Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-11-07

II Y : e s
tiers In his own pockets, was lyins
la1ily on couch. reading the paper
when his chums q Rered.
well" he cried what mystery did
you unearth?"
mo mystery at ALL" was the DELHI
crate answer; but the Etuff,' as you
call 1t, Is worth something, and would
be regular gold-mine to girl I've
got a notion to buy 1t from yousand
present it to my sister. What Will
you take?"
''Oh, come! iYou are just doing that
to help ma QUIT know your benevo-
lent old heart. No. Ill follow your
first advice, and hunt up the owner.
1t would be quite romantic, and, be-
sides. you limited that might make
a shilling or two by 1t. You found her
name and address there, didn't your
| EYES," AL reluctantly answered.; Il
found her name and an address,. hut
it is hardly likely: you could find her,
after SO many yeArs. You know, they
keep luggage a bg time before 1t Is
sold" 81, ....r
.'Im not so sure about that" said
Fred. 1--WE thought about it all the
morning. and the idea grows on me.
1t will be rare fun to try, anyway.
What did you say the name was"
"But no doubt this girl was killed,
luggage is seldom lost except by some
accident. and maybe she is an old
woman"
Fred laughed immoderately.
"Just as if that would make an act
of charity less meritorious. Old
women don't usually wear white lace
hats, though. You must have found
something precious in there, jewelry
or something, which makes you anx-
ious to martyrze yourself. It's mine,
however, and am not as anxious to
part with it as was-not till I've
looked through it, anyway"
bered that his own photograph was
lying in a conspicuous box, and ex-
claimed:
"Wait until after dinner, then; am
half starved!"
perhaps it would be BETTER" was
the answer, and they passed out to-
gether.
When fairly down stairs Al said he
had forgotten his handkerchief and
flew back three steps at time to get
it. Securing the picture and placing
it in an inside pocket, he said to him
self:
> Surely there is nothing else to give
me away. But l must wheadle him
out of the trunk"
After dinner Fred event through"
the contents of the trunk, making
boyish remarks concerning each arti-
Gle as he threw it aside. AL inwardly
WINGED at these remarks, and could
scarcely restrain himself from knock
ing him over on the spot.
what makes you so crusty?" asked
Fred, suddenly, as one of his choicest
jokes was met by gruff "H'm!"
There's no fun in you, and why you
want this stuff beats me- Your sisters
would turn up their noses at second
hand clothing, if it is pretty. But it
isn't worth fussing over, so take it
along. No doubt it would prove q
white elephant on my hands sooner or
later"
Not until the trunk was safely in
his room could Al breathe freely; even
then it was no easy matter to keep it
out of his sisters sight. They made
both a pet and confidante Of their
one brother, and had fashion of
dropping into his room at all hours to
tell him of their schemes and woes.
He had pushed the trunk under q ma.
hogany table in the corner, the old
fashioned cover Of which reached al
most to the floor
When he told. them he was going
away for little business "trip thew
beset him with questions and peti-
lions to take them with him, finally
declaring they would clean house
while he was gone, and "sort out the
trash"
So behold him, in the dead of night,
carrying the white elephant" up the
narrow attic stairs, humping his head
on every rafter and getting cobwebs
In his moustache. He covered it with
old clothing, pushed big box in front
of it, and then crept down stairs, feel
ing as guilty as if he had been con-
cealing some crime. At breakfast the
girls both talked at once about the
burglar who tried to get in, and how
they pounded on AIS door and could
not even get an answer.
At noon he was off, and as the train
whirled onward he became possessed
with fears. She might not be at Hast
lngs; she might not care for him after
these three years; she might even be
married OF dead.
Arriving at his destination at last.
he only stopped to leave his bag at a
hotel and walked rapidly to familiar
house in the suburbs. Ringing the
bell. he inquired for Miss Burr in a
natter-of-fact way, as if he had seen
her the day before. He watched the
girls lace as she spoke, and saw no
trace OF surprise She simply said:
MISS Buff may not be able to see
YOU out come In, and I will ask"
Presently he. was shown into small,
sunny room+ where. on d couch, Law
the one girl he had ever loved He
meant tn nyr,1oip ~k