Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-05-15

with receipts and other things to sign
and return to him. haven't the faint
est notion Of what own-except the
old house and some money from the in
come that hadn't used and brought
with me. Judge Pike has all the pa
pers-everything."
Joe looked troubled. "And Roger Ia
Dor, did he"-
1.-THE dear MANI She shook her
head. HE was just the same. To him
poor Uncle Jonas money seemed to
come from heaven through the hands
Of Judge Pike
"And there's handsome roundabout
way" said Joe.
Wasn't it!'' she agreed cheerfully.
"And he trusted the judge absolutely.
] don't, you see.''
He gave her thoughtful look and
nodded. mo, he isn't good man." he
but doubt IL he could have managed
to get away with anything of conse-
Quence after he became the admins
traitor. He wouldn't have tried it prob
ably unless he was more desperately
pushed than think he has been. 1t
would have been too dangerous. Sup
pose you wait week or SO and think
it over"
but there's something want you to
do for me Immediately, Joe"
whats that?''
II want the old house put in order.
I'm poinp tn live thara -
"AloneY
I'm almost twenty-seven, and that's
being enough Of an old maid for me to
risk Canaan's thinking me eccentric,
ISM. itY
ut will think anything you do is all
right"
"And once" she cried, sit thought
everything did wrong!'
Yes. That's the difference"
You mean it will commend me be-
cause Pm thought rich?"
mo, no." he said meditatively, at
isn't that. It's because everybody will
be in love with you"
"Quite eyerybodyn she asked.
Certainly" he replied. Anybody
who didn't would be absurd"
"Ah, Joel" she laughed. "You al
ways were the incest boy in the world.
my dear!'
AT that he turned toward her with
sudden movement, and his lips part
ed, but not to speak. She had rested
one arm upon the desk and her cheek
upon her hand; the pen she had pick
ed up, still absenty held in her fin
gers, touching her lips, and it was
given to him to know that he would
always keep that pen, though he would
never write with it again. The soft
lamplight fell across the lower part
of her face, leaving her eyes, which
were lowered thoughtfully, in the
shadow of her hat. The room was
blOtted out in darkness behind her.
Like the background of an antique
portrait, the Office, with its dusty cor
ners and shelves and hideous safe.
had vanished, leaving the charming
and thoughtful face revealed against
an even, spacious provinces. Only
Ariel and the roses and the lamp were
clear, and strange, small pain NOV
ed from Joe's heart to his throat us lie
thought that this ugly office, always
before so harsh and grim and lonely
loneliest for him when it had been
most crowded-was now TRANSPORTED
into something very, very different
from an Office; that this place where
he sat, with a lamp and flowers OH a
desk between him and woman who
called him my dear" must be like
like something that people called
home
And then he leaned across the desk
toward her as he said again what he
had said little while before. and his
voice trembled:
"Ariel, it is you?'
She looked ut him and smiled.
you'll be here always, won't you:
You're not going away from Canaan
againY
For moment 1t seemed that she
had not heard him. Then her bright
glance at him wayered and fell. She
rose. turning slightly away from him
but not so far that he could not see
the sudden agitation In her face.
"Ah," he cried, rising, too, 81 don't
want you to think l don't understand
or that / meant should ever ask you
to stay here! couldn't mean that.
You know couldn't, don't you? You