The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-03-17

| Strument again, ana, pending slightly.
whispered, Say, Eph Watts is over
there behind ye.''
At table in a far corner of the room
large gentleman in a brown frock
coat was quietly eating his breakfast
and reading the Herald. He was Of an
ornate presence, though entirely neat.
A sumptuous expanse of linen exhibit
ed itself between the lapels of his low
cut waistcoat, and an inch of bedia-
monded breastpin glittered there like
| an ice ledge on snowy mountain side.
He had steady blue eye and a dissi-
pated iron gray mustache. This per:
sonage was Mr.. Ephraim Watts who
following calling more fashionable in
the eighteenth century than in the lat
ter decades of the nineteenth, had
shaken the dust of Carlow from his
feet some three years previously at the
strong request Of the authorities. The
Herald had been particularly insistent
upon his deportation In the local
phrase, Harkless had @kpn him out O.
town. Perhaps it was because the
Herald's opposition, as the editor had
explained at the time, had been mere.
~ moral and impersonal," and the ed.
itor had confessed to liking for the
unprOfessional qualities of Mr.. Watts.
that there was but slight embarrass-
ment when the two gentlemen met to,
day. His breakfast finished, HAIRLESS
went over to the other and extended
his hand. Cynthia, the waitress, held
her breath and clutched the back of
chair. However, Mr.. Watts made no
motion toward his we'll known hin
pocket. Instead he rose, flushing slight
~, and accepted the hand offered him.
'1'm glad to see you, Mr. Watts"
said the Journalist cordially "And
also, if you are running with the cir
Gus and calculate on doing business
here today, I'll have you fired out of
town before noon. How are you?
You're looking extremely we'll"
'Mr. Harkless,' answered Watts, 81
cherish no hard feelings, and I never
said but what you done exactly right
when l left, three years ago. No, sir;
I'm not here in professional way at
all, and I don't want to be molested.
I've connected myself with All oil COM
pany, and I'm down here to look over
the ground. It beats poker and fantan
all hollow, though there amt as many
chances in favor Of the dealer, and in
oil it's the farmer that gets the rakeoff
| I've come back, but in an enterprising
spirit this time, to open up new field
and shed light and money in Carlow
| fo1 TO c1,o1
here again, but if you say 1 stay I
guess l can. I always was sure there
was oil in the county, and I want to
prove it for everybody's benefit Is it
all right?''
''N1y dear fellow" laughed the young
man, shaking the gamblers hand again.
ut is all right. I have always been
sorry I had to act against you Every
thing is all right. Stay and bore to
Korea, if you like. Did ever you see
such glorious weather.
CPL let you in on some shares Watts
called after him as he turned away.
The other nodded in reply and was
leaving the room when Cynthia detain-
ed him by a flourish Of her fly brush.
|
"Say'-''you've forgot yer flower
| He came back and thanked her. ''Will
you pin it on for me, Charmion?"
II don't know what call you got to
speak to me out of my name," she re-
sponded, looking at the floor modify.
"Why?' he asked, surprised.
81 don't see why you want to make
fun of me-"
II beg your pardon, Cynthia" he said
gravely. II didn't mean to do that. I
haven't been considerate. I didn't think
you'd be displeased. I'm very sorry.
Won't you pin it on my coat?"
Her face was lifted in grateful pleas
ure, and she began to pin the rose to his
lapel. Her hands were large and red
and trembled. She dropped the flower
and, saying huskily, II don't know as I
could do it right seized violently upon
a pile of dishes and hurried from the
room.
HAIRLESS rescued the rose, pinned it
on his coat himself, with the internal
observation that the red haired wait
ress was the Queerest creature in the
village, and set forth upon his holiday.
Mr.. Lige Willetts, stalwart bach
elor, the most eligible in Carlow, and
a habitual devotee of Minnie Briscoe,
was seated on the veranda when Hark-
less turned in at the gate of the brick
house. 'The ladies will be down right
off, he said, greeting the editors cool
fnery with perceptible agitation and
the editor himself with friendly shake
Of the hand. ''Mildy says to wait out
here"
There was faint rustling within the
house, the swish of draperies on the
stairs, delicious whispering, when
light feet descend, tapping, to hearts
that beat an answer, the telegraphic
message: "We come! We come! We
are near! We are near!'' Lige Will
let's stared at HAIRLESS. He had never
thought the latter was good looking I'M
til he saw him step to the door to take
Helen Sherwood's hand and say, in a
Strange low tense voice "Gnod morn