The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-10-10
e cool lemonade. Yt's pesky hot

Don't mind if I do" with alacrity.
81 amt in no particular hurry, and
your piazzy looks right cool and invit-
ing. And, besides, I'd like to ask lot
of questions about the boys and girls;
what they are doing, and who's mar
RED and who amt"
Two rocking chairs were placed OPP
posite each other on the piazza, and
while Cordelia was making the lem
onade, Tom gazed around with boy
ish delight. The piazza was screened
from the road by honeysuckles and
wistarias, and he could count at least
dozen butterflies sailing content
edly about Almost in reach of his
hand was robins nest, and as he
raised himself slightly to look at the
eggs. the owner began to scold him
from one of the rafters overhead.
",Just exactly like it was 10 wears
ago. he murmured, delightedlv.
"And. on my soul, believe that's the
same old bird that used to scold me
so terribly. There, there, there!" as
the robin redoubled her cries. that
isn't the way to welcome friend. 1
| won't hurt your eggs"
Here Cordelia came out with the
lemonade and a small stand, which
she placed between the two chairs.
There, help YOURSELF" she said.
Nov tell me how you've been gettin'
on out west"
"Oh, jes toler'ble,' as they say out
there" he replied, laughing. "Only
in my case, the 'jes' toler'ble' means
first-rate. l started as a cowboy. and
then bought few head of cattle and
some land, and after that pushed
ahead pretty steady. l was always
hardworking, and so got on faster
than some of my neighbors. After
awhile a railroad came through, and
village started up less than three
miles from my place. That boosted
me right to the top. Now, I've got
as pretty ranch as there is west
of the Missouri"
"Why, that's splendid!" she cried,
her face glowing with pleasure. I'm
awful glad you're dom so well.
Folks around here have an idea that
you've been sort of runnin' out"
How came they to get such no.
tion?" cautiously.
well, II believe Ed Purcell spoke
of it in the first place"
ED PURCELL" Tom rose to his feet
in sudden wrath. Then he sat down,
with a smothered laugh. "The mean
liar! He didn't know the first thing
of what I've been doing. You didn't
believe him, Cordelia?"
She looked distressed.
How could l help it, Tom?" she
faltered. ED said he got letters
from you off and on, and l didn't
suppose he would tell a story" Then,
with an effort to change the SUBJ
ject: Did you bring your family
along?"
''Family?"
Yes, your wife and children?"
He gazed sharply at her for a mo-
ment to see if she was in earnest;
then he threw himself back jp his
ter.
did Ed tell you that?" he asked,
as soon as he could get his breath.
well, he's a dandy, he is. And did
you believe it?"
She did not answer, but he could
see from her changing countenance
and averted eyes that she had be-
lieved it.
Look here, Cordelia,'' he said,
abruptly, what do you suppose l
came back for?''
"To look around-to see your rela-
tions, perhaps" she answered, hesi-
tatingly.
My relations are all out west. Fa-
thsG and brother Jake went there
soon after l did. No, it was on &C.
count of this" taking a small slip of
paper from his pocket and handing
it to her. Jake takes the home pa
per, and sometimes l look it over.
Last week 1 happened to see this
item. Read it,
She did so, mechanically.
eve understand that our esteemed
fellow-townsman, Paul Hackett, has
obtained lucrative position in the
city, and that he will soon depart
for the scene of his future labors.
This will leave his sister, Miss Cor
della, to keep house alone"
81 don't see much in that" she said,
as she handed back the paper.
'Well, 1 do. Anyhow, it brought
me here" His voice had suddenly
grown eager, and her gaze fell be-
meath his, while her face began to
flush. Listen, Cordelia. When ]
was returning that night, after had
gone home with Sadie Adams, I met
Ed Purcell. l felt more like pitching
him into the bushes than talking, but
the fellow was so friendly and soft
spoken that l was obliged to stop
through mere civility. He spoke
about the weather and the party, and
then told me that you and he were
engaged. I never liked the scamp,
but 1 didn't suppose he would tell a
lie. The next day / started west"
Cordelia was standing now, her face
flushed and her eyes blazing.
Engaged to Ed PURCELL" she
gasped. "Oh, Tom! you didn't be-
lieve that?"
"How could I help it," he an
swered, grimly, repeating her words
of a few minutes before ct didn't