The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1906-12-28

AoA q OunS9 oAAA va
there. He is very attentive to her, they
say. OF course l wouldn't tell you II
I thought that there was any possible
ty of your reconsidering the answer
you gave Bob in the spring. You can't
blame the boy for seeking consolation.
| and they say that she is very wealthy"
The girl forced herself to eat her
salad calmly. So that was the reason
he had taken her homecoming so east
". Another woman had captured his
/ fancy. Well. she would keep her Sc
cret.
The next day Bob came over to the
house for a conference with her father.
Meeting him in the hallway, she ques-
toned him as to the day of his de-
parture, although she hated herself for
doing it.
ooh, In about a month";" said Bob in
differently and hurriedly.
How different from the way he used
| to speak to her, she thought.
During that month Bob made many
trips to the city, md each morning the
girl woke up to gaze from her windows
at the signs with a deep accentuation
! of the hatred with which she had re-
garded them On the first day of her re-
turn. To her they began to seem the
personiication of the that had
taken Bob from her-thc cold, calcUlat-
Ing business spirit. How she hated
those signs. 1t seemed to her as if
she would co anything to get rid of
them. Must she live within their sight
all her life, constantly reminding her
of the love she had lost? The thought
was uncomfortable, and she appealed to
her father.
81 can't do anything" said he. "Bob
has 4 contract with the Chce-Rup COM
pany, and he must live up to it. If
only you had been kind to him this
wouldn't have happened. To my mind
it only shows what good sense Bob
has. This place has no more attrac-
lions for him. so why not make it yield
an income?"
The evening before the day set by
Bob for his departure he called. Tho
girl was seated on her veranda as far
as possible from the sight of the sign
boards. Her parents had gone out for
the evening. and she received Bob with
n strange. sinking feeling. This might
be the last time he would come to see
h%er-alone.
"Bob." said she when he had seated
himself ut Il safe distance-"Bob, now
that You are going away, probably for
nya,. ro,,'t Won dc cn11onfhi1op O1,O11f
those awful signboards?"
Hc regarded her qu%izzically.
81 wish I could" said he, "but you
see the Chae-Eup company's contract
u II for ten years. and the advertise
ment has proved to be SO good that
they would not release me unless l
paid a sum Of none that would abso-
lutely break me-"
Ten years. \. life time!
"Bob," she cried impulsively. II would
be willing to do anything to get rid Of
those dreadful signs.'
Bob looked at her quickly. This was
his hour. Her father and mother had
even encouraged him to hope. but he
hesitated at wagering his happiness Oh
a short sentence. Nevertheless he must
make the plunge some time. and the
present moment seemed as propitious
as any
$50 you would really like to get rid
Of thcm?" he asked. We'll. 1 believe
we could arrange that with the COM
pany satisfactorily if you could recon-
slider your decision of some months
ago."
She looked ut him unsteadily.
"Why. Bob" she said, 81 believe that
you arc asking me to marry you
again"
'"That's just what I am doing" he
said excitedly. whats your answer?"
"But that other woman".' she cried.
He gaZcd at her in we'll simulated
amazement.
"What other woman?" he asked.
"That wealthy one in the city-that
business woman whom my father said
you had OH the string"
Bob smiled broadly.
"You evidently misunderstood in what
connection / had her OH the string. We
are going to sell her the business"
The girl looked at him happily.
"If that's the case" said she. II sup
pose 1 might change my answer to that
question if you are sure about taking
down those signs. You mustn't sacri-
fee a lot Of money to those people.
Bob. Well need some"
"No, I'll not" said he as he folded
her in his arms. "You see. your father
and 1 happen to be the Chee-Rup
Breakfast Food company. although we
are on the point Of selling the business
to that woman in the city. and so, l
guess. there will be no trouble about
having that contract annulled."