Part 5 (2/2)

”Don't argue with me, Walky Dexter!” Janice exclaimed, much exasperated. ”I--I _hate_ it all--this drinking. I never thought of it much before. Polktown has been free of that curse until lately. It is a shame the bar was ever opened at the Lake View Inn. _And something ought to be done about it!_”

Walky had pulled in his team for her to jump down before Hopewell Drugg's store. ”Jefers-pelters!” murmured the driver, scratching his head. ”If that gal detarmines to put Lem Parraday out o' the licker business, mebbe--mebbe I'd better go down an' buy me another drink 'fore she does it. Haw! haw! haw!”

Hopewell Drugg's store was a very different looking shop now from its appearance that day when Janice had led little blind Lottie up from the wharf at Pine Cove and delivered her to her father for safe keeping.

Then the goods had been dusty and fly-specked, and the interior of the store dark and musty. Now the shelves and showcases were neatly arranged, everything was scrupulously clean, and it was plain that the reign of woman had succeeded the pandemonium of man.

There was n.o.body in the store at the moment; but from the rear the sobbing tones of a violin took up the strains of ”Silver Threads Among the Gold.” Janice listened. There seemed, to her ear, a sadder strain than ever in Hopewell's playing of the old ballad. For a time this favorite had been discarded for lighter and brighter melodies, for the little family here on the by-street had been wonderfully happy.

They all three welcomed Janice Day joyfully now. The storekeeper, much sprucer in dress than heretofore, smiled and nodded to her over the bridge of his violin. His wife, in a pretty print house dress, ran out from her sitting room where she was sewing, to take Janice in her arms.

As for little Lottie, she danced about the visitor in glee.

”Oh, Janice Day! Oh, Janice Day! Looker me!” she crowed. ”See my new dress? Isn't it pretty?And Mamma 'Rill made it for me--all of it!

She makes me lots and lots of nice things. Isn't she just the bestest Mamma 'Rill that ever was?”

”She certainly is,” admitted Janice, laughing and kissing the pretty child. But she looked anxiously into the beautiful blue eyes, too.

Nothing there betrayed growing visual trouble. Yet, when Lottie Drugg was stone-blind, the expression of her eyes had been lovely.

”Weren't you and your papa lucky to get such a mamma?” continued Janice with a swift glance over her shoulder at Hopewell.

The storekeeper was drawing the bow across the strings softly and just a murmur came from them as he listened. His eyes, Janice saw, were fixed in pride and satisfaction upon his wife's trim figure.

On her part, Mrs. Drugg seemed her usual brisk, kind self. Yet there was a cheerful note lacking here. The honeymoon for such a loving couple could not yet have waned; but there was a rift in it.

'Rill wanted to talk. Janice could see that. The young girl had been the school teacher's only confidant previous to her marriage to Hopewell Drugg, and she still looked upon Janice as her dearest friend.

They left Lottie playing in the back room of the store and listening to her father's fiddle, while 'Rill closed the door between that room and the dwelling.

”Oh, my dear!” Janice hastened to ask, first of all, ”is it true?”

'Rill flushed and there was a spark in her eye--Janice thought of indignation. Indeed, her voice was rather sharp as she asked:

”Is what true?”

”About Lottie. Her eyes--you know.”

”Oh, the poor little thing!” and instantly the step-mother's countenance changed. ”Janice, we don't know. Poor Hopewell is 'most worried to death. Sometimes it seems as though there was a blur over the child's eyes. And she has never got over her old habit of shutting her eyes and seeing with her fingers, as she calls it.”

”Ah! I know,” the girl said. ”But that does not necessarily mean that she has difficulty with her vision.”

”That is true. And the doctor in Boston wrote that, at times, there might arise some slight clouding of the vision if she used her eyes too much, if she suffered other physical ills, even if she were frightened or unhappy.”

”The last two possibilities may certainly be set aside,” said Janice, with confidence. ”And she is as rosy and healthy looking as she could be.”

”Yes,” said 'Rill.

”Then what can it be that has caused the trouble?”

”We cannot imagine,” with a sigh. ”It--it is worrying Hopewell, night and day.”

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