The Democratic advocate., 1904-05-28
geleft Storp.
ITO LET--FURNISHED. 1"


the air was alive with sounds of summer
Then did old Mr.. Harvey tell you
he d leave it to you?' asked the other girl
sympathstically.
why, many timel He took great
fancy to me because used to 90 and read
to him when he was in Westbourae Square,
and he was always talking about his cottage
in the country Then he died awtully sud
denly, you know, and there was no will;
and it's gone, with everything else, to a
Philistine of a nephew in Australia. l
know he Il want to level it and SOW the
ground with bush or something! Those
clodhopping farmers always take it as a
personal insult if there anything between
them and the sky liner
Hes coming home thenY
why, of course arrives in about a
month, believe. | never want to see
or speak Of him. OF couse, I'll be back
in town by then Think what it would
have been, Mary cottage of my own
after life with Aunt Harriet?
II suppose it's empty now? | wish We
could see over it, don't your said Mary
Forlham
She had arrived with her friend at a
farm house in the village the evening be
fore for short holiday
There a man working in the garden.
We might ask, perhaps, said Molly
doubtfully.
They propped up their bicycles and
walked toward the gate. Molly hesitat-
ingly accusted blue -shirted back which
bent over roSebed
DO you happen TO know il there d be
any objection to our seeing over the cot
tage? | knew the late owner very well
The back straightened itself instantly
and bronzrd. six foot individual faced
the questiouer.
Not the slightest, he said.
Ills voice was pleasant and cultured,
aud the crimson rushed into Molly :
cheeks.
II beg your pardon, she faltered, L
thought
The giants brown eyes twinkled. lie
perfectly understood the workings Of the
mind Of this pretty young woman, who
was blushing 50 beeomingly.
Il have the key in my pocket, he
said "Tm-seIl gardener and care
taker. and hired mau, and everything else
till Mr.. Hamilton arrives THE fact Is,
worked under him in Australia, and | We
come 10 see to some Of his affairs, and get
things a bit straight for him. I'm trying
to reduce the place to something Ike
order
Mary Fordham stole a quick, amused
glance at her friend She was thinking
Of the clodhopper sons Of toll with the
spirit Of reform in their blood. But Molly
was backing toward the gate.
Il see, she said oh, thank you,
we eouldn't think Of troubling YOU L
Just thought the house was empty,
and
80 il Is, said the hired man, with a
smile, which showed cleaning, white teeth.
And | m only too anxious TO show any
BODY. because Mr., Hamilton wishes to let
il. YOu know, he added miseheyiously,
as the girls still hesitated, you d have
come If had been the gardener. My
name Whately If you viii wait half
a minute.
He strobe to the end Of the garden,
picked up a loose short coat from the grass,
and thrust his long arm into its sleeves.
Then, with an easy at your service, he
led the way toward the house
-Coolr uuttered Molly to her friend
IL was a home calculated to delight any
woman heart-a house with long, low
rooms, aud quaint, unexpected corners and
recesses suggesting delightful possibilities
in the matter Of furnishing The Esau of
the situation grew still more depressed as
she followed the son Of toll from room to
room.
OH she gasped, as they stood in a
small bare, sunht apartment Of paneled
oak with old fashioned diamoned paned
windows, ''how could Mr.. Hamilton bear
TO let this?'
well. you see, the whole thing bit
eramped to a man who's been used to an
expanse of twenty square miles or 50 said
Gerald Whately. with smile by the
way. he added, ..'you said you knew old
Hardy pretty well?'
Yes. said Molly, very well.
Queer thing his dying inteState.
was rather interested because the house
keeper at his Westbourne Square house
I've lust come from there-had some yarn
about a girl to whom this shanty d been
promised. | hope there was nothing in
it.
Molly was twisting a dirty blindcord with
careful industry.
why, she said. when a man dies
without a will, stories of that sort invari-
ably crop up, don they
That's so, assented Gerald Whately,
IL suppose, he added hesitatingly,
YOU re not going to be any time in Lei
ham,
About three weeks, said Molly
its pretty little place for holiday. -
The giant laughed nervously.
II say wonder if might ask you
something. The fact is-you see, Ham
ilton said was to furnish this place as
soon as possible, He thought it would
get better; and | knew nobody here, and
a chap hardly likes to undertake that sort
of thing without advice. I've got moth
ing yet. I'm putting up at the Nag $
Head for the present. If--if you could
see your way to giving me any sugges-
tons
"Oh, said Molly, we've should be
very glad to give you any-well-theoret
ical help in our power-shouldn t we,
Nary"
"Molly, said Aunt Harriet Page
looking up from her embroidery, 4 We
sent card to Mr. Hamilton for Wednes
dav. Ihear he $ in Westbourne Square,
Aunt Harriet cried Molly, "you
haven ~
"It was some weeks later, and she was
sitting opposite to her aunt in that lady 5
somewhat dingy London residence, knit
ting bedsocks.
"But | have, my dear. 1t seems to
me that if we make no advances toward
tbot vouny man he will think we have