The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1907-07-26

ton," interrupted an Interested, eager
little voice from the other side Of the !
dune. He's coming over to our house
for dinner. Why don't you tell him
right nowY
Bob withdrew his arm hurriedly
from its resting place, and Gwen
pinned up some stray tumbled locks
with fingers that trembled even while
she laughed at the picture below them.
Standing in the pool of water left by
the tide in the rocks below was Teddy
Ainslee. His short duck pants We're
rolled high about his bare tanned legs,
and his face was intensely serious as
he balanced a tin pail and toy rake in
his hands and stared up at the two fig
ures Oh the sand dune. #
.NWhat are you doing, TedY" asked
Bob impersonally. Digging for
clamsw
"Nope; crabs" returned Ted lacon-
ically. 'Got five. Two's most dead,
though. Why don't you tell him right
now? He's over there with mamma.
over behind the clubhouse. They're
| sitting on the rocks, talking about our
coming to live in his house. Say, I'm
going to have a room all to myself, he
says, and a pony, and a real boat, may
be. Aren't you glad I'm coming to live
with you, Gwen?
G%wcndolin's hand closed owe the
| strong one that reached for it, with a.
warm, close grip. For a moment her
eyes met Bob's, swift, questioning,
amazed, laughing, all i'll II quick
sweeping glance Of understanding.
Bob started to laugh aloud, but she
checked him and bent toward the lit
tie figure standing in the water below.
"Indeed, 1 am glad, Teddy" she said
very gently, very automatically, "but
I didn't know about it. When are You
coming, dear?"
Tcddy's gaze wandered musingly
over the stretch Of shore to where the
clubhouse made a splash of green and
white on the landscape. From where
he stood he could see a white paraso.,
and down behind the chiffon rutties on
that parasol sat Mr.. Rutherford and
his mother.
"Just as soon as he's my papa" he
told the two above him calmly. II
like him real we'll. He asked me If he
could have mamma, and 1 told him {
didn't mind. He used to know man.
ma a long time ago, and he liked her
then, but she liked me best. She don't
any more, though. She likes him best,
but l don't care. I told him maybe I'd
marry you, Gwen"
"That was awfully sweet Of you.
Teddy. DEAR" began G%wendolin.
"Just so you wouldn't be lonesome,
you know Ted assured her, because
I s'pose maybe he used to like you
best. too, and now he won't any more,
cause he told mamma he liked her the
bestest in the whole world"
"God bless you, Teddikins," MUIR
INJURED Bob thankfully. ''Ill.buy you
a bear for this. six feet tall"
"When are you coming to live with
us, Teddy?" asked Gwendolin, her
voice a little unsteady, her face flushed
rosily. The big hand was crushing hec
own so that it hurt.
"Pretty soon,' said Ted encouraging
ly. CHATS why they made me come
away now. They're talking it over.
They're going to hurry up and get
married before you find it out, so it
won't be a sudden shock. That's what
Mr.. Rutherford said. I heard him tell
mamma that they must avoid any sud-
den shock to Ovens nerves. So they're
going to run away and get married,
and then he's going to break 1t to you"
Bob gave an explosive peal Of Joy
and rolled over on the sand at Gwen
dolin's feet. But Gwendolin sat still,
her eyes bright with happiness and
hope ahead, her chin resting on one
palm and her eyes filled with sudden
tears.
Don't you cry, Gwen" called up
Teddy courageously. "Ill love you
and keep you from being lonesome"
Gwendolin laughed. a quick, break
ing laugh of tears and happiness COM
bined, and held out both hands to Bob.
"Thanks. Teddy, dear, SO much. but [
don't think I'll be very lonesome. At
%ter-after poor Uncle Hal has broken
the news to me I think I shall go to
Denver"