The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-12


the mother and daughter were talking, 1t
being impossible for him to get away
without letting them know that he heard
at least part of their conversation. $50
/ take young girls hearts and kick them
round like a football? Eth, that's what
my little spitfire thinks of me-" Half an
hour after Bob Roylston left the Arm
strong cottage smoking a cigar and in
q meditative mood.
This way, If you please. miss, / will
get your traps aboard" Lottie jumped
into a comfortable two-seated carryall,
and the hired man, after slowing away
the satchels and bags, jumped in and
| turned the horses heads towards the
Elton farmhouse, journey Of five miles
| over the mountains.
Miss Lottie, sitting in the rear seat, had
| ample opportunity to study GRANDMOTHER
Eton's hired man. He had but little to
say, Lottie doing most Of the talking dur
ing the drive over the mountains.
1t was a warm and hearty welcome Lot
tie received from grandmother and Aunt
Julia, But later on, when the latter ac-
companied her to her room and assisted
her in removing her wraps, II was evident
| that her mind was still on the "hired
man."
"Who is he, Aunt ulia? Where did ne
come from? What Is his manner" and
fifty other questions in as many seconds
were asked by Lottie. Aunt Julia replied
that he was a poor student, and came
| up to the Profile House. where he expect
ed to work, but was disappointed. He
asked us to take him for his board and
give him any wages that we saw Mt. He
said his name was Edmund Roberts and
he came from Plymouth, only he is the
| best hired man we ever had"
Pretty as a picture was Lottie Arm
strong as she entered the dining room
OF the old farmhouse that day. She barely
noticed that the hired man was seated at
the table, but was sensitive of the fact
that his eyes were continually upon her.
She scarcely looked up during the meal,
but when she did she felt that his eyes
were looking through her. After dessert
Mr.. Roberts made a simple excuse about
attending to business. and left the ladies
to themselves. much to oLttie's relief.
'FIow far is the Profile House from
| here, grandma?"
about five miles," said Mrs. Elton.
would you have any objection to Mr..
Roberts driving me over there this after
noon?"
Certainly not; order him to do anything
you want done. Do not be timid in asking
him; he is accommodating
| 1t did not take him long to get old Dob
| bin 1litched UP, and the look he gave Miss
Lottie when she asked him kept hel
thinking where she saw Mr.. Roberts be-
fore, but the heavy dark beard deceived
her.
Nearly every day some Of the many
places of interest in the New Hampshire
hills were visltsd. So much time did Lot
| tie take of the hired man, that another
hand was employed to do the rough work
One afternoon they started of on q
huckleberry expedition. They were
warned by Grandma Elton that there wa:
a storm in the air, and to be careful. Bu
the sun shone so brightly that no heed
was taken OF her warning.
Twas late in the afternoon when little
speck appeared In the sky, but 1t grew
wonderfully fast and black. Little drop:
Of rain commenced to fall, sharp fashe:
of lightning made the sky vivid, while
the roll of thunder made them thtnl
heavens artillery was let loose. Fea
upon peal followed one after the other
and the rain fell IN torrents.
The berry pickers ran at the first sigr
Of the storm, but when they arrived a
the place where they had left thei- team
the storm was at It's height. 70 MAKE
matters worse. old Dobbin had broken hi.
halter and started for home.
What shall we do; o, what shall VI
do?' cried Lottie. 20, Robert; o. meal
Mr.. Roberts; no I mean Mr.. Roylsson. .
Robert, Bob, what shall We do?" and then
| womaniike. fell IN his arms In faint.
He lifted her In his arms to a nook OF
the side OF the mountain road, which
sheltered them from the heavy rain. anC
when she recovered she found his bushl
bear dagainst her face and his great blu'
eyes looking down at her.
She could not help smiling when Bol
Roylston told her that he knew that sh'
recognized him almost from the first day
but It took lightning and thunder from
q clear sky to make her acknowledge II.
But, of course. the clouds cleared ava!
and the sun smiled down upon the lovers
Explanations followed. Lottie said tn
reason she wouldn't go to Bar Harbor wa
on account OF a little filtration that &C
CURED between Robert and Aggie Larkin
He said the reason he did not go to Ba
Harbor was that ne did not want to max
football out of the girls hearts Il