Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-03-30

with, "Faber, what was old Parker
here for todayr
tried 10 disscmble, but Shorty is
nobody's fool, and interrupted. "Oh.
rot said he; II reckon You think
I'm a sucker. Now, honestly, what
was he here forin
Finally told him about the con.
vcrsntion between his brother and
Parker He sat silent for several
minutes | could sec his face twitcll
Then he turned his Dyes to my face
aud said slowly "Fabcr | know I'm
young and all that, butt know my
own mind. Jacks q good brother
and feels IN duty bound to talio cure
of me, but guess / can tend TO that
myself. live nude up my mind
to marry that girl IL she'll have mo,
and ell the Jacks and sum parkers in
the world can't stop mo" And Mr..
Percival Fleming set his mouth hard
and walked out He called Mt Par.
Eer's the next evening. despite Jacks
"siratcgyn
There was another caller nt Par.
kcr's That evening In the person of
Morris Cottrpll a wealthy rmchor
from up the "Fivc Nilc.' shorty.
when ho got homo, mentioned this
fact TO me, with some feeling in his
tones. Cottrcll was no old duffcr
lie WINS man Of thirty, wen read
and II gentleman, aud the prospect Of
having him for q rival would hayo
sent despair 20 the heart Of any pen.
nilcss young man lcss determined
than Shorty Fleming.
For two or thico months Shorty
continued his calls at Parl,cr's. grow.
ing moro and moro gloomy and say.
axe as the days wont by. f6r old sam
Parker was s0nethngof stratcgist.
and managed 20 keep the poor lad
from getting u single private inter.
Wow with Ncttic, thereby giving Cot.
trcll clear field. which was evident.
ly satisfa7ory 10 tho Inter. although
lac did not seem TO make much prog.
ross.
Ono evening Shorty came to my
room In STATE of mind He had
sccn sam Parker that day. and ,ho
latter had told him, MS gently as pos.
siblo, some CALLING truths about his
age and his pcurillas condition. con.
GLIDING with tho cheerful informa-
ton that no 'lccl,onr1 Net he'd bout
decided T. take IN with Cotlrull, any.
hcow.'
OF course Shorty was Respondent,
but he was mono She less determined.
''Fabcr, I'm going 70 sec her tomor.
row afternoon, un1.-ani ask her"
Tho timo and the hour favored
Shorty, but hardly think Ncttic
know her own mind Tho boy who
came riding slowly hofno through
tho shadows ncxt evening was a
very much downcast boy indeed.
He told me all about 1t later; how
Nctto had wavcrcd, and finally told
him that she could give him no an.
swer. She cared n great deal for
him, she said, but she was not sure
she cared enough for him. Besides,
her father objected TO him, and sho
could never cross herfathcrs wishes,
when he had done so much for her.
Sam Parker must have heard Of
this interview, and made up his mind
10 something. Although he was
usually so good naturcd no was as
determined us bull dog, and think
he used some influence in deciding
matters, for two weeks later hc
dropped in" 20 tell Jack that Nettic
md Cottrcll would DO married on
Thanksgiving day, two months later
Shorty must have seen the uews in
my face, for after supper he drew
me aside and asked what | knew.
| hated TO tell him, but did SO the
best way ! could. Tho poor lad
stood still as stone for several sec.
onds Then, with u shuldcring sob,
no turned awny. In tho morning ho
was gone, with his horse and clothes,
leaving no word.
Jacl, aud Joe, tho other brother,
wcro much worried; but, rs Jack
now for the first time acknowledged,
"the boy could take care OF himself. "
Jack and l talked It over during
tho day, and he expressed u good deal
OF regret, thinking, however that
Ncttic had decided for herself, and
that Shorty had no one 10 blame for
his failure. III it had been differ.
cnt,n ho went ON, land Percy had
pcrsoyercd and won, would have
given in, and | think Parker would
too for next year Percy will come
into about fifteen thousand. You
see, Two never told him Of It, because
| wanted him to grow up on his
merits and be self reliant 1 think il
has been for tho best. Joe never
knew until no was of ago that he had
anything. and we didn't tell Percy OF
it then, because hc was only seven
teen, Joe put his money into the
ranch here and kept quiet about IT,"
lie sat silent for a minute, then
continued. "Of course, this is bo-
tween ourselves. But-do you know.
/ wish the boy had won. He's agood
deal OF u man, aud, now | come 10
think Of it, tho affair has hit him
hard. They could have waited n
couple Of years, you know and
Jack walked Oh slowly, taking long
whifIs at his pipe.
Several weeks passed, duringwhich
/ saw Ecttie Parker several times.
sho seemed different Her laugh
wos not tho jolly laugh had been
accustomed TO hear, aud she seemed
pcnsiyo at times. Was it her up.