Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-03-29

to your house told me I'd better ask the
young man and young woman who
were philandering through the wheat
yonder Suppose we look for them?
From what I've heard of Bent he's too
much wrapped up in his inventions for
Irritation, but it would be good joke to
stumble upon them"
Mrs. Randolph's eyes sparlSled with
mingling of gratifed malice and undis-
guised contempt for the fatuous father
beside her. But before she could accept
or decline the challenge it had become
useless. A murmur of youthful voices
struck her ear, and she suddenly stood
upright and transfixed in the carriage,
for lounging down slowly toward them
out of the dim green aisles of the ar
bored wheat, lost in themselves and the
shimmering veil of their seclusion, came
the engineer, Thomas Bent, and on his
arm, gazing ingenuously into his face,
the figure OF Adele, her own perfect
daughter.
81 don't think. my DEAR" said Mr..
Mallory, as the anxious Rose flew into
his arms on his return to San Jose few
hours later, ''that it will be necessary
for you to go back again to Maj. Ran
dolph's before we leave. have said
good-by' for you and thanked them,
and your trunks are packed and will be
sent here. The fact is, my dear, you see
this affair of the earthquake and the
disaster to the artesian well have upset
all their arrangements, and | am afraid
that my little girl would be only in their
way just now."
"And you have seen Mr.. Dawson, and
you know why he sent for your" asked
the young girl with nervous eagerness.
"Ah, yes" said Mr.. Mallory thought
fully; "that was really important. You
see, my child" he continued, taking her
hand in one of his own and patting the
back of it gently with the other, 1--WE
think, Dawson and |, of taking over
the majors ranch and incorporating
it with the Excelsior, to be worked in
shares like the Excelsior, and as Mrs.
Randolph is very anxious to return to
the Atlantic states with her children it
is quite possible. Mrs. Randolph, as you
have possibly noticed" Mr.. Mallory went
on, still patting his daughters hand,
"does not feel entirely at home here, and
will consequently leave the major free
to rearrange by himself the rancho on
the new basis. In fact, as the change
must be made before the crops come in,
she talks of going next week. But if
you like the place, Rose, I've no doubt
the major and Dawson will always find
room for you and me when we run down
there for little fresh air."
"And did you have all that in your
mind, papa, when you came down here?
And was that what you and Mr.. Dawson
wanted to talk about?" said the aston
ished Rose.
MAINLY, my dear, mainly. You see
I'm capitalist now, and the real value
Of capital is to know how and when TO
apply it to certain conditions"
"And this Mr.-Mr.-Bent-do you
thinI-he will go on and find the water
papa" said Rose hesitatingly.
"Ah, Bent! Tom Bent! Oh, yes,"
said Mr.. Mallory with great heartiness.
Capital fellow, Bent! and mighty iu-
genious. Glad you met him! WelP'-
thoughtfully, but still heartily may
not find it exactly where he expected,
but he'll find it, or something better.
We can't part with him. and he's prom
ised Dawson to stay. Well utilize him,
you may be sure"
1t would seem that they did. And
from certain interviews and converse,
tons that took place between Mr.. Bent
and Miss Mallory on later visit it
would also appear that her father had
exercised discreet reticence in regard
to a certain experiment of the young in
ventor Of which he had been an acci.
dental witness.