Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1906-03-23
THE JUNIOR PARTNER
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- fielding ROBERTS walked
il into his private otilce one morn.
perturbed state Of mind. He carried
a telegram in his hand.
Pm in the greatest sort Of a fix,
Dick" he began, gloomily.
"Of course, it's great If you're In it.
old boy,' declared the long blonde man
lounging at q desk. Pour out your
woes and I'll shoulder my half, like q
gentleman"
Cant you ever take a thing seri-
ously?" retorted his companion, with
more irritation han he often showed.
Hang it all! How can a man be in
two places at the same timer?
by being built On a demi-semi, self
detachable, double-acting, non-collaps-
1ble, each-side-for-itself sort of plan,
With"
You see," continued Mr.. Roberts, as
though he had not heard the glib an
swer to his query. Haywood has just
arrived at the Morris House about that
De Koven will case. He is stopping
over only for one day, und every min
ute counts. I simply must go to him
at once-and here is Minnie's friend
due on the eleven o'clock express from
Washington, and I've promised to meet
her to arrange about a lot Of flowers
for a wedding In some vilainous little
country town or other
The junior partner picked up his
ears. A girl In the question made lots
of difference.
whats the friends name, Ding:'
he inquired, sitting up quite straight.
What on earth has that to dog
exclaimed Roberts. You certainly
! re-"
Don't get cross, Ding" put in Dick,
%serenely, but tell me, like a good boy
well, if you must know, her name
is Amy Cloverdale, and she's % years
old, a graduate Of Wellesley, dark
eyes, fair hair, dresses well, and Is one
Of my sisters dearest friends. Her an
c~estors, on her mothers side, were
French H~uguenots, on her fathers
English Cavaliers. Her father is a
banker in Washington. I believe she
is fond Of Kipling, and can make good
chocolate caramels. Her favorite color
is blue, but she wears much brown"
This catalogue of personal items was
ratified off at furious speed in such VIC
lent contrast to his usual dignifed
utterance hat Dick could only stare in
wonder. He began to realize that his
friend thought his dilemma a truly Sc
rious one.
"Thank you, Ding" he said, quite
gently, Il didn't know you were per-
sonally interested"
1t was Mr.. Roberts turn to stare.
"Why, I'm not; I've never seen her,
but-"
Never seen her!" calculated Dick.
with amazement and a sudden sus-
picion. Did you make that all up?"
NO" responded his friend, rather
grimly. I'm not the romancer Of this
firm. I've heard Minnie talk of her"
"And never forgot a word! Ding, 1
fear I've done scant justice to your
extraordinary mental powers. By
George! I've got a schemes" he ex-
claimed a moment later, and sprang
up in great excitement, knocking over
his chair as he did SO. IF you've
never seen her, Ding, why can't l go
to meet her and attend to the errand,
whatever it is? Haven't you a photo
graph of her, 30 I can recognize her?
And then you can mosey over to see
De Koven, and stay a week if you
want. to. Amy Cloverdale-I like the
sound Of that name!"
For the first time Fielding's brow
cleared.
II wonder how hat would work,
Dick?" he said with animation. You
know, it really doesn't make any diff
ference who sees about the flowers, so
long as they are sent out to Roxbury
on the morning Of the twentieth. A
cousin Of Miss Cloverdale, living there,
Is to be married. She is coming on
now to the wedding, and I was to meet
her to get the details of the order from
her in person, besides showing a little
civility to Mnnie's friend You under
stand?" :
Perfectly" was Dicks grave re-
joinder. "In take along my note
book, and I'll be as civil as in me lies.
Amy Cloverdale-Amy Cloverdale-
What a lovely name. SO musical and
suggestive of dusky co2s less, to say
nothing of gentleness and innocence.
Amy-Amy-Amy Clover"
The senior party burst out laughing.
All his burden of anxiety removed. he
was free to enjoy, as lie never failed
to do, the absurdities of his whimsical,
irrepressibie, ~big-hearted, deariy-loved
Achates.
THANK heaven for that laugh.
Ding" exclaimed Dick. II thought
I'd heard your last one. Are you never
going TO learn that I am yours for bet
ter and for worse, and that that means
I'm always to be depended on to make
the worse over into the better? Have
I ever yet failed to get you u Of a
hoIe?"
You never have" laughed Fielding.
bundling up a lot of l~esal-looking pa
pers, "but you will fail to meet. Miss
Clovcrdale IL you don't hurry yourself
q bit. She's to wear a small bow Of
blue r.abon pinned on her left sleeve
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