Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1898-06-17
EGGY knew, when she saw her
father hurrylng UP the path. that

~ AIN ~ NcN AAA'N'A AA'A AN@AA w.
swell in fierce rebellion. If there was
any one thing Peggy disliked more than
another it was bugging potatoes. She
sighed and began to read, with intense
interest, where she had left off a mo-
mcnt before.
Lady Alfreda's beautiful golden hair
vas crowned with a tiara of sparkling
diamonds. Her slender white wrists
were"
Peggy, Peggy" called Mr.. Hlbbard,
peremptorily.
Her slender white wrists" resumed
Peggy, were clasped with many brace
lets, each of which was set with pre-
cious stones amounting in value to
many thousands of dollars. Her taper
fingers we're"
Peggy, do you hearY' called her
father again.
Peggy gave n more rcgretful glance
at the paper, with its half-page illus
l%ratiOn, then arose and stalked out into
the yard with sullen slowness. Mr..
Hihbard went around behind the
~smOkehousc, whence he presently re-
turned with two old tin pals and two
narrow wooden paddles, which he set
down at her feet.
81 guess you'll have to help me n lit
tie while again to-day, Peggy he said,
'but it won't be very hard on you. The
suns gone under a clold an | don't b.
leeve the bugs Is very thick"
Peggy looked dlsconsolately Mt the
pail and the paddle. Her father took
up his W implements of potato bug
torture and began to retrace his steps
toward the potato patch. But Peggy
did not follow.
81 don't think" she called out bitter
~, that you've got n right to ask me
TO do such work as this"
He turned and looked at her in I'M
bounded surprise. "She don't think
he repeated, hiankly, that I've got a
right to ask her. Now, who," he con-
tlnued, addressing his remarks to some
invisible third person, do you think
has got a right to ask her if | ain't?'
For nj instant Peggy hung her head.
guiltily. Then, being highly Incensed
by the painful contrast between her
W hard lot and that of Lady Alfredo,
she looked up and said, with consider
able spirit:
my Own father, SIR"
There was a moments silence, "Her
WI father" echoed Mr.. Hubbard, at
length, still directing his conversation
To the invisible third person. Now,
will you kindly tell me who is her own
father, If | ain't?"
The invisible third person evidently
did not feel equal to an explanation of
the matter and Peggy took it upon her.
self to answer.
10 do not know, sir she returned,
firmly, but l shall 500 find out. You
are not he, | am sure. Where you
found me, or how you obtained posses
sion of me | cannot tell. hut of this
much | am positive; you are doing me n
great injustice 10y grinding me down
In this manner. and II will not be long
until | will be restored to my-my-
my"
Peggy paused then in some confusion.
She was not quite sure whether these
were the exact words Lady Alfredo had
used when declaring to her captors her
intuitive knowledge of her noble birth,
Peggy had long thought that when she
proclaimed her identity to the people
with whom she lived and who claimed
20 be her relatives, she would rcpeat
Lady Altrcda'S declaration OF indie.
peudcncr verbatim, and II tluStcred
her to think that she might have failed
Ia do So. Stlll. even though she might
have made II mistake, she felt that she
had put it pretty strong. And she Ger
tainly had. At least, so it seemed TO
Mr.. llihbard.
He hurried forward and laid his hand
%trrmhlingly On her shoulder.
Peggy lie said, anNiously, "rm
afcard You're Il loS!n' your wits. amt
You? Don't yo' feel n little queer In
your hcad2 Think a minute. Now.
don't VOC"
Had not rcggy's heart been steeled
20 an extraordinary degree, it would
have beer melted 10y the tender solici.
tudc in his voice and manner. As 1t
n she drew back uurcSponsive and
regarded him coldly.
NO." She said, I'm not at all sick
father, and I'm ready to help you.
Come on"
She gathered NJ the paddle and pail
allotted 10 her, and led the way 70 the
nearby corner lot, where the hard.s shell.
I'd black and yellow potato d~eStroyers
were making n morning meal OIL the
tendcr, juicy leaves, Mr.. Hibhard fol.
lowed, as Il In II trance. Neither Peg.
~ nor her father referred to the mo-
uentoUs subject again that day. Mr..
lIlhhnnll. A.nnn - - .- ~ L