Show THREE SHUTTERED HOUSES By BEN AMES WilLIAMS Copyright Copyright SERVICE I CHAPTER VIII VIII-Continued VIII Continued t 8 No no June Insisted You were always so sweet to Mother You and Grandma both It was not Dot what we did to her the old man said It was what we permitted to be done And he asked after a n moment astonishingly astonishing astonishing- ly June will you Jou take me some someday someday someday day to see the Ule man who lives in inthe inthe inthe the cabin by the pond Uncle Jim she exclaimed surprised surprised surprised sur sur- and puzzled You call him that the old man 9 asked t He likes me to she confessed I think he is a good man said Grandpa Hurder slowly I have been wrong I mean to tell ten him so June hesitated deeply puzzled but she only said slowly I dont don't know where he is now Hes He's gone The old man looked at nt her she thought in something like dismay at this Ulis intelligence while she ex ex- ex- ex She had seen Uncle Jim at her mothers mother's funeral in the undertakers undertaker's cr's ers little chapel where frugally the services were held and again later in the cemetery He was decently dressed so 50 that she hardly hardly- recognized r recognized og- og him in this unaccustomed sobriety sobriety sobriety so so- briety of garb She saw him watchIng watchIng watching watch- watch Ing her and wished to smile but that t would not under th the circumstances circumstances circumstances circum circum- stances have been seemly She had gone next day to his cabin in the wood only to find it closed secured but there was a note on the door addressed to her It promised promised promised prom prom- that he would come back soon but he had not yet returned During the fortnight after her mother died and for the first time I In her life June began to be happy The girl thought this was a strange I IThe thing a shameful thing yet it was I true For the world began to smile I and in surprising ways Clint was tender to her but so were others too The world after her mothers mother's death turned in so many ways a new countenance toward toward toward to to- ward June Mrs Bowdon gave her hera hern a n heavy sympathy Aunt Evie told her that she was a brave braye fine girl Rab flab made her smile sometimes with a jesting word and md her cousin Asa began to pay her with a n quizzical quizzical quizzical quiz quiz- light in his eye certain mysterious mysterious mysterious mys mys- attentions He brought home one da day smuggling it into the house at dusk a flat fiat parcel Dont open it here he warned her And dont don't let nn anyone one see it Take it up to your our room room Try It on I think it will fit all right Try it itin itin itin in front of your mirror Try doing your hair some other way l The parcel she discovered contained con con- tamed a gown different from any she had ever worn before the skirt dismayingly shorter than the ankle ankle- length Mrs Bowdon's strict command command command com com- mand had long since imposed June was a 1 little terrified at her own aspect aspect aspect as as- in the mirror but by and by interest banished terror There were unseemly lumps which marred her contours here and there but when valorously experimenting she removed her underclothing and put on the new dress again these lumps had disappeared and left smooth and gracious lines June hugged this secret happiness till Asa found a chance to ask her whether the gown fitted She told him then Yes perfectly I dont don't see how you knew the size y Ive I've an accurate eye eje he assured assured assured as as- her She almost laughed under her breath I 1 I cant can't imagine you going into a store and buying things like that J He said with an an amused promise e ein in his tones Ill surprise you again And he was as good as his word bringing her one day another parceL When she he opened this one me she was enraptured but it was hours before she ventured to try tryon on even behind the bolted door of her room the astonishing garments therein contained and it was days before she risked wearing some of them soberly concealed beneath th the fusty dark dress which was her usual usual al garb in the house She asked Asa one day why he had fetched her these secret lovely things and he said with a smile I in his eyes f 0 L o- o A girl Cirl has a right to them June II If It you ever eer want to impress some young man just wear that dress She colored richly and wondered whether he knew ew about Clint and dared not ask for fear of his reply Yet this Ibis was a delicious fear she hugged it rapturously She could not wear the new dress It would be seen But she wore the undergarments undergarment Asa had given her under her accustomed garb And she saw Clint more and more often One day they had appointed to meet by the river and June was waiting wafting by the knoll above the stream when the canoe appeared She saw in a faint dismay that Clint was not alone and thought of flight then she recognized in Clints Clint's passenger pas pas' passenger the kindly old man who had come with Clint to Uncle Jims Jim's cabin cab 1 in fn that first day Clint when they landed made humored good apologies Mr Tope was bound to come along June t he said I told him threes three's a crowd but I couldn't get rid of him Well We'll maroon him here and go on upstream you and I I. I But the Inspector said smiling at atthe atthe atthe the girl on the bank above him I suspected that Clint was up to something some- some tiling thing coming out here so much How are arc you I met you ou one day remember She did remember and she said so conscious already of that feeling feeling feel feel- ing ine of cf liking and trust which Tope could when he chose inspire But she said to Clint I cant can't go up the river today I have to be back soon Grandpa Bowdon BO isn't well to to- day They might need me But we can sit here for a 1 while She tried to recall afterward whether Tope had asked her any questions that day but she could I not be sure of a single direct in in- Yet she had found herself hersel I telling him about the night her I mother died about the anagrams anagrams 1 r 1 Im excited she confessed and her mothers mother's headache and the fact that there was no milk in the ice chest so that Aunt Evie had to togo togo togo go next door door everything Tope nodded and Clint came to her side ide Ill walk a little way with you he he said So she bade Tope good good-by uncertainly and she and Clint went up the slope er When they were out of hearing she said with something like a shudder shudder shudder der Id almost forgotten about that night She looked at Clint square square- ly Clint what is it What did he want Who is he But Clint told her reassuringly Hes all nIl right A fine old fellow The young yeung man chuckled You see he married Miss Moss and I Iguess Iguess Iguess guess she sent him o out t to look to-look look you over June She's almost like myown my myown own mother you know He was able in the end to reassure reassure reassure reas reas- sure her Before they parted still out of sight of the houses on the h hill ll they planned to meet next morning at Uncle Jims Jim's cabin Inthe in inthe inthe the wood Then she told him goodby goodby good good- by and saw something in his eyes and guessed what was vas in his mind and she waited gracious and con con- But in the end he only clasped her bund band and said In the morning then I 1 She went away from him up the slope smiling to herself hersel It had I been easy to read the impulse in his eyes she had seen and wel corned it She had belonged to him himin himin himin in her thoughts long ago Yet she could smile now at his restraint sure of him as she was of herself hersel Their hour would come When she reached the house it was to learn that Grandpa Bowdon had died half hal an hour before CHAPTER Lt IX LR June to her own astonishment wept for Grandpa Bowdon as she had not wept for her mother His going touched her deeply and she went to her room and stayed there for a 1 while alone Then Asa knocked at her door and when she opened he be knew how to comfort her He was ready to fo go June he said Dont feel badly And And it it was just like snapping a string No hurt no pain And he bade her come downstairs The old folks need you he urged You and Rab and I weve we've got to carry them over the hump you know She wished suddenly desperately to see sec Clint to be with him now but since she could not she smiled at Asa and dried doled her tears and nd went down with him her head high and steady Through the rest of that afternoon and evening she carried her share of the burden here here The appointed hour was not yet come next morning when June slipped away to the woods to meet Clint but he would have bave seen the report of Mr Bowdon's death would know she needed him When she came through the sunlit woods up the path to the cabin on the knoll he was there as ns she ex ex- He saw her approaching and was sw swift t to meet her June stood still as he drew near and she was trembling and shaken He came toward her his hands outstretched outstretched outstretched out out- stretched and without knowing how low or caring she was in l his is arms and and happy there I shouldn't have stayed with you yesterday she said after a long time Lime I might have seen him again if R Id I'd come home He urged June JuI June e you couldn't have helped And you liked being with me were happy That's what hed he'd have wanted for you I never was really afraid before before be be- fore she whispered Not for my my- sel self But I am now Clint Oh I Iam Iam am now Afraid for me and you ou Im going to take you away he cried Away from rom all this here You cant can't she protested Grandpa and LInd Grandma Hurder Hurder- they just have to have me there Yet she agreed by and by to meet him that night after the others should all be abed They had supper before dark in inJune's inJune's inJune's Junes June's kitchen Rab had stayed with Grandma Bowdon while Aunt Evio ate her supper but when his mother relieved him he came back and June served him and he said approvingly Youre carrying a load June I Good lass I wish I could give you youa a hand Its a womans woman's business she told him You do more with them keep them going Ive got to leave them tonight he confessed Im due in court in Providence in the morning Its It's just justan an appearance but the judge down there I is a n crank And I have to see my client tonight When he had finished he went home with Uncle Justus but half an nn hour later he stopped in again June was washing the last dishes Fathers gone to sleep in his chair he told her smiling Hell wake up and put himself himsel to bed by and by Im I'm going over to say good night to Mother and Grand Grand' Grandma Grand I ma ma i June nodded Intent upon the dishes intent upon her own thoughts It was half hal after seven Clint had said he would be waiting wailing a little distance down the road at eight but she had no hope of coming coming coming com com- ing to him s so soon Grandpa and Grandma Hurder were in the sit sit- ting-room ting and once she looked inon in inon inon on them They had not heard her approach and Grandpa Hurd Hurder r was just leaning over to pat Grandmas Grandma's hand where it lay on the arm of the chair June watched and her throat swelled with tears unshed And then Asa came in Any water hot June he asked Ive got to have havea a cup of tea He sat down while she put the kettle on the stove stove talked to her casually till it boiled She found a tea-ball tea and he brought a milk bottle half hal empty from the ice- ice chest and poured a little milk into the cup There isn't any cream she said Im sorry Milks all right if it you use enough of it he assured her smiling in that dry way h he had the way with most things June Too littles little's starvation too much is as bad But enough's all right He drank in little sips watching her Youre like a rosebud swelling as asit asit asit it gets ready rendy to bloom And he declared Hey youre you're blushing child High time you heard some pretty things about yourself yourself your your- self sell if your own cousin can make you blush with a compliment He HeI I put his arm around her kissed her cheek How about this Jervies fellow fellow fellow fel fel- low He saw her start with dismay and laughed and promised I wont won't say a word He disappeared Later Aunt Evio Evie came Into the kitchen Those old folks wont won't sleep a wink she said gently Im going to g give ge e them some milk She saw the bottle where Asa had left it and poured the milk into a stew- stew pan scratched a match June was suddenly cold with remembered remembered remembered re re- re- re terror She told herself herselt she was a 1 fool a fool a fool People had drunk warm milk before Rab flab came in from out of doors wet with the increasing rain he crossed to where Aunt Evie stood by the stove and embraced her Ill be beback beback beback Night Mother he said back by noon tomorrow The funeral is at four she told him evenly I know he assented Ill be here He grinned at June Good Goodnight Goodnight Goodnight night kid Aunt Evie poured the milk into two glasses and June went with her into the other room The girl was full of a great tenderness tenderness ten ten- for these old folk tolk Under Aunt EvIes EvIe's calm insistence they sipped their milk mill obediently they set the empty glasses by they lay down to sleep like children side sideby sideby sideby by side June took the glasses started to toward toward tor to- ward the kitchen to wash them Behind Behind Behind Be Be- hind her she heard Aunt Evie say No Ill I'll leave the windows closed It might rain in And you dont don't need any air Yo You'll ll be asleep so 60 soon She was always thus calmly bent upon having her own way when she came back Into the kitchen she looked a at ai the girl keenly You allright all allright allright right June she asked Oh yes June told her guard guard- edly You must go to bed bcd Aunt Evie directed As soon as you are arc done here Good night child Her hands flying she slipped out of her clothes changed swiftly into the dress Asa secretly had given her She stood for fora a few minutes before the mirror busy busy with her hair At last she was satisfied Some Someone Someone Someone one radiant and lovely looked back at her from the mirror there She turned out the light at last and in the darkness descended to the lower hall She found a heavy coat and drew it on then opened the front door A gust of rain wet her check and she remembered another night when she had thus gone running to meet Clint But then she did not know he was waiting wailing It was deeply contenting contenting contenting content content- ing to be sure tonight that he w would uld meet her here Darling Youre You're shaking all allover allover over overl Im excited she confessed laughing softly I never I never did this before and Ive I've got a new dress dresson on He kissed her again and she confessed And I thought of the night Mother died It rained then too remember So I was scared Not scared now he urged and held her close Never with you she promised him So presently he put the car in motion allowing it to coast silently down the hill Another car overtook them from frem behind and passed at speed Neither Clint nor June would remember remember remember re re- member afterward much about the picture motion-picture they saw sa that eve eve- ning In the dim obscurity of the theater their eyes were much more often oHen turned toward each other than toward the screen And after afler a tune time Clint whispered Are Arc you liking liking liking lik lik- ing this I think its it's dull She smiled at him I dont don't think its it's dull she said You see its it's almost the first one I ever saw T TO BE CONTINUED O |