushion Ini 1111 glad she's slie's u child and nud Il II 11 tor forget tt I it soon Lizzie J gave ve Amos a curious glance You dont don't know Lydia L Amos Amo she said lie Ile did nut seem to hear her lier lie moved mo hl his chair toward tile the stove e put pul his feet teet on the fender lighted his pipe and then sat nat without moving mo until 11 u d ml w 1 Ifs m I I I I Shortly He H Had a Bright Blaze Blaz at Her Feet stamping of or feet and a hearty rap on the door roused him Lizzie let John Levine In Wheres Lydia 1 was Levines Levine's first question Lizzie pointed to the couch where undisturbed Lydin slept on herel 1 Good said John Jolin lIe He drew his choir chair u up beside Amos and the two tell fell Into voiced low conversation con It must have hae been nine o'clock when Len L Lydia opened her tier eyes ees to hear bear Amos AmosSO SO say fretfully I tell you ou I went to him today as Ill I'll go to no man again I begged hIm to renew the note but he be Insisted his duty to the bank wouldn't let him I 1 told him It would put you ou In a n terri tern terrible ble fix that you'd oud gone gon on the lie note noto when you OU couldn't afford It It lIe grinned a n devils devil's grin then and said Amos I 1 know you e youve you've got nothing to lose In this If It you had for tor the sake ot of your our I children children I mean Lydia Id I'd hold off Hut But Levine ne can fix It up I So I 1 could ordinarily said cald Ie Le- Le Levine vine Le-vine vine Ine In a troubled voice olce But nut It just happens that er e everything Ive I've got on onearth earth Is shoe stringed out ut to hang onto that pine section of ot mine up In Bear count county Im I'm mort mortgaged up to my mye e eyebrows Marshall knows It and sees u chance to ro get hold of or the lie he n d-n n him 1 I Lydia sat sat up and amid rubbed her lier ees eyes Well Well young oung Lydia cried Levine Le Had lad a u fine sleep didn't you ou I 1 Ini Im awful hungry said aid the child Bless your soul coul exclaimed d Lizzie Ill warm your supper up for you In Inn ina Inn n a minute I Lydia dla stood tood with hands outstretched outstretch d to the lie he base burner her hair tumbled her glance flanco traveling from Amos to LevIne What makes Mr Marshall act net so KOsho she sho asked Shit ho said Levine lne little girls your age oJe dont don't know fin anything about such thinGs thinG's do the they Amos Conic Come here You shall eat your our supper aupper tin on in my in p Im getting too old fur tor lops laps said I Lydia coming er very wll willingly never never- nevertheless nevertheless the lie compass of ot Johns John's long arms arms But Hut I 1 love lo you next to daddy now In ht all nil the world Jolin swept her to his Ills knees and put his Ills ch cheek eJ a against hers for Cor n II mo 1110 moment ment while lea lears 11 rs gleamed gle In III Ills his black blackeyes t eyes t Eat your our supper and ond go 10 to be bed Lydia Idla said Amos Dont Dont be so cross Amos pro protested tested Levine lne God Gud knows s Im I'm not cross to cross to cy cydia Ly diu dia of ot nil all people In n the he world orld sighed Amos Amo but she chic worries over oer mone money matters Just the wa way her mother did and 1 want to finish talking tills this over ovel with you ou l Theres beres bere's nothing more to talk about Levines Levine's voice was short Let him liliu call In la the lie loan the lie tat fat hogl hog l Lydia L slept the long night through She awoke refreshed and renewed After Arter first adjusting herself to the awful sense of or loss willed i Is the tir wor worst t tot ot of waking In grief the recollection of the lie conversation sure she had hod heard the night before returned with wIlh sickening I vividness 1 After Arter she had wiped the lie breakfast dishes for tor Lizzie she stood tor fora a long time at the living room room win win- window window dow with Florence Florence Dombey In lien her arms staring at nt the lake Finally Sill tucked the lie doll up comfortably on the couch an and announced to Lizzie Uzzle lint she was |