THE STORYTELLER

Thames Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 10343, 28 September 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE STORYTELLER

(Continued) 1 ——— ] Outwardly Jewel was silent. Inwardly she was declaring ma-.iy tilings which would have surprised '. her companions. I "Does your Cousin Eloise pretond to you that she is becoming seriously interested in your faith,?" pursued Mrs Eivringham. "She will tell you all about it," returned Jewel. Aunt Madge shrugged heir shoulders and laughed a little. Her thoughts reverted to . her daughter s trip to the city. She had" wondered several times if it had any pleasant eennectieni with h&r sudden good understanding' with Mr Evringham. To Jewel's relief her thoughts i-.1---maiued preoccupied during; tlie- remainder of the meal; and as soon a.s the child couild leave, she flew to the closet under the. stairs, where An rut Belle often went into retreat during the luncheon hour, and from themca back to the garden she was making by the brookside. When she returned t# thie house lier ©yes lighted as she saw two horses before the piazza, and T3r. Billiard standing 1 beside one of them.

"How are you, Jewel?" he asked ns she danced uj> to him smiling. Stooping;, he lifted her into the side saddle, from whence she 'beamed! upon him.

"Oh, what fun you're .going to have!" she cried.

"I'd l:ke to be sure of that," he answered, his gloved hand *on the pommel. "What do you meaW?" incredulously. "Yon don't like that automobile" better, do you? They're so—so stubby. I must have a horse, a horse!" She smoothed ajid patted

her steed lovingly. "You ought to hay of the woild," ho"'said kiirdly. "Miy bad angel I'"' iw added, looked up quizzically into her eyes, and smiling at tlie widei ing wonder that grew ia them.

"Your—what?" she asked ; and their Eloise came out in her habit. "I'm going instead of you," cried the child gayly. "To pay you f.u\ staying away all day." . '"Bid you miss me?" asked the girl as she shook hands with her escort. "I tried not to. Anna Belle and I have something to show you in the ravine." As she spoke, Jewel slid down into the doctor's amis, and stood on the steps Avatching while he put Eloise up and mounted himself. The child's eyes dwelt upon the pair ad; h'ingly as they waved their hands !'• her and rode away. Lttle she k c 'ioav their hearts Avere beat-

in•■■•. M. Evringham, watching fro-n an upper window, suspected it. Sr.e felt that this afternoon would end all suspense.

The child gave a. wistful sigh as the horst;-* disappeared, and, jumping off the piazza, she wandered around the house toward the stable. There had been no rules laid down to her siucq the,-night of ELssex Maids attack, and Zeke was always a con,<i«>ni:il companion. As she neared the barn a young' fellow left it, laughing. She knew who he was; one of the young men Zeke had known in Boston. He had several times of late come to call on his old chum, for he was out of work. As he left the bam he saw; the child, and slouched off to one side, avoiding her; but she scarcely noticed him, congratulating" herself tliat Zeke would be alone and ready, as usual to crack jokes and stories. The coachman was not in sight as she entered, hut she knew she would find him in the harness room. Its door stood ajar, anid as the child approached she heard a strange sound, as of someone weeping suppressed!y. Sturdily resisting, the sudden jfear that swept to her heart, she pushed open; the door. There stood Mrs Forbes, leaning against a wooden support, her forehead resting against her clasped hands in a hopeless posture, as "he sobbed heavily. The air was filled with an odour which had for Jewel sickening associations. The only

terror, the only tragedy, of her short life was wrapped about with thiß pungent smell. She seemed again to hear her mother's sobs, to feel once more than sensation of all things coming to ruin; which; descended upon her at the unprecedented sight and sound of her strong mother's emotion. All at once she perceived Zeke titting on a low chair, his arms hanging across, his knees and his he.id fallen.

The child turned very pale. Hsr doll slid untouched to the floor, as she pressed her little hands to ler eyes.

,£_.. "Father, Mother, God," she rnur,o*nnted in sya-sps. "Thou art all power. ,<V r^ rj^ children. Error has no - power over us. Help- us to waken from this life.

Running up to the housekeeper, .she olnspcf! her arms «boiit her convulsed form. "Dear Mrs Forbes," she snirl, her soft vo-ice trembling; at first, but crowing firm, "I know ♦■■his claim, but it enn be healed. It seems

very terrible, but it's nothing 1. 'Ye know it, we must know it." The woman lifted her heati ancf looked down with swollen eyes upon

" J EMEL"

By Clara .Louise Burnham.

the child. She saw her go unhesitatingly across to Zeke and kneel beside him. "Don't be discouraged, Zeke," me said lovingly. "I know how it seems, but my father had it, and he was healed. You will be healed." The coachman, lifted his rumpled head and stared at her - with bloodshot eyes. "Great i'uss about nothing 1," he said sullenly. "Mbther always fussing." # Something in his look made ihe child shudder. Resisting the sudden repugnance to one who had always shown her kindness, she impulsively took his big hand in both her Jifctle ones. "Zeke, what is. error saying to j rou'/" she demanded. "You can't look at me without love. I love you because God does. He is lifting us out of this error of belief." The young fellow returned ihe clasp of the soft hands, and winking his eyes like, one who is waking. "Mbther makes great fuss," ha grumbled. "Scott was here. We had two or three little friendly drinks. Ma had to come in and blubber. j,What' s friendly drinks? What do you mean?" demanfded Jewel, looking all albout her. Her eyes, fell iipou

a large black bottle. She dropped the coachman's hand and picked it up. She smelled it, her eyes dilated, and she began to tremble again; and, throwing the -whisky from her.

she bm-ied her face for a moment against Zeke's shirt sleeve.

'Ts it in a bottle!" she exclaimed at last, in a hushed voice, drawing back and regarding- the coachman with such a white and horrified countenance that it frightened the clouds from his brain. "Is that terrible ■claim in a bottle, and do people drink it out?" she asked; slowly, in

nn awe struck tone. "It's no harm," began Zeke. "No harm when your mother is crying, when your face is full of error, and your eyes were hating? No harm when my mother cried, and r.ll our gladness Was gone Would

you go and drink a claim like that out of a bottle —of your accord?" Zeke wriggled under the blue eyes paid the unnatural rigidity of tlie child's face. "No,. Jewel, he wouldn't," groaned Mrs Forbes suddenly. "Zeke's a Good boy, but he's inherited that. His father died of it. It's a disease, child. I thought my boy would escape, but he hasn't! It's the end!" cried the wretched woman,. "What will Mir Evringha.ni say! To think.

how I blamed Fanshaw! Zeke'JJ los>>

his plfioe and go downhill, and I p.hnll die of shame a.n;d despair." Her soh=; arm.in; shook her fromi head to foof..

1 Jewel continued to look at Zeke. - A new, eager expression stole ov?r I her face. "Is it the end:?" she a.skc>d. "Don't you believe in, God?"

"I suppose so," answered the coachman sullenly. "I know: I'm a man, too. I can control myself." "No. Nobody can. Eiven, Jesus said, 'Of myself I can do nothing.' Only God can help you. If you ©an drink that nasty smelling stuff, and get all led and rumply and sorry, then you need God the worst oi' anybody in Bel Air. You look better now. It's just like a dream, the way you lifted up your face to me when I came in, and it was a dream. I'll hilp you, Zeke. I'll show you how to find help." The child suddenly leaned towards the young fellow, and then retreated. "I cam't stand your breath!" she exclaimed 1, "and I Jik© to get close to the people I love." This seemed to touch Zeke Vie blushed hotly. ; "It's a darned shame, kid," he returned sheepishly. "Mrs Forbes, come here, please," said Jewel. The housekeeper had ceased ciying, and was watching the pair. She saw that her 'boy's senses were clearer. She approached obediently, and when the child took her hand her own closed tightly upon tlifi little fingers. "Zeke, you're a big strong? man, and everybody likes you," said Jewel earnestly. it bettor to stay that way than to drink out of "a bottle no matter how much yoii lilre it?"

"I don't like it so awfully," " returned Zeke protesting. "I like to be sociable with the boys, that's all " "Wliat a way to be sociable!" gasped the child. "Well, wouldn't you rather be nice, so people will like to get close to you?" "D'epenlds on the folks returned the boy, with a. touch of bis usual manner. "You're a.ll right, little kid." He pub out his hand, but quickly withdrew it.

Jewel seized it. "Now give your other one ta you mother. There now. we're all together. If your mother thinks you have a. diseaise, Zeko,

then she must know you. hiaven't. If you want me to, I'll come out here every day at a quiet time and give ytni a treatment, and we'll talk all about Christian Science, and we'll

know that there's nothing that can ■make us sick or unhappy—or unkind! Think of your unkindness to yonr mother —and to me if you p»o on, for I love you, Zeke. How may I help you?" •

The soft frank voice, -the earnest little face, moved Zeke to cast a glantfe at hig mother's swollen eyes. They were bent upon Jewel.