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Show CURING A WILL j I o By Margaret Johnson (Copyright,, by Joseph I). Dmvlc.t.) Sylvia hod stayed on after tho early tea to help Mrs. Webster wash up nnd put away the dlshos. Sho was very iond ofihor Aunt Lucy, ns sho called her, though sho was not her own mint, but a cousin of her mother a slight, worn woman, who stood now nt tho sink, patiently, whllo Sylvia, her slender waist girt about with n big npron, went lightly to nnd Tro ncross tho kitchen, nnd llttlo Janu danced nud sang to herself by tho window, her dark head and scnrlot dress vivid In tho fading light. "You ought to havo a cupboard In tho dining-room ror theso pretty cups, Aunt Lucy," said Sylvia, stopping to look nt thu piece or old china In her haniL "Yes," said her mint; "bo I'vo told tho squire. But ho snys we'vo always kept 'Jm there. You know how 't Is with your Undo Lemuel. If ho snyB ha will, ha will, and If ho says ho won't, ho won't." "Yes?" suld Sylvia, reflectively. Sho Btood with her pretty head on ono sldo, forgetting to wlpo tho cup. "It's Just that way about tho pump," Mrs. Webster went on, in her thin, gentlo voice. "Thero 'tis, up on top o' tho hill, and tho path steep and stony, nnd sllpp'ry In winter, nnd not ono of tho neighbors but what has got n pump In tho kitchen now. But tho squire says his folks always got along with tho well up there, nnd what was good cnongh tor them's good enough Tor us, nnd I don't bellevo anything In tho world would Induce him to put n pump in tha house. 'Tnln't that ho cares, It's Just that will of his. Onco he's set his root down, ho won't budge. "Or course, the boys bring tho wator somotlmcs; but Loin's away so much, nnd Luko, ho's really too small. Thoro's llttlo Jane," sho wont on presently, pres-ently, nodding townrd the child. "Sho's got It, too. Just llko her rather, ra-ther, ror all tho world. Set's no'nnmo ror It, Once sho gets her mind on n thljig, you can't movo hor nny moro'n you could tho Bldo o' tho house. Queor how It runs In tho ramlly. The squlro got It right Trom his rnthor, and now ho's handed It down to llttlo Jnne, straight's a dlo." A Tow weeks later Sylvia, coming to Uio houso ono afternoon with a llttlo packago carefully wrapped up In hor hand, waB met nt the kitchen door by Luke. "Good morning, Luko!" sho said, brightly. "Where's your mother? Hush! Don't say anything! It's her blrthdny, you know, nnd I'vo brought her" Sho stopped, seeing thnt tho boy's face was grave, his manner full of an unwonted and hesitating solemnity. "What Is It?" sho asked quickly. "Jano," said tho boy. "Sho's worso lots worso. I I guess sho's goln' to dlo!" "Oh no!" cried Sylvia. "Why, sho waB hotter Lem said bo!" "Sho's worse," ho repeated stubbornly, stub-bornly, his boyish faco working. "I guess sho's goln' to die." "Sylvia!" called MrB. Webster, softly, soft-ly, rrom tho stairs. "Is that you? Walt I'm coming down." Hor thin Taco was worn and whlto with anxiety. anx-iety. "Sho was bettor," sho 'said, dropping down nt tho root or tho Btalrs. "Tho rover's left her, and tho pain but now sho's took It Into her head sho won't tnko hor medlclno nor her food. Not a thing can wo get past her lips wo dnren't rorco hor and we'vo coaxed and argued, and tho doctor doc-tor ho's tried, and It's no uso. "I'vo just sent hor father In," Mrs. Webster wont on, drearily, "I thought maybo ho might bo ablo to do something With her. But I don't know I don't know!" "May I go up?" asked Sylvia, She did not wait to tako oft her shawl, but ran lightly up tho stairs, and slipped Into tho room Just boforo the squlro came In with his heavy, cautious tread over tho creaking floor. Llttlo Jano lay qulotly on hor pillow, her Binull whlto race whlto ns Itseir, framed by her tangled black hair, her dark eyes open, wldo and watchful. Sho did not movo as hor father bunt over hor. His rugged old faco was drawn and tremulous. Instantly the palo Hps were compressed com-pressed In a sot, unchlldllko look of determination. "I can't!" Bho said, In a low whls per. Sylvln put hor hand to vcs. Tho parcel which sho still held in lift lap rolled off nnd roll to tho floor. As sho stooped to pick It up, something occurred to hor. Her eyes brightened "Jane, dear," she said, softly and cheerily. "Look! I havo something pretty to show you. Do you know what day It is? No? Why, it i3 moth-er's moth-er's birthday! You forgot, didn't you? And mother was 8obusy taking caro or you that alio rorgot, too. Wouldn't It bo nlco If wo could glvo her u surprise, Jam. you and I and father!" A llttlo color citmu Into tho child's faco. "What?" sho asked, faintly. "What could wo?" "Here's mlno. I've made a pincushion." pincush-ion." Sylvia undid her parcel Blowly, and held up the cushion with Its gny ribbons beroro Juno's watchful oyos. Thoy brightened still moro. "It's protty; 1 llko It!" Bho ald, with u low laugh of pleasure. Tho squlro e:iu lit Sylvia's look as sho glanced toward him, nnd chuckled to himself. "Sho's a cuto ono Sy Ivy I" ho inut-tcred inut-tcred under his breath, "Sho c'n man-ago man-ago If nnyono can!" "And what can you do?" Sylvln went on, gnyly. "You can't inako hor nnythlng, because you're sick. But-oh, But-oh, suppose you woro to cat up nit your bread and milk beroro sho comes upstairs! Wouldn't that bo a stir-prlso stir-prlso for her!" "I said I wouldn't, nnd I can't!" sho said In her llttlo weak but rosoluto volco, shutting her eyes upon tho tempting cushion, "And father," Sylvln went on, not noticing, "what do you think ho could ..H do to ptsaso mother? I know some-thing some-thing something thnt sho wants over nnd over so much. Ho could put n pimp In thu kitchen for her! Wouldn't sho like thnt!" "Wh what!" gasped tho squire, gripping tho nrms of his chair, nnd half rising In his amazement. "He Bald ho wouldn't, and ho won't!" murmured Jnne, an odd little Btnllo puckering her palo lips. "Oh, yes, ho will," said Sylvia, light-ly light-ly and confidently. "To pleaso mother on hor birthday. Just becauso ho thought ho didn't want to do It onco ho wouldn't stop for thnt! Why, ho can chnngo his mind, can't ho?" Tho squlro elenred his throat fitor-torlously, fitor-torlously, crossed and uncrossed his legs, and finally got up nnd walked to. tho window, running his flngors through his gray hair till It stood on end In a confusion that' matched tho chaos or his thoughts.'' v "I'll tell you what wo'll do," Sylvia. went on, gayly. "You -eon do what rather can, can't you? If ho says he'll put thu pump In, you'll cat up your bowl of broad and milk, nnd then wo'll have two beautiful surprises for moth-er. moth-er. Shall we, Jane will you?" She bent closer to tho child, who ro-spouded ro-spouded to thu magnetism of hor morry eyes with n feeble lauglrof won-dcr won-dcr nnd assent. "Como, Undo Lemuel!" cried tho girl. "You'll do It, won't you?" "If ho says he will, ho will, and If ho says ho won't, ho won't!" Little Jane's weak volco, with its old noto of whimsical nmusemont, chanted tho familiar words, hoarsely, unconsciously. Its weakness and hoarseness went to tho squlro's stub-born stub-born old heart Ho wavered under Sylvia's compelling glance. "Eh!" Bald tho squire, suddenly. "Why, yes yes, or coiffso I'll do ltt Yes, to bo sure!" "Yes, to be sure ho'll do It!" ro-pcuted ro-pcuted Sylvia, smiling, and taking tho medlclno glass from tho tablo. Jano turned hor head on tno pillow with a soft sigh. Her tense llttlo body seemed to relnx all over, and hor lips opened obediently ns Sylvln hold tho spoonful of medlclno to thorn. "Now a llttlo bread nnd milk," said tho girl, softly. "You shall look at tho cushion whllo you cat It. And won't mother bo pleased!" Two or three nights Inter, ho and his wlfo sat together silently In tho sitting-room after tea when Sylvia came. Luko was upstairs playing aH with llttlo Jano, who was Bitting up In bed and getting well fast. "Undo Lemuel," said Sylvia, "I'm Km afrold I was naughty tho othor day Bjo about tho pump. But It was all Just for llttlo Juno's snko, you know. It j$$J flashed ovor mo all at onco thnt sho tljij would do what you did sho's such u !9jhfjj! little monkey for Imitating and sho loves you bo; and it was really th ff,i only way to manngo hor Just then. But of courso you needn't do It, yon know unless unless you want to!" "Of courso not!" sold the squire, I'M explosively; "certainly not! When I !"; say a thing, I stick to It. You meant 1 well, Sylvy, and I wpn't say as you ffj wero wrong, a'long's It's turned out tho way It hns, hut I glvo my word, f."j you understand, about that matter, ffci4 and that's all." His volco fell nt little, and ho stopped abruptly. - "But, Uncle Lemuel f" cried Sylvia. ttK'if Ho put her asldo with his hand. S?w?J' "To llttlo Jane," ho finished, stilt Rftjf looking nt his wlfo, "I glvo my word Hj to llttlo Jano, and that's nil thero Is jBJ about It. Lucy, which sldo tho kltch-en kltch-en sink would yor ruthor hov that |
