The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-07-12

don't want to marry q woman seven
years older than yourself"
4 shan't have any woman saying
that l broke faith" he said soberly.
The train from the mines is going
| down tomorrow. l shall go with it."
He was as good as his word. When
| the train toiled back across the sandy
! wastes the foreman declared that he
had seen Narbcl board the eastbound
limited, and Culver gave up his time
+ fixing Up the house.
There was little to do in the orchard.
The plants would not bear before the
following year, by which time there
would be spur of track to the mines,
and they could ship the fruit Mean
| while all he had to do was to see that
the trees were irrigated and that no
stray cattle got in. 1t was easy
| enough, with the help Of the men, to
set up n shack for himself and leave
the old house for Narbel and his bride
He even had time to ride over and
tell the men at the mine of the joke
end when at last word came over their
wire that the pair was due to come out
with the train they all gathered at the
ranch to welcome the new Mrs. Narbel
They rode out to meet the dust cloud
which marked the track Of the long
line of wagons across the alkali, but
the figure in the buggy beside Narbel
was so swathed in buster and wells
that no hint of her appearance could
be gained and the men, with many
a nudge and smile. fell in behind and
rode along.
They all turned in at the ranch gate,
but Narbel swung his wife out of the
| buggy and took her into the house.
Mrs. Narbel will be glad to meet you
when she has had a chance to tidy
up he said, with a grave face, "but
she wants the dust off first"
Culver took the horse to the stables
| and then reioined the waiting group on
the grass plot in front of the house.
Culver knew now why Narbel had in
sisted upon grass plot.) They had not
| long to wait for presently gasp from
the crowd caused Culver to turn, and
there on the step stood Narbel and
the very girl Of the picture. She was
smiling now as she acknowledged the
various introductiOns. Culver was the
last to come up, for he had not recov-
cred from his amaZement until Narbel
called 10 him.
Il feel that ought to lie very CRATE
full to you" she said in low voice,
tbN,,r,1, 70 ,,IO
joke"
The joke seems to be on me-" he
said lamely.
Il don't think there is any joke" she
said decidedly. 1T was just the work
ing of fate"
He turned to receive the farewells
of the men from the mine, and more
than one jolled him on his vivid imagi-
nation. 1t was clear that they thought
he had been fooling them, and he was
glad that he was at least saved their
jeers but it was with no pleasant an
ticipation that he followed Narbel and
his wife into the house.
you builGeI better than you knew,
| Jack, when you sent that letter l wrote
in jest"
But this is not Lucy Mears," he
stammered. 4 thought you were 60
ing to keep faith at any cost"
aunt Lucy died Il year ago" smiled
Mrs. Narbel Il suppose no one wrote
you. AS l was the only Lucy Mears l
got the letter"
"And got the sweetest little woman
on earth" supplemented Narbel.
And l." wound up Culver Il don't
know whether l should be praised or
kicked. l think I'd prefer the latter"
But instead he received the praise.