Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-01-11

crate answer, nut tue Stuus us YOU
call Ii. il worth something. and would
be regular gold-mine 10 a girl. I've
got notion to buy IT from you and
present ii to my sister. What viii
you take?'
''Oh, come. You are Just doing that
to help me out. know your beneyo-
lent old heart. No. Ill follow your
first advice. and hunt up the owner,
IL would be quite romantic. and. be-
sides. you limited that | might make
a shilling or two by II. You found her
name and address there, didn't youy'
Yes" Al reluctantly answered; Il
found her name and an address. hut
II Is hardly likely you could find her,
after so many years You know. they
keep luggage long time before u Is
sold"
I'm not 50 sure about that" said
Fred. 'I've thought about 1t all tle
morning, and the idea grows on me-
II will be rare fun to try. anyway.
What did you say the name wasT'
but no doubt this girl was killed.
luggage Ia seldom lost except by some
accident. and maybe she is an old
woman"
Fred laughed immoderateiy.
Just as IL that would make an act
of charity less merltorious, 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 martyrize yourself. It's mine,
however, and l am not as anxious 70
part with it as l was-not till I've
hooked through it, anyway
As he turned the Key. Al remem-
bered that his own photograph was
lying in a conspicuous box. and ex
claimed:
wait until after dinner. then; | am
half starved"
Perhaps 1t would be better" was
the answer. and they passed ont To-
gether.
When fairly down stairs Al said he
had forgotten his handkerchief and
flew back three steps at Il time to get
1t. Securing the picture and plac.g
il in an inside pocket, he said TO him
self.
surely there is nothing else to give
me away. But | must wheedle him
out of the trunk"
After dinner Fred went through"
the contents OF the trunk. making
boyish remarks concerning each arti-
Gle as he threw IL 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 gruf Hint"
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, II IL IL pretty. But II
isn't worth fussIng over. 30 take II
along. No doubt II would prove a
white elephant on my hands sooner or
later"
Not until the trunk was safely In
his room could AL breathe freely; even
then 1t was no easy matter 10 keep 1t
out OF his sisters sight. They made
both pet and "A contidante VI 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 ma
hogany table In the corner, the old
fashioned cover OF which reached nj.
most TO the floor.
When he told them he was going
away for little business "trip" they
bsset him with questions and petit
lions TO take them with him. finally
declaring they would clean house
I while he was gone, and sort out the
trash
So behold him. in the dead of night,
carrying the white elephant" up t,ic
narrow attic stairs, humping his head
on every rafter and getting cobwebs
in his motistaehe. He covered II with
old clothing. pushed big box In trent
OF 1t, and then crept down stairs, feel
ing as guilty as II he had been con
ceallng some crime. At breakfast tho
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 of. and as the train
whirled onward he became possessed
with fears. She might not be at Hast
ings: she might not care for him after
these three years: she might even be-
married or dead.
Arriving at his destination at last,
/ he only stopped TO leave his bag at
hotel and walked rapidly to n familiar
house in the suburbs. Ringing the
bell, he inquired for Miss Burr In n
7 matter-of-fact way. as II he had seen
her the day before. He watched the
girls face as she spoke. and saw no
trace Of surprise. She simply said:
Miss Burr NAV not he able to see
you; but come in. and 7 win ask
! Presently he was show n into small,
F.! sunny room, where. on couch. Inv
the one girl he had ever loved. FIc
meant TO explain at once The cause ~
his foolish going and eager comirg. MI
which he had framed into frank. beau-
tiful sentences: but somehow they for.
sock him, and he fell back on the com.
monpl1cc. She received lin with quiet
words Of welcome. and then sail.
Pardon my position. but am such
an Invalid that 1t IL a trial to sit mp"
An iGyalidi" he ochced family.
Yes" she answered .Did you not
hear Of my accident several months
ago? On coming home from visit I
stopped for a day or so In London
hotel. The building caught fire few
hours after | entered IT. The horror
Of the scene Is 80 stamped branded
would be more appropriate word
on my memOry that 1 pannOt bear IN