The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1908-03-19

JOIN smlIou lazliy across at the little
fury. Whatever raised this tempest
In teapot? Just an inoffensiye, inno-
cent little. question about. your trip.
1t must have touched sore spot"
His eyes, instantly grave, searched the
girls face.
Peggy's eyes blazed. fE
IF you came here to be disagreea.
BILE, Mr.. Morton, think 1t about time
for you to go; you have. accomplished
your mission"
Lines Of perplexity gathered on the
mans forehead, then sudden resolve
showed in his eyes and in the firm
pressure of his lips.
Come, lets. be friends again, grille.
I came over to tell you wonderful
secret. q I've found the future Mrs.
Morton"
He crossed over to the girls side
and stood looking down at her bowed
head. Aren't you going to wish me
luck. for old times sake, Peggy?'
'If you have found her, / don't see
what more luck you want" Peggy's
voice was quick, nervous, just a trife
harsh. I'D hate to think that-Pete
=" and the words trailed off into ST.
lence as Peggy smothered a sudden
cough in the lace at her wrists.
John Morton's face lost its fresh
color and his square jaws took on an
extra angle. An oath was smothered
at its birth. IL IA -. -. <. 4, 4. =
I've found her, all right" he re-
turned, "but, you see she doesn't know
anything about t-yet. came over to-
night to ask your advice about the
best way to break 1t to her; you see,
grille. I'm not used to this sort Of
thing"
Come, tell me about her, John.
| What is she like?" Peggy slipped from
| the stiff-backed chair on to a foot
stool. John dropped down beside her,
and with hands clasped around their
| updrawn knees, they sat gazing into
the cavernous fireplace, much as they
had done in the childish days when
| Peggy was an enchanted princess,
and John, fairy prince in overalls,
slew the dragon-as represented by
the grinning unicorn forming the and
tfrons hoIesns~ che. "fore,s stiole,ssfn the
wide fireplace-and rescued the
princess from eternal captivity.
DO know her, John?" Peggy con-
linued. as Johns eyes still clung to the
blazing logs; cant you even tell me
about her; you know we never had
any secrets from each other when
when"
"Yes, know" the man came 20 her
rescue as he noticed the crimson tide
sweeping up over her throat and
cheek. when we used to play at
housekeeping and you, tied one OF
your mothers aprons on and became
Mrs, John Morton. Jolly old times
weren't they, Peggy" Watching the
| girl out of the corner of his eye he
was almost sure he saw her lip fiutter
before the cruel white teeth closed
down and held 1t fast.
/ We'll, you see we were Kids then
and telling things came natural. Dc
you suppose Pete, for instance, would
find 1t an easy matter to describe the
girl Of girls?"
Peggy shifted her position 30 as to
bring her face in shadow before an
swering.
You needn't tell me her name, you
know. or her little intimate ways
just describe her in general"
"A sort of outline sketch and leave
the filling in to the hearers imaglna
tion." Morton laughed.
well. since came to you for ad
vice / guess I'll have to mention hel
chief charms" He caught the stoo
and twisted 1t around till Peggy faced
the fire again. The old-fashioned mir
ror, tilted from ceiling to mantel, re
fiected very quiet Peggy with a very
serious face.
She's small and dainty and Iowa
ble-is that the way the story books
begin? l am rather clumsy when Il
comes to describing a girl, so you'll
have to make allowances, Peg, but
she's just the dearest girl In creation
and her hair is--well-its a kind oi
golden brown, and her eyes are a
tumble of colors-sometlmes blue, and
then again they're brown or green. bui
mostly they're gray. Mouth small
teeth like pearls-hang 1t, Peggy,