Show s UNSELFISH conspirator by JAMES ROBERTS 0 a the kitchen was still stifling hot in spite of the fact that the fire had gone out an hour before and that a broiling sun was sinking behind the hill virginia set the milk bottles oft out on t the he back porch with tickets for or the next days supply her cheeks were flushed with the heat and little moist tendrils of 0 hair clung to her forehead 1 I dont care how I 1 look she said as she turned toward the door in the double seated swing she leaned her head back wearily and closed her eyes the breeze was cool and refreshing tired as she was she began to plan tor for the mornings work she had never admitted even to herself that since john marshall had been coming to see annabelle the work had been much harder the big old fashioned house was enough to keep two of them busy most of the time but of late anna belles time had hardly been her own when john was not there or taking her out somewhere there were other things for the favored sister bister to do mrs wiggins wigging appeared around the corne corn crof the house good evenin miss ginnie I 1 am any lights in the front ands posed you through with the dishes yet hot aint it virginia was relieved that it was only her kindhearted kind hearted garrulous old neighbor come out here and sit with me wont you mrs wiggins its cooler hero here What ll I 1 do with your daddys daddes eggs oh did you bring some tor for hla his breakfast how kind rii HI get i a pan never mind ill fix em I 1 know liow how tired you musto be mrs wiggins put an egg small email end down in the top of each milk bottle there be all right till you come in she limped back to the swing in the twilight she caught the weary droop of the girls girla shoulders aties ginnie ye aint sick are ye yet no mrs mm wigging why it it aint like you I 1 dont ilk like to see eee you so tired your poor mother she used to say Vir virginnia ginnie she ehe cant stand what annabelle does an she always tried to keep you rested what do ye do it for or miss ginnie Glnn le why mrs wiggins you know how bow it to la with us now since dad lost all his money its too bad it if two big healthy girls like us cant take care of him and the house but miss anna amna dont help I 1 guess ive got eyes well perhaps not so BO much as she did but ashes very busy yes I 1 know why ashes busy but no matter it she Is a goin to get married ashes no business im imposino on you an im coln to tell her mrs wiggins there there dearie im an old troublemaker trouble maker an I 1 must be coln before I 1 say anything more im sorry miss GIDDY it if I 1 hurt you I 1 hope feel better tomorrow f virginia watched the old lady disappear app ear into the darkness so other people were beginning to notice she whitened the bare facts acts paraded themselves before her now without disguise the moon almost full was waa rising in the east malting making a fairyland of the old fashioned garden it shone full fu 11 on the face of the girl in the swing lying back with closed eyes her face now strangely white she was saying over and over to herself 1 I wonder it if he really does I 1 care tor for herl her I 1 wonder it if 2 virginia whispered some one softly so softly that at first she did not open her eyes it seemed like tomo somo mysterious my serious magic of 0 the old moonlit garden when she eho did look up she saw a man standing close to the swing she sat eat up with a startled cry then recognizing zing john marshall she turned away in pretty confusion had ho he heard her thoughts had she said anything aloud he had called her virginia for tho the first time she scrambled out of the swing good evening mr marshall I 1 expect you and annabelle back so soon 1 I 1 wonder he said irrelevantly it if yulu you have any idea how beautiful you are in the moonlight mr marshall cant you say eay john why I 1 dont know safiy should I 1 she was nervously plucking leaves from a iliac bush he reached out and ald took both her hands bands in his because De cause I 1 want you to this time im not going to let you get away without telling you what I 1 want to ive tried tor for days but you have always had some excuse too tired or too busy or dishes or something for father Anna belles a charming clever little girl but she you virginia I 1 came alone ashes still at the party having a fine time with jack english glad to get rid of me he laughed 1 I have eyes vi virginia I 1 and I 1 came back to hunt up little cinderella and tell her I 1 love her but first I 1 must tell her that it a prince who woos her ive lost nearly all of my money lately virginia he still held her hands and felt the tiniest pressure on his own you do love me dearest he drew her unresisting to him bird yes john softly ottly and andoh oh im so glad about the money iril Cht UH 1914 by the mcclure mcclur dar |