The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-05-22

| eyes most unlnVltlng collection OF
the specimens he had gathered the day
before.
"Professor Puckaber! Professor
Puckaber! Professor Puckaber !"
called the Dame three times before
Oh answer came.
"Hey!" said the professor without
looking up.
"Dinner! Come to dinner!"
''Yes, antediluvian beyond Doubt"
declared the professor, absorbed in
che task before him.
"No, professor, returned the Dame
gai1y; "the dinner isn't antediluvlan !;
it is rather modern affair Of Hopping
John peas and rice). tomato pilau,
broiled fish, sweet potatoes and corn
broad. Do come, or it will be cold."
Then she took him by the arm and
coaxed him away from bis specimens,
marching off with him triumphantly
to dinner, for between the Dame and
the professor there was q genuine good
comradeship. He had been her
fathers classmate and was now his
best and closest friend.
'Inoticed your father was disturbed
OF dinner" said the professor later
that afternoon to Azalea.
This went plainly to show that, nj.
though the professor could get so alb
sorbed in stones and bones and the like
as to forget his dinner, he yet had eyes
for other things.
4 cloud came over the bright face.
She stopped in the path where she was
walking with the professor to look up
into his eyes, her own beginning to
grow misty with tears.
"He was disturbed. O, dear Pro.
lessor Puckaber, rs his best and dear.
est friend, it need not be kept from
you, | ON sure. My father is about
to lose his home"
"What?. Bless my eyes!"
They were very bright eyes, despite
the years they had seen, usually shin.
ing like stars when the professor took
OFT his glasses. But now they seemed
to be troubled with sudden dimness.
"He only told us to-day, went on
the Dame sadly. ooh, 1t is hurting
him SO! He loves the place, for be
was born here and here every year Of
his life has been passed. But now it
must go, for it is mortgaged, and those
who have the mortgages will wait no
longer"
"What is the amount of the mort
gages?" asked the professor.
'Ihree thousand dollars"
"a pretty good sum! But the case
isn't as bad as thought" he added.
Then he asked: GLOW long time has
your father? That is, how long will
it be till the men come to claim the
place."
"i think father said he had thirty
days"
Thirty days? Well, that is rather
short. But much can be done in thirty
days. And see here, Miss Azalea Ed.
serton," pushing back his glasses, to
gaze at here with the most engaging
irankness, "you and I are the ones by
whom it is to be DONE"
~, Professor Puckaber?"
Eyes. you, my Dame Purraway."
ooh, you surely are laughing at me p
and there was a note OF pain in her
voice. "What could l do? Oh, if I
only could!"
"Of course you can, announced the
professor, decidedly. "Now listen,
Dame Purraway-by the way, that
was quaint conceit of your father to
call you that I am going to take you
into partnership. Puckaber and Pur
raway, how does that sound? Fine, eh =?
Now hearken, Partner Purraway |!
Well, suppose you know, for am
sure you have heard your father say,
the company by which I am engaged
sent me out here to locate some
valuable deposits. So far haven't
found them, that is to the extent l
hoped, though I think I'm not far
from the scent. But I want the help
of your younger and keener eyes.
Your father tells me you are the
greatest little woodsman in all the
country round"
"Yes, professor" she said, with
some pride. 81 do know a great deal
about the pine lands of South Caro-
lima; the dearest lands in all the world
to me-" she added, her eyes shining,
"because was born among them"
land about the ugliest, declared the
professor with candor." That is the lob.
Jolly pine lands, and the poorest, too,
in themselves. But, if l am not mis-
taken, Partner Purraway, there is that
in these same poor lands as will yet
make the fortunes of some of their
owners. | have my eye now on PAR
Gel or two OF land where I am sure the
treasure is, only I don't want to locate
it here" his eyes sweeping the rather
stunted stretch of forest TINT lay
around them. "Guess why, Partner
Purraway?"