The National tribune., 1895-12-05

| ised the settlement to do that little job, n
Pm man of my word, Bill Bayley."
Dunlop was utterly oblivious to the audi
enee of clerks and the cashier, who were lis
tening to the strange colloquy to the sacrifice
of business.
Come in, Mr.. Dunlop. I wouldn't mis-
lead you for the world in this. / am dread
fully afraid by your manner that something
alarming has happened. Come in"
The drover scanned carefully the conn
teDance of the banker, and, seeing the dis
tressed look there, dismissed his suspicious
shook the offered hand and followed into
the private office. To say the cashier, clerks
and Others standing by were astonished at
this scene is stating it family. The resolute
bearing OF the drover alarmed them, and the
cashier stepped toward the door to be in n
situation to assist his chief should he be in
bodily danger.
well, Willyum," said the drover, az
came mighty nigh going home without see
ing you. / just happened to look at the
names on the top of my check, of which one
was yOurn, and here i am, thank the Lord y
am thankful for il, too, Mr.. Dunlop.
And now what do you mean by distress at
! fathers? Hart has never said a word about
ii, and father would not write me a letter
nor even drop me a line, and y
Wouldn't write you a world" exclaimed
Dunlop
Not a word; and / supposed he was not
over his anger with me because of my affec-
tion for Jeanette, whom / love as my life"
"Wouldn't write a linel" gasped the
drover.
Not line, and l begged Hart to repre-
sent how much i wanted to be on filial
terms-an affectionate son 10 him. Bat
Hart wrote that he was as implacable as
ever.
"Peleg wouldn't write a line! Why,
know the old folks are fretting themselves
10 death, case rs how they think you nevet'Il
come anigh 'em agin. Hait's villin, that's
what's the matter! i alters thought so, n
now j know it. He wants Pelegs quarter
section, that's what als him, you bet!"
well, thank the good Lord" said the
banker, he'll never get foot of it, nor Il
single hoof on the place. ] hope you will
assist me TO circumvent his rascality."
You bet" replied Dunlop. I'm your
man to sarcumvent such a rascal as old
Hart. Won't we surprise the old scoundrel?
Gosh ~
q suppose the place had better go 10 sale.
1t will be the cheapest. Every debt must
be paid. I'm thankful l have been so provi-
dentialy prospered. Father and mother
shall never again have trouble"
"Prosperedl T" said the drover "Wall, /
should reckon, N ownin' a bank Pnos-
pered!" and he laughed as if it was phe-
nomenal joke.
Now" SAID Mr.. Bayley, "you must come
home with me to dinner. You shall see
Jeanette She is as anxious about father
and mother as myself. And, then, i want
you to see the children. We will talk the
whole matter over together"
" Prospered Jeanette N the children
/ alters told the old woman Jeanette was
the purtiest gal on the Hunnerd- -'n-Two.
alleTs liked the gal, case she was good, m
no mistake"
The banker smiled as he put on his great
coat. They took the street-car and were
presently st the Bayley residence. If Dun
lop was asionished at the app arance of the
bank, 1t was as drop in an ocean to his
feelings as he entered the luxurious parlor
OF his hest. He walked as if his heavy
boots were out OF place on the rich carpets
that covered the floors. He seemed as If he
wanted 10 steer clear of the furniture lest
his greateoat should accidentally brush il.
1t locked, he said alterward, too fine ever 10
be s0t IN. But when Mr.. Bayley introduced
his vie, he was so abashed that lie forgot
to shake hands, and sat down all in a lump
in the chair, the plush uphostering of which
yielded so he thought he was going through
and spraDg to his leet again.
lis all right, Dunlop" said Mr.. Bayley.
Make yourself perfectly at home. You
are one Of us, you know. We are all from
the Hundred-and-Two"
The droyer was rea-sured and presently
found himself at his ease. The children
were brought ina couple of hearty, usty |
boys-"ihe very pictures,n Dunlop ayerred, |
" Of their grandfather Peleg out West. |
Leastwise Uncle Peleg must have favored |
'em when he was their age
Though he said. reflectivelv. "that |
must hev been 80 years afore my timen
You haven't seen little Marthy vet" |
said Mrs. Jeanette. "She is upstairs with !
The nurse She shall be brought down after |
a little. She is our baby, and she is asleep"
90, if she is baby.n said the drorer. |
=" you needn't bring her down. The fact is
ali babies look IS alike to me as hen eggs.
Our'p did. / often remarked to Penina-
that's my old woman-that all 'leven of our'n
at first all looked alike, as far as ] could |
see"
Eleventh gasped Mrs. Bayley.
" 1T am a solemn fack, IN I've use fer all on |
'em. ] don't Jest now see where / could |
spare one on em. There's nine boys III two |
gals The two youngest is gals" The drover
looked up as if he feared Mrs. Bayley would |
say the two first-born should have been |
girls.
=" Mr.. Dunlop" said the banker, "you will /
be astonished when 1 tell you that we have
found Mrs. Bayley's father. 1t was as the
settlement supposed. She had been stolen
by a band Of pypsies, who doubtless became !
tired of her, and so deserted her by our
house. He is wealthy, and it is to him that
a large portion of our prosperity is due |
Mrs. Bay1ey has brother older than her,
SELF with whom he lives portion of the
time. The other portion is with us. Should
we have opportunity, you shall see Mr..
Choteau. He is an excellent man, and you
will like him. Some day / will inform you
how the discovery came about"
During the day plan was matured with
reference TO the sale Of the Bayley farm.
Dunlop was to do all the bidding. Mr.. Bay
ley would be there incognito. Dunlop
declared there was not a man in the valley
Of the Hundred-and- Two that would suspect
who he was, he had spread out so, and had
grown such heavy bard" Dunlop was
not to breathe the arrangement to living
soul not even to Uncle Peleg.
The drovers business was expedited. He
found his shipment of cattle profitable.