Mexico Missouri message., 1908-03-26

she must become homeless wanderof
once more.
But Uncle Jud thought otherwise.
for now he drew the sobblng girl into
his lap.
Quit takin' on so, grille" he said.
choking back n lump; why, we'll all
love ye ten times more fer all this. an
ca fer bein' q nobody, ye're a blessed
angel to US fer bringin' the news ye
hev." And then he kissed her. while
Aunt Mandy wiped her eyes on har
apron.
The shower. violent for q moment.
was soon over; for an Chip raised her
wet eyes. a sunshiny smile illuminsd
Uncle Jud's face.
If Cyrus is alive" he said, ''as 20
callate. I'll thank God till / set eyes
on him, and then think I'll lick him
for not huntin' me up all these years.
But mebbe he found Abby was mar.
ried n didn't want TO-" interposed
Aunt Mandy. We mustn't judge him
yet"
NO, won't Judge him." asserted
Uncle Jud; 'I'll Jest cum him, good n
hard, an let II 20 at that.
''Ez fer you, grille. an Jest to set yer
mind at rest. we found out what your
right name was and where ye run
away from last fall. but never let on to
nobody. Twas your business and no
body else's, an made no difference in
our feelin's. ez ye must see; an now
I'll tell ye how found out
Il was down to the Corners one day
arter We went to Christmas Cove, n
a feller-nice-lookin Teller, too, with
honest brown eyes-was askin' II any
body had seen or heard o. a runaway
girl by the name o. MCGUIRE. Said
she'd run away from Greenvale--
That's bout a hundred miles from
here he said-an' he was huntin' for
her. Nobody at the Corners knew
about ye n kept still, beiievin' ye
had reason fer not wantin' to be found
out"
And now another tide-the thrill Of
love-surged In Chips heart, and her
face became gloTified.
And so the clouds rolled away. That
night Chip wrote a brief but curious
letter, SO odd, In fact. It must be
1 quoted NerDatims
Mr.. Martin Frisbie:
Please send word at once to Mr.. Cyrus
| Walker that his brother Judson. who
lives In Riggsvills. wants to see him. No
one else must be told OF this. for It's .
| secret. ONE WHO KNOWS
But Chips secret was q most trans.
parent one, for when this missive
reached Martin three days later. he
recognized It's angular penmanship and
similarity to the note Aunt Comfort
still treasured. and knew that Chip
wrote II.
II startled him somewhat, however,
for Old Cy's youthful history was I'M
known to him. and suspectins that
some mystery lay beneath this infor-
nation, he told no one. but started
for Riggsviile at once.
The tide OF emotion that had upset
the even tenor of Uncle Juds home
life slowly ebbed away. and a keen
sense Of expectancy took its place.
Chip. after giving him her letter, ex.
planned that Old Cy was most likely in
the wilderness, and that the letter
might not reach him for weeks.
And then one day broad.shoulder-
ed. rather commanding. and somewhat
citihed man drove up TO the home OF
Uncle Jud.
Does Mr.. Judson Walker live
here?" he inquired OF Aunt Mandy.
who met him a THE door.
Her admission OF that fact was
scarce uttered when there came q
rustling OF skirts, a Why. Mr.. Fris-
bie!" and Chip was beside her. at
which Martin. collected man OF the
world that he was. felt an unusual
heart.throb of thAnkfuiness.
A little later. when Uncle Jud had
been summoned into their newly fur.
nished ''keeping.room." disclosures
astonishing TO all followed.
We have been searching for you.
Chip. far and near" Martin assured
them. and Old Cy is still at H. He
left us at the camp. almost year ago.
came to Greenvale, found you had run
away. and came back to tell Us. II
upset us all so that We broke camp
at once, taking Ami with US. and re-
turned to Greenvale. Old cy there
babe US gOod-by and started to find
you. Ray also began a search as well.
I've advertised in dozens OF papers.
have kept Levi ON watch for you at
Grindstone ever since. and now hope
you viii return with me to Greenvale."
Il thank you all, oh, so much" an
swered Chip, scared n little at this
proposal. but l don't want to. I'm
nobody there and never can be. I'd
be ashamed to face folks there any
more"
Il guess she best stay with u.s." put
in Uncle Jud. FER we sorter 'dopted
her. n not meanin' no disrespect to
you folks, callaie she'll be more con-
tent here. I'd like ye 20 get word to
Cyrus. though. soon's possible.
hain't aot ewes IN him far 40 yeara.