Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-12-19
for Maddy as friend; third, I'd Nave

for Maddy as friend; third, I'd nav,
you send the girl"
mot away from Aikenside! never
will !" and Guy sprang to his feet.
The mine had exploded, and for ar
instant the young man reeled, as he caught
a glimpse of where he stood still he
would not believe 1t, or confess to him
self how strong a place in his affections
was held by the beautiful girl now nc
longer a child. 1t was almost a year
since that April afternoon when he first
met Maddy Clyde, and from a timid, bash
| full child, of fourteen and a half she had
| grown to the rather tall and rather self.
| possessed maiden of fifteen and half, Al
most sixteen, as Mrs. Noah said, almost
a woman" and as if to verify the latter
fact, she herself appeared at that very
moment, asking permission to come in and
find book, which had been mislaid, and
which she needed in hearing Jessie's les
! sons.
Certainly, come in,' Guy said, and
folding his arms he leaned against the
mantel, watching her as she hunted for
the missing book
There was no pretense about Maddy
Clyde, nothing put on for effect, and yet
in every movement she showed marks Of
great Improvement, both in manner and
style. OF one hundred people who might
glance at her, ninety-nine would look a
second time, asking who she was. Not the
remotest suspicion had Maddy of what
was occupying the thoughts of her COM
panions, though, as she left the room and
glanced brightly up at Guy, 1t struck her
that his face was dark and moody, and
painful sensation fitted through her mind
that in some way she had intruded.
We'll" was Mrs. Noah's first comment,
as the door closed on Maddy, but as Guy
made no response to that, she continued:
"She is pretty. That you won't deny"
Yes more than pretty. She'll make
a most beautiful woman"
Guy seemed to talk more to himself
than to Mrs. Noah, while his foot kicked
the fender, and he mentally compared
Lucy and Maddy with each other, and
tried to think that it was not the result
of that comparison, but rather Mrs.
Noah's next remark, which affected him
unpleasantly. The remark or remarks
were as follows:
'Of course she'll make a splendid wom-
an. Everybody notices her now for her
beauty, and that's why you've no business
to keep her here where you see her every
day. It's a wrong to her, lettin' yourself
alone"
Guy looked up, and Mrs. Noah contin-
ued
1--WE been a girl myself, and I know
that Maddy can't be treated as you treat
her without its having an effect. I've
no idea that it's entered her head yet,
but it will bimeby, and then good-by to
her happiness"
For PHYS sake, what do you meant
What have l done to Maddy, or what
am l going to do?'
Coming nearer to him. and lowering
her voice, Mrs. Noah replied:
"You are going to teach her to love
you, Guy Remington"
And is that anything so very bad,
I'd like to know? Most girls do not find
love distasteful," and Guy walked hastily
to the window where he stood for mo-
ment gazing out upon the soft April snow
which was falling, and feeling anything
but satisfied either with the weather or
himself then walking back, and taking
seat before the fire, he said: Il under
stand you now. You would save Maddy
Clyde from sorrow, and you are right
You know more of girls than l do. She
might in time get to-to-think OF me as
she ought not. l never looked upon it in
this light before. I've been so happy with
her"-here Guys voice fatered a little,
but he recovered himself and went on:
Il will tell her about Lucy tonight,
but the sending her away, l can't do that.
Neither will she be happy to 60 back
where | took her from, for though the
best Of people, they are not like Maddy,
and you know it,
Yes, Mrs. Noah did know it, and pleas
ed that her boy, as she called Guy, had
shown some signs of penitence and amend.
ment, she said she did not think it neces-
sary to send Maddy home; she did not
advise it, either. She liked the girl, and
yhat she advised was this, that Guy
should send Maddy and Jessie both to
boarding school. Agnes, she knew, would
be willing, and it was the best thing he
could do. Maddy would thus learn what
was expected of teacher, and as soon as
she graduated, she could procure some
eligible situation"
Ito be continued.)