Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-05-01

at put me in mind" Mr. Arp began
"of something that happen
ed last night"
''What was it?"
Eskew's mouth was open to tell, but
he remembered just in time that the
grandfather of Norbert was not the
audience properly to be selected for
this recital choked half born word.
coughed loudly, realizing that he must
withhold the story of the telling of
Martin Pike until the colonel had TAX
en- his departure, and replied:
"Nothin' to speak of. Go on with
your argument"
give finished" said the colonel. ~
only wanted to say that it seems to
me good action for young Indy like
that to come back here and stick to
her old friend and playmate"
"Stick to him!" echoed Mr. Arp.
"she walked up Main street with him
yesterday. Do you call that stlckin'
to him? She's been away good
while; she's forgotten what Canaan is.
You wait till she secs for herself jest
what his standing in this COM
81 agree with Eskew for once" in
terrupted Peter Bradbury. 81 agree
BECAUSE
"Then you better wait" cried Es-
kew, allowing him to proceed no fur
Their. "till you hear what you're agree
In to! say you take young lady
like that-pretty and rich and all cul.
tured up, and it stands to reason that
she WON'T
mo; it don't!" exclaimed Buckal"w
lmpatiently. Nothing Of the sort!
tell you
Eskew rose to his feet and pounded
+, the pavement with his stick. at
| stands to reason that she won't stick
to man no other decent woman will
| for every stone throwed in the town
ever since he was Il boy. an outcast
with reputation as black as Il
+! preachers shoes on Sunday! don't
care if he's her Oldest friend on earth
she won't stick to him! She walked
with him yesterday, but you can mark
my words, his goose is cooked" The
| old mans voice rose shrill and high
ut amt IN human nature fer her tc
do it! You hear what l you'll
| never see her with Joe Louden again
in this livin' world, and she as good
Us told me so herself last night. You
can take your oath she's quit him al
| ready! Don't''-
Eskew paused abruptly, his eyes wild.
ening behind his spectacles. His jaw
fell. His stick, raised to hammer the
pavement, remained suspended in the
| air A sndden color rushed over his
face, and he dropped speechless in his
chair. The others after staring at
him in momentary alarm followed the
direction of his gaze.
Just across Main street and in plair
view was the entrance to the stair
/ way which led to Joe's office. Ariel
Tabor, all in cool gray, carrying bic
bunch of white roses in her white
gloved hands, had just crossed the
sidewalk from carriage and was US.
cending the dark stairway. A mo-
ment later she came down again empty
handed, got into the carriage and drove
away.
"She missed him." said Squire Buck
alew. 81 saw him go out half an houl
ago. But" he added and, exercising 6
self restraint close upon the sanity. die
not even glance toward the heap which
was Mr.. Arp, II notice she left hel
flowers!"
Ariel was not the only one who
climbed the dingy stairs that day ant
read the penciled script upon Joe'i
door: "Will not return until evening
]. Louden." Many others came all ex
ceedingly unlike the first visitor. Som
We're quick and watchful, lodging int
the narrow entrance furtively; SOM
smiled contemptuously Us long as the.
were in view Of the street, dropping
wanly us they reached the stairs; som
were brazen and amused, and som
were thin and troubled. Not all o
them read the message, for not al
could read, but all looked curiousl.
through the half opened door at til
many roses which lifted their head
delicately from water pitcher o.
Joe's desk to scent that dusty plac
with their cool breath.
Most of these clients after grun
of disappointment turned and wen
away. though there wereta few, eithe
unable to read the message or SO press
cd by anxiety that they disregarded II
who entered the room and sat down t
wait for the absentee. There wer
! plenty of chairs in the office now, book
cases also and a big steel safe. Blu
when evening came aud the final gra
OF twilight had vanished from the wiz
dow panes all had gone except one,
woman who sat patiently, her eye
upon the floor and her hands folded l.
her lap, until the footsteps Of the las
of the others to depart had ceased t
sound upon the pavement below. The
with wordless exclamation sh
sprang to her feet, pulled the windoy
shade carefully down to the sill an