Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-03-12
lre," answered Allen heartily.

Neither had noticed Buck Mckee
"Stand here at this door during the
ceremony and, no matter what hap
pens, don't let any one in
But interrupted Allen
Don't ask me to explain" blurted
Jack. "Echo's happiness is at stake"
THAT settles it. I've not let any one
Spite her happiness yet, an l won't In
the few minutes that are left while I'm
still her main protector Nobody gets
In"
Remember, no one, no matter who
it is" emphasized Jack as he darted
into the house.
Jim Allen lighted his pipe. Now,
what's eatin' him?" he muttered to
himself; then, They're Off" he cried.
looking through the window.
The Rev. Samuel Price began to
drone the marriage service.
1t is the little things of life that
count, after ALL Men will work them
selves into hysteria over the buzzing
Of fly and yet plan a battleship in
boiler shop. A city full of people will
at one time become panic stricken over
the burning of rubbish heap and at
another camp out in the ruins Of fire
swept homes, treating their miseries as
huge joke.
Philosophers write learnedly of cause
and effect. In chemistry certain COM
binations give certain results. But no
man can say, 81 will do thus and So;
this and that will follow" All things
are possible. for few things are prob
able
Dick Lane had planned to shield
Echo by writing to Jack Payson, let
ting him break the news of his return
Fate would have it that she would not
know until too late of his escape. A
letter sent directly to her might have
prevented much unhappiness and many
heartaches. Not till months later, when
happiness had returned, did Jack real
lie that his one great mistake was
made by not telling Echo of Dicks
rescue.
Both Dick and Echo might have had
change Of heart when they met
again. Echo was young. Dick had
! wandered far. Both had lost touch
with common interests. Jack Payson
had entered her life as factor. BE
was eager and impetuous. Dick was
settled and world worn by hardship
and much physical suffering. Now
Jack was at the altar racked with men
tai torture, while Dick waited in the
garden for his traitorous friend. The
innocent cause Of the tragedy was
sweetly and calmly replying to the
questions of the marriage ritual. while
Jack was looking, as Allen said to
himself, "darned squeamish."
According to these words, it is the
will Of God that nothing shall sever
the marriage bond,' were the words
that fell upon Aliens ears as he stoop
ed to look in the window at the wed
ding party.
1.-THE sky pilots takin' long time
to make the hitch. Darned if
couldn't hitch up twenty mule team
in the time that he's takin' to get them
two to the POLE" said Allen, speaking
to himself.
Dick had grown impatient at Jacks
absence and wandered back from the
garden to the front Of the house. Spy
ing Allen, he greeted him with, Hello
Uncle Jim"
That's my name" answered Allen
suspiciously, but amt uncle to every
stranger that comes along"
Pm no stranger" laughed Dick
You know me"
! do IL" replied Allen unconvinced
Who are your"
THE poor orphan you took from al
asylum and made man of-Dicl
Lane"
"Dick Lane!" repeated the astonisheG
ranchman Come back from the dead!
mo; Pm not dead yet" answered
Dick, holding out his hand, which AL
len gingerly grasped as If he expected
to find it thin air. 81 wasn't killed.
have been in the hospital for a lont
time. wrote Jack. He knows"
"AIy God" Allen cried. "Jacl
knows-you wrote to him-he knows"
Over and over he repeated the aston
lshing news which had been broken t.
him so suddenly. Here was man
as If back from the dead, standing IL
his own dooryard, telling him tina
Jack knew he was alive. No wore
had been told him. What would Echo
say? This, then, explained Jacks
strange request and his distress.
"And Echo?' Dick questioned, glanc
ing toward the house.
Echo" The name aroused Allen
He saw at once that he must act def
lnitely and quickly. Echo must no
see Dick now 1t was too late. TIL
secret of his return on the weddin:
day must be known only to the thre
men.
Look here, Dick he commanded
You mustn't let her see YOU. Sh
mustn't know you are alive"
Dick was growing confused over tn
mystery which was being throw
about Echo Allen First Jack la,
told him he must wait to see her. AM