Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-04-20
XIII.
"Salies alive! what's kccpin tn:

was not voice of smooth tones and
delicate infections, yet it was attrac-
tive in homely, everyday sort of way,
therein resembling its owner. Now
and then it grew sharp, when circum-
stances were particularly trying, but
1T never suggested nagging. At this
particular moment there WIS in
it u note of anxiety, which reused
me from Il pleasant after dinner half
doze tn throw up Il window and
send glance toward the gate, where
Mrs. Weston stood, shading her eyes
with her hand, the better to peer down
the road.
whats the troubled" l sang out to
her.
"rhat pesky Hiram oughter been
back hours ago." said she. "What can
he be a dom Of, anyhow?"
"Where did you send him?'
"Down to the beach with the team,
after n load of gravel"
perhaps he's been begged. It's
quite possible, if he didn't keep his eyes
open. Just where did you bid hir, gor'
II told him the best place was the
South Cove, but he might find some
good 'nough at pinch near Jol,nson's.
Whichever place he went, lie oughtel be
back. want to see him partic lar this
afternoon"
so do /. If he turns up in the next
half-hour, please let me know of it,"
eyes, indeed, doctor, I'll be glad to-"
she answered.; and after parting sur
icy of the neighborhood, she rcentered
the house. 1t was the afternoon fol-
lowing the day on which Jones had
come to the aid of Miss Gray in such
timely fashion, but neither she nor l
had yet succeeded in getting an oppor-
tunity to thank him for his assistance.
Both of us were anxious to prove our
gratitude, and Dorothy, as knew, had
decided to give him Il token of it in the
shape of a tl'inket, a quantity carved
watch charm, which she had picked up
in one of her trips abroad. All things
considered, it was rather curious
choice she had made, although the
thing was sufficiently pretty to appeal
to the unframed instincts of the boor
she had every reason to suppose him to
be. So far as l was concerned, the
question was more puzzling, but l
had determined to offer him money.
Whether lie would accept it was doubt
full, but, at any rate, the proffer might
be made, with the alternative idea OF
picking out some present later on
IShlC1l XNNn11 HE ,l
he declined the cash.
The half-hour passed with no It'd
ings of the missing man. After an
other fruitless survey of the road, Mrs.
Weston. dolefully shaking her head,
vanished again, after once more in
forming me that his prolonged absence
was wholly ineNplicable. Presently
one of her sons brought my horse and
carriage TO the door, and, somewhat
reluctantly, forsool the cool quiet of
the office TO begin the drive to the house
OF one of the patients whom l was
attending during Mr.. Banks GONZALES
cence from his injury. Miss Gray was
reading i'll the shade of the porch of
the house over the way, and, in hopes of
pcrsuadlng her to join me, crossed
the road and went up to her.
REALLY, should be delighted, but
I've promised my aunt to see her safe
ly off" said she, in response to my in
yitation. "You know she is to take
tea in the village, and her hostess is to
sent for her don't know at just what
hour"
"Oh, then there's no hope for me-"
said ], grumpily. "However, shall
be back in an hour or two. I'm expect
ing DR.. Banks to call for my report
of the case, and he may appear before
my return. If he does, will you kindly
nsk him to wait for me? Then, too, if
Jones' condescends to drive up with
his l,end of gravel, and you happen to
speak to him, please be so good as TO
tell hi.9l that 1 should like to see him.
IF y 5n care to wait a little" she an
swcrcd, I'VE may interview him to-
gcther. The team is in sight now"
Lookings along the track toward the
house OF the knoll, saw Mrs. Weston's
horses jogsSing homeward at trot,
which indie pted that the wagon they
drew could hot be loaded very heavily.
where's the drivcr?" Miss Gray
asked. do y gu see him?"
mo, don't,s' said /. "Quiet as the
team is, it mutt have got away from
him.
One of the boys ran up to the ap-
proaching horses and stopped them.
We could see hilp pick up the rcins
from the ground, Examine the wagon,
and climb to the seat. BY, the time
he drove up to us Mrs. Weston, Mrs.
Clark, and one or TWO others had joined
the group, and Mrs. Loring, who looked
down from the wind pw Of her room.
Dorothy! Dorothy" she called out,
"tell me. tell me. h;ss anything hap
pened? anything terrible? Where,
oh, where is the mamP Is he dead
Is he killed? Oh. Dorothy, Pm sure he
must, bel"
"Don't be alarmed, Mrs. Loning," said
!, saving her niece the trouble of eN-
planning that nobody knew more about
the matter than she did. "rheshorses
have probably started for home while
Jones eye WIS Off them. No doubt
he'll be along imam hour or So"
She tried to risk more questions, but
no one took thes time to answer them.
All of us were busily inspecting the
wagon and it's xsteeds. The convey
ance was loaded to- perhaps quarter OF
Its capacity. One of the movable side
boards was gone, but thatwas the limit
OF damage.
cts all plain, enough" said I. "The
horses became homesick and trotted
OFT. very possibly while Jones, not sat
iSfiel with the trrnycl he had found.