The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1908-07-09

''You just bet will" declared T. c..
ple There's Nell just crying her eyes
out because you carry some other
girls picture in your watch
what do you know about that pic
ture?" asked Hardy tensely. did you
tell Nell about that?''
81 saw it one day when you left
your watch on the DESK" explained L.
G. 81 didn't tell Nell. l just said it
was funny that you had another girls
picture in your watch when Nelps new
pictures are so much prettier."
Hardy sprang up from his desk and
set T. G. upon her feet.
"Look here, Peterkin,' he proposed.
"You take this dime and find a place
where you can get ice cream soda
Don't be in too much Of a hurry to
drink it. Better get two. Meantime
I'll slip over to the house and sort OF
prepare them for the news that you
are expelled"
r. G. gurgled a delighted assent. and
presently they emerged from the Office
building, aud T. G. went skipping
along to the candy store, while Jack
made for the Westervelt home.
Nell was sitting on the shade piazza
as he came up the path. AS she saw
him she rose to her feet, but 1t was
too late for a graceful retreat. lie
sprang up the steps and caught her
hand.
Don't go in," he pleaded. Lets slt
out here. 1t is more pleasant"
"Shall l call father" she asked
"He is in the library"
"I hope to see him before l, co." de
clsred Hardy meaningly. "But first
want to speak to you"
Nell flushed at the suggestion, but
she resumed her place in the rocker
and Jack drew a chair to her side.
"When I asked you to marry me you
said something about another girl" he
began, plunging directly into the sub
iect. eat the time / suspected thai
T. G. might be able to explain the al
fusion. but l did not dare question hel
too closely lest l give forth more in
formation than l obtained. She let Il
out today. Was it because of that 9th
er girl in my watch that you refused
me, Nell?'
"No woman cares to be counted sec
ond BEST" was the defensive reply
"Have you changed the photograph
againY
81 have not changed" he said slowly
''but 1 want you to see it."
He held the watch toward her will
the back case open. She saw the like
ness Of a gentle faced woman who
somehow suggested an earlier period II
spite of the modern photography. 81
lently she passed it back to Hardy and
waited for an explanation.
"This is my fathers watch" he be
gan. 'The picture is that Of my moth
er. When she died we had only an ole
painting of her. Father had it copied
and they made splendid job of it
That is why 1 have another woman''
picture in my case. When you spoke
of the other woman could not know
that Sally had been investigating my
watch She found it on my desk one
day 1 just learned this and understood
your feeling of resentment"
81 supposed that you knew and haf
no explanation to Offer"
"And you will give me another an
swer nowY' he asked as he gained pos
session of her hand.
An hour later a freckled face thrus
itself above the hedge of the Wester
welt lawn; then, seeing Hardy on thu
piazza, T. G. came boldly forward.
ibid you fix it, Jack?' she demand
ed Hardy blushed.
81 was fixing another Of your
scrapes," he explained. "Nell, Peterkil
has been expelled from school, but
have promised to see Torrance in hel
behalf. Meanwhile 1 have promised
that she will not be scolded."
81 couldn't scold her this afternoon,
said Nell as he gathered her trouble
some little sister to her breast. "Yol
make great deal of trouble for people
T. c., sometimes, but then again you
set them right"
sT'm not to blame that there ISM
any stopper to my brain,' was the ag
grieved explanation. "Jack knows that
That's why he fixed things for me al
right"
you're a DEAR" said Nell and Jack
in chorus, and for once the town criel
had the comfortable feeling that she
was apDreciated