The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1886-04-01
HOW " IT HAPPENED I

HOW TT HAPPENED.
By LIZZIE BRADLEY CORNISH.
Effie Ford with tear stained face sat
amid q pile of formidable documents,
She was in deep mourning. Only one
week before, she had laid away the re-
mains Of her only surviving relative, in
the shadow*of5 the CROSSE rowned church
spVer the hill. TWAS 8 dismal prospect
for: 9 girl Of seventeen, and one who
was absolutely ignorant Of business.
The Fords had always lived in luxury.
\ But on his death-bed Mr.. Ford called
Efie to him; his articulation Was imper-
feet, but she caught: 3 ad Investments,
mortgage bonds. Poor! Poor : (
Barker will tell YOU Anew gasps am
\ It was over. ST q.
AL day she had tried to bring order
put Of chaos. Att last with sigh che
tossed the golden fringes from her fore
head, as il even their light weight was
an oppression.
55:s3 ut is useless she murmured, II
Gan make nothing Of ything. Then
\ suddenly she rem hbe erred, Barker vii
tell you. The memory came with a
{: sigh Of relief,
"a servant answered the bell. 81 I.
3 Take this to Mr.. Barker she,or
aered, ..and wait for an answer y .ss
It came in less than an hour.
.H'Mr. Barker will wait. upon Miss
Ford at five. She glanced at the
clock. 1t lacked fvef minutes Of the
4 hour. sss5
Barker was a lawyer In the same town.
i She. had always known him, and she re-
membered. that he had been with her
+ father frequently before she went to
i school for the last time. ia
AS he entered, Efie started. She had
thought Of him as rather elderly, but
the man who stood before her was ex-
tremely handsome, and perhaps double
her seventeen years. 55:5.s5 5+=st
& on are kind, Mr.. Barker, to re-
Bpond SO promptly. did not know
what to do, to whom to turn. can
. make nothing Of papa's papers, she
sighed YEARLY. IA 1T 3.5;:s I.
''Of course. What can you know
about lawp" and together they turned to
the perplexing pile. 55i
~ Barker ran his eye over paper after
paper, and q startled look came into his
pyes,% keen lawyers though they were.
care these allp' he asked.
Il believe so. Papa kept his papers
In that secretary; and, Mr.. Barker, ]
know. from what he said, that there
( were losses-that shall not be very
Z well of. I do not mind, . she said
quickly, ''other people are poor, why
DOT Ip'' .55 81,
Some losses! Not as well of, as she
{ had been!'' He regarded her queerly.
n Poor child! Did she, know that ouse,
lands, even the costly furniture was
covered with mortgagesp No, and he
determined she never should know. He
had no living relatives, and why should
II he not do for this helpless girl what he
would have liked some one to do for
sister or wife Of hisp 800 III 3ai... !.
There will be something left after
the debts are paid, will there notp''
The pretty pathetic eye looked
squarely into his. He could not answer
this child-Woman with evasion. ..I1
va Vou win trust to me-, Miss Ford, Twill
( Do my best. Your father trusted me-
y. upon several occasions. y. Che did. mo-
add, if that father had been guided b.
his Judgment his daughter would no.
now be penniless) .and am confident
[ know more of the. business than any
one else.' He waited her reply.
s3$1 oh, yes, and thank you, Mr..
Barker With q childish, trustful
motion, she slipped her hand 9sin his
d Bankers experience with women wa
& bounded by aggressive little widows
md soul-terrifying Sally Brasses', and
there was a queer little futter in hi.
manner as he bid her goodnight. \:
.s2s5 Mr.. Ford's affairs were in q hopeless!
tangle. Ruin was inevitable. Sucl
was Barker's verdict after reperusa
Of the Ford papers. Poor little .thing!
y he whispered to himself, ..she shall
never know if I can help it,. 81 Il
Out of these deeds and mortgage
seemed to start the vision Of home
8 Eden, where certain eyes looked int,
hisswith bewildering love. BAIL Wha
have sentimental loye-dreams in com
mon with m austere lawyers Officer I
n 81 IS II Z 4 55}!.i s2 \ 5ii55ff n a93 y
A puzzled face;appeared at the offic,
Of Barker & Hawkins one day, not lon.
after. # s;S +; q q '%5..5
IT am sorry to worry you; but se
here!'' Efie produced q slip Of pape
which she held toward him. II statel
The existence Of note, covering tel
thousand! dollars, principal and interest
held By one Isaacs s Tobias, brokers il
neighboring city.
when did you receive thispn II
VS. avoided looking at the captivating fac
is much as possible. ~!
1T --day; and, MI. Barker, Sit must >
paid. The ten thousand you saved fo
me will just cover IL ~ IL. you Do It e
mel 4
Yes, Miss Ford. IT is fortunate
however, that ] changed the vestment
By; the new ngement IL has doubled
You can pay this bill and retain til