Show caw w 11 b AN LEUE LETTER R r oy by SUSAN E cragett N 4 T T T TT T T V it 1 t T t started as front alta chapman apman la in exasperation floor door slammed then he mintter muttered TO think I 1 should have come to of beverl fever 1 touch ahls brorn a little nerves 1 I 1 thought I 1 had no nerves fact it had been a an aa a matter of typhoid with so alln severe seme attack of geil nga a convalescence that atiat his to physician the ordered him to return empty old house in new england that kaa ii sd been his boyhood home it he to regain his bis strength to the last be had bad protested but without avail and now he be had been in for a week the new england village literally confined to the house as he bad had broken his ankle upon his own doorstep doon tep seated in hla his sitting room he looked helplessly around as doors and window blinds blind banged where in the devil la Is william that t tellow fellow Is never where hes bes wanted d ill 1111 9 will I 1 ang answer a pleasant voice asked and without waiting tor for a reply a blue gowned figure crossed the room hastily secured the blinds and closed the windows 1 I saw william ahead of me as I 1 was blown through your front door he had bad something in his bis arms that was giving him trouble here he Is good era clous 1 jim turned his head as his man j came into the room carrying a kicking squirming bundle which lie put hastily flown down sure mr air jim I 1 hopes never tend send we me gain again for such a little tiger mt cat 1 I aint aln no tiger cat came with a suppressed sob from the small being on the hearth rug jim looked at the child with curious rese resentment but miss hill who nho had been listening in undisguised amazement came forward of course not dear jim and william were just trying to be funny As she talked she had removed the childs wraps and now lifted her to her lap i ohl oh I 1 want my daddy I 1 want my daddy he cull call me tiger cat and the child burrowed her head in the lace at miss hills throat the two grownups grown ups looked at each ther la in silence as she sobbed herself into a beav heavy y sleep then only did kate elate hill speak what Is it all about jim he silently handed her a letter and she read dear jim when this reaches you I 1 will have passed into the unknown I 1 I 1 country because of the clo closeness senes of I 1 our friendship I 1 am sending you the Ja delight elight of my heiart her mother Is 1 dead and she has hag not a relative in the world I 1 leave a little property that is s well invested sufficient for her i needs am too tired now to write pore yours TOM TO M poor little fat she said softly ai 1 I would take her home with me but I 1 am going away this afternoon I 1 I 1 can help you however my housekeepers sister has lost her child she needs a home and will III suit you I 1 will send her over I 1 thank you did you say you are bolog away the thought thou glit that I 1 should find you when this confounded ankle lets me get about has been the one comfort I 1 have had bad throughout this lonely week we used to have some pleasant days together and I 1 hoped we might return to them I 1 will be your neighbor for many months and the sooner we forget the years year that lie between now and then the better we will talk about it when I 1 come back she replied evasively she stood beside him for an instant laughing down into his gloomy face perhaps jim I 1 may not stay as long as 1 I had intended she said and with these words she he left the room to tits his surprise she returned within ten days returned in a storm that broke la in torrents of rain as slie she neared jim chapmans Chap mans gate As on that first day she ran up the walk and into tile house houge looking into the sitting room she saw jim move slowly toward the window on the floor the child cliffa was gathering up stray leaves of what looked like a manuscript and in her lap IRP was a bundle of I 1 letters e tt ers kate kata turned to jim with a smile smil it Is to be hoped mrs grundy has been driven to the back of her house by the storm else my reputation rully may suffer to be blown twice within a fortnight through your doorway jim Is certainly food for gossip 1 I want the pretty lady to read to me ft a small voice interrupted read this she fine said persuasively holding out aletter kate picked the child up and took the letter from her why wh ir this Is addressed to me she exclaimed jim gave a start find and glanced toward the drawer of his library table lie he turned to kate in explanation that letter wits was written years ago and I 1 have often wondered why I 1 received no reply why it was wan not mailed I 1 do not know but chance has haq thrown it into your hands read it and give me the answer to the ques tion I 1 then asked ile he turned to tile the window looking with unseeing tug eyes out into the storm she was silent so long that lie he at lat last turned to her holding the child close she looked at him with 1 I have been wishing I 1 had received the letter when tt was written for ailt we ive have lost live years of happiness i copyright 1917 by the mcclure New sprA I 1 per par |