Show THREE SHUTTERED HOUSES By BEN AMES WILLIAMS Copyright CHAPTER VIII Continued VIII-Continued Continued 8 No no no June Insisted You were always so sweet to Mother You and Grandma both It was not what we did to her the old man said It was what we permitted to be done And he asked after alter a moment astonishingly astonishing ly June will you take me some someday someday someday day to see the man who lives live Inthe in inthe inthe the cabin by the pond Uncle Jim she exclaimed surprised surprised sur and puzzled You call caU him that the old asked s sHe He Ite likes me to she confessed I think he is a good man said Grandpa Hurder Harder slowly I have been wrong I mean to tell him so so 10 June hesitated deeply puzzled but she only said IBid slowly lowly I dont don't know where he Is now Hes He's gone The old man looked at her she thought in something like dismay at this Intelligence while she ex She had seen Uncle Jim at her mothers mother's funeral In the undertakers undertaker's undertake ers er's little chapel where frugally the services were held and again later in the cemetery He was decently dressed so that she hardly recognIzed recognized recognized 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 would not under 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 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 in her life June began to be happy The girl thought this was a strange thing a shameful thing yet it was true For the world began belan to smile and in surprising ways I 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 to to- ward June Mrs Bowdon gave her hera a heavy sympathy Aunt Evie told her that she was a brave fine girl Rab made m made de her smile sometimes with a jesting word and her cousin Asa began to pay her with a quizzical quiz light in his eye certain mysterious mysterious mys rays attentions He lie brought home one day smuggling it into the house at dusk a flat fiat parcel Dont open it here he warned her And dont don't let anyone see it Take it up to your room Try it on I think it will fit all right Try ItIn Itin it itin in front of your mirror Try doing your hair some other way The parcel she discovered contained 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 com mand had long since imposed June was a little terrified at her own 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 herr whether the gown fitted She told him then Yes perfectly I dont don't see how you knew the size Ive an accurate eye he assured assured as her She almost laughed under her breath I cant can't Imagine you going into a store and buying things like that He said with an amused promise in his tones IU Ill surprise you again And he was as good as his word bringing her one day another parcel When she opened this one she was enraptured but it was hours before she ventured to try tryon on even behind the bolted door of ot her room the astonishing garments therein contained and it was days before she risked wearing some of them soberly concealed beneath the fusty dark dress which was her usual usual usual al garb in the house She asked Asa one day why he had fetched her these secret lovely things and he said laid with a smile in his hll eyes A girl has a right to them June If It you ever want to impress some young oung man Just wear that dress She colored richly and wondered whether he knew about Clint and dared not ask for fear of his reply Yet this was a delicious fear she hugged it rapturously She could not wear the new dress It would be seen But she wore the undergarments Asa had given her tinder 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 wat waiting by the knoll above the stream when the canoe appeared She saw laW in a faint dismay that Clint was not alone and thought of flight then she reco recognized in m Clints Clint's passenger passenger pas pas' passenger the kindly old man who had come with Clint to Uncle Jim's Jims cab cabin cabin cabin in that tha t first day Clint when they landed made gool humored gOO apologies Mr T or was wal bound tc to come along Jun he said laid 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 h But the Inspector said smiling at atthe atthe the girl on the bank balk above him I suspected that Clint was up to something some some- thing hing coming out here so much How are you I met you one day remember She did remember and she said laid so 10 10 conscious already of that feeling feel feel- feeing Ing ng of liking and trust which Tope could when h he chose inspire But she said to Clint I 1 cant can't go up the river today I have to be back soon loon Grandpa Bowdon isn't well to to- day They might need me But we can sit here for a while She tried to recall afterward whether Tope had asked her any questions question that day but she could not be sure of a single direct in in- quirt Yet she had found herself telling him about the night her mother died about the anagrams l s r Im excited she confessed and her mothers mother's headache and the fact that there was no milk in hi 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 Ill walk a little way with you 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 it did he ly Clint what is What want Who is he But Clint told her reassuringly Hes all right A fine old fellow The young man chuckled You Yoi see he married Miss Moss and 1 I Iguess Iguess guess guess she sent him out to look to-look look you over June She's She almost like myown my myown myown own mother you know He was able In m the end to reassure reassure reas sure her Before they parted still stil out of sight of the houses bouses on the I hill they planned to meet next i morning at Uncle Jims Jim's cabin In Inthe inthe i ithe the wood Then she told him goodby goodby good I by and saw something In m his eyes eyel and guessed what was in his mind and she wa waited ted gracious and con can seating But in the end he be only clasped her band hand and said In the morning then I She went away from him up the slope smiling to herself It bad had been easy to read the Impulse in his eyes she had bad seen and wel wel- corned it She had bad belonged to him himin himm in m her thoughts long ago Yet she he could smile now at his restraint sure of ot him as she was of Their hour would come When she reached the house bouse 1 It was to learn leam that Grandpa Bowdon had died half ball an hour before I CHAPTER IX June to her own astonishment wept for Grandpa Bowdon as she had not wept for her ber mother Ills His going touched her deeply and she went to her room and stayed there for a while alone Then Asa Au knocked at her ber door and when she opened he knew how bow to comfort comfor her He was ready to go June he said Dont feel badly And And It i iwas was Just like snapping a string No hurt no pain And he bade her come downstairs The old folks need you you he urged You and Rab flab and I weve we've got to carry them over the hump bump you know She wished suddenly desperately to see Clint to be with him now but since she could not she smiled at Asa and dried her tears and went down with him her head high and steady Through the rest of that tha afternoon and evening she carried her share of the burden here The appointed hour was not ye yet come next morning when June Jun slipped away to the woods to mee meet Clint but he would have bave seen th the report of Mr Bowdon's Bowdon death would woul know she needed him When she came ame through the sunlit woods wood up the th path to the cabin o on I i i I the knoll he was there as she ex ex- peeled He lie saw her approaching and was swift to meet her June stood still sUll as he drew near and nd she was trembling and shaken lie He e came toward her ber his bit hands outstretched out out- stretched and without knowing how bow ow or caring she was in his hi arms arm and and happy there I shouldn't have stayed with you yesterday esterday she said after a long longtime time me I might have seen him again gain if Il Id I'd come home He urged June June you couldn't have helped And you liked being eing with me were happy That's That what hed he'd have wanted for you ou I never was really afraid be be- fore ore she whispered Not for my my- self elf But I 1 am now Clint Oh I Iam Im am m now Afraid for me and you Im going to take you away he be cried ried Away from all aU this here herel You cant can't she protested Grandpa and Grandma Hurder- Hurder they bey Just have bave to have bave me there Yet she agreed by and by to meet him ilm that night after the others should hould all aU be abed They had supper before dark inJune's in inJune's inJune's Junes June's kitchen Rab had bad stayed with Grandma Bowdon while Aunt Evie ate her supper but when his hit mother relieved him be he came back and June served him hlin and he said approvingly Youre carrying a load June Good lass I wish I could give you youa OU OUa a hand Its It a womans woman's business she told old him You do more with them keep them going Ive got to leave them tonight he le confessed Im I'm due in court in Providence in the morning Its It's Just Justan an appearance but the Judge down there is a crank And I have to see my client tonight When he be had finished he went home with Uncle Justus but hallan half hall an hour later he stopped In again June was washing the last dishes Fathers Father gone to sleep In his chair he be told her smiling Hell wake up and put himself to bed by and by Im I'm going over to say good night to Mother and Grandma Grand Grand' ma June nodded intent upon the dishes intent upon her own thoughts It was half ball after seven Clint had said he would be waiting a little distance down the road at al eight but she had no hope of coming com com- ing Tig to him so soon Grandpa and Grandma Hurder were in the sit ting room room and once she looked Inon In Inon inon on them They had not heard her approach and Grandpa Hurder was just lust leaning over to pat G Grandmas Grandma's hand land where it lay on the of arm a of the chair June watched and her ber throat swelled with tears unshed And then Asa came Jn 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 talked to her casually till it boiled She found a tea ball and he brought a milk bottle half 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 an right if you use enough of it he assured her smiling in that dry way he be had That the way with most things June Too littles little's starvation too much is a as bad But enough's enough all aU right He lie drank in little sips watching her ber Youre like a rosebud swelling a ait as asIt asit it gets ready to bloom And he declared Hey youre you're blushing child High time you heard some pretty things about yourself your self sell if your own cousin can make mak you blush with a compliment II lie He put his arm around her kissed be her cheek How lIow about this Jervies fellow fellow fel low He saw her ber start with dismay and laughed and promised I wont won't say lay a word He lie disappeared Later Aunt Evie came Into the kitchen Those old folks wont won't sleep leep a wink she said gently Im going to give them some milk She saw laW aw the bottle where Asa Ass had left It and poured the milk into a stew stew- pan scratched a match June was Wit suddenly cold with remembered remembered re re- terror She told herself she he was a fool tool a fool a fool People tad had drunk warm milk mills before I Rab flab came In from out of ot doors wet with the increasing rain he be crossed to a where Aunt Evie stood by the stove and embraced her 1 Night Mother he be said Ill IU be beback beback beback back by noon tomorrow The funeral is la at four she told him evenly I know he assented Ill be here bere He grinned at June Good Goodnight Goodnight Goodnight night kid Aunt Evie poured the milk Into two wo glasses and June went with her ler into the other room The girl was full tull of a great tenderness ten for these old folk Under Aunt Evies Evie's calm insistence the they sipped lipped their milk obediently they set the empty glasses by the they la lay down to sleep like children side sideby sideby by side June took the glasses glasse started toward toward to to- ward the kitchen to wash them Behind Behind Be Be- hind her she heard Aunt say No Ill I'll leave the windows window closed dosed It might rain in And you dont don't need any air You'll be asleep so soon She was always thus calmly bent upon having baving her ber own way when she came back into the kitchen she looked at the girl keenly You all ail allright allright right June she asked Ob Olt yes yes June told her guard guard- edly You must go to bed Aunt Evie directed As soon as you are done here bere Good night child liar Her bands hands flying she slipped out of her clothes changed swiftly into the dress Asa secretly had bad given her She stood for a few minutes before the mirror busy with her ber 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 ball She found a heavy coat and drew it on then opened the front door A gust of rain wet her cheek and she remembered another night when she had thus gone running to meet Clint But then she did not know he was waiting It was deeply contentIng content content- Ing tag to be sure sure tonight that he would meet her ber here bere Darling I Youre You're shaking all ail allover over overt overl Im excited she confessed laughing softly never I did this before and Ive I've got a new dress on He kissed her again and she confessed And I thought of the night Mother died It rained then too remember So I wa was scared Not scared now he urged and held her close Never with you she be promised him So presently he be put the car In m motion allowing it to tu coast silently down the hill hilt Another car overtook them from behind and passed at speed Neither Clint nor June would remember remember re re- member afterward much about the picture motion they saw that eve eve- ning In the dim obscurity of ot the theater their eyes were much more often otten turned toward each other than toward the screen And after a time Clint whispered Are you likIng Ilk Ilk- ing mg this I 1 think It its it's dull She smiled at him I dont don't think It its it's dull she said You see It its it's almost the first one I ever saw TO BE DE CONTINUED I |