The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-03-18

miles to worship at the Bottom church.
have been impossible, all conceded, TO
make a more perfect match. the man
! had force and maturity and Judgment;
he was q born leader, sharp at bar
gains, and given to holding what he
had gained; he had moreover, an i'm
prcssive dignity and a tremendous self
respect.
It seemed to the old squire as IL
Providence had raised up the man to
take the place of the son who had been
denied him. Therefore he had has
tened to invite him home at the close
OF the service, and after the ample !
ner, had smoked with him in the great
front room, and mad talked over n
crops and the prospects In Sugar VAL
ley Int the Bottom, and the state OF
the grocery trade, and h outlook, and
had grown every moment more salts
fed with himself and with all the
world. Then, after the dishes had been
dried" and the dining room "redded
up" he had called in Rose, who had
sat by the west window. the sun in her
hair, and she had fondled the cat, and
pretended to read the story in the
weekly paper while they talked, n
all had seemed idyllic and as 1t should
have been. .t a.
The personality Of Karl Keichline
was strong and dominating. He was
self made and therefore self conferred.
He had fallen in love with Rose at
first sight, as he had expected to do,
and he had begun his wooing with con-
idence. That any woman in her right
mind, be she ever the daughter Of the
great Squire Hartswick himself, could
fail to be fiattered by his attentions,
had never entered his mind. He owned
three ssrms clear OF debt, beside his
grocery business and mis- home estate.
But even without these material good
things, his personal charms were surely
enough. He was plump and cherub
faced, a man to give the impression OF
great solidity n importance, well
groomed, still young, he fancied, and
still fascinating to the sex. Moreover,
he had heard whispers of the old mans
wish, n he knew the great power Of
his expressed desire. Truly, he held
the long suit and all the master trumps,
and he voiced. therefore, as he who has
already won.
But, alas!
Rose Hartwick was not q girl to be
impressed by mere proprieties. She
cared not a NAP what people expected
OF her, or for what was considered the
proper thing. What h wanted to do
she did, and the people might talk. If
she took 1t into her head to ride her
horse astride a mans saddle, she did
It, and If she disliked a thing she said
so fiat and honest, cut where 1t might.
She was her own sweet, unconvention-
al self and nobody else, and the valley
loved her for II. 49, ~
From the fret Keichline had struck
her as irresistibly funny, so funny,
indeed that h giggled at the sight of
him. His dignified, self important air
was almost too much for her, even at
the Sunday dinner. She felt an unholy
impulse to prod him with a hat pin
under the table to see him jump and
look shocked, or to creep slyly up be-
hind him as he sat spinxlike and i'm
pressive and shout in his ear boo
o-o-oi" or to pull the chair suddenly
from under him as lie was taking his
seat at his place solid and aldermanic,
and have him come down with a crash,
shaking the blancmange n the chick
en- jolly. She was only a girl, despite
her 20 winters-a sweet, joyous I'M
spoiled country girl. who had never had
a sick day, and who was Drumming over
with the zest n the urge of Joyous
young life.
ON Keichline's third visit to the val
ley the squire had arisen after the first
cigar and gone out without a word
leaving the two In possession OF the
sitting room.
1t was time for the second act.
There had been an awkward silence
for a moment, then the man had bris-
tied up in a most engaging way, haC
wet his lips, and wheeled his chail
about SO as to face her. Somehow hi
was not so much at his ease as he ha6
, expected to be.
"That's fine weather now, isn't it?'
he began ~unctuously, in a o so diff
ferent from that which he had beer
,, using to the squire that 1t seemed al
, most to come from some one else.
: Eyes" shs said primly, fighting hare
! with the beginnings OF what she knew
was irrepressible.
Very fine weather, very finei" Their,
i. was conviction in his voice. Then sud
. denly, as IL he were giving a confiden
2 intensely, II think we shall have fin
! weather tomorrow"
YES" she said again solemnly, hard
+, ly daring to breathe. Then she caugh
sight OF his little plump hands claspe'
? tightly across his stomach, the thumb
2 twirling very slowly, and it was n
Q use. The giggle came o. with a burst
a to save her life she couldn't have helpe'
T it. He looked up with a jerk, utter sur
prise written all over his ace. The
l. realizing that he must do something
L he forced himself to a sickly grin.
4 "Ah-why; you seem to be IN a goo
e humor: Ah-shats gooG: aob al S,aS
9 again of the little fat thumbs, twirlin
q rapidly now, fought hard with he
handkerchief, the burst out again. II
g stopped short in dismay, and looked a
her as If she were suddenly sick. the
he glanced down over his clothes, fel
+ of his necktie. and ran his hand owe
his hair.
Yes" She checked herself with a
effort. "You always like to See?
She paused interrogatively.
"Ah, yes, as 1 was saying. ! Away
a like to see. All, yes, ! take tn
n greatest delight to see-ah-
: He was ratified" his face fiushe
e. scarlet; he breathed audibly; n theI
i were beads Of sweat on his forehea
'n He cast another swift glance down oVt
q his clothes; then he tried again
II speak; but there was nothing to say.
!. "Oh, I'm afraid my cats got a bird
~ she cried, casting a quick glance o.
~ into the garden. Here, Dick. stop!"
She dashed out unanimously, and {
the instant he was at the mirror Tool
~ ing himself over from every point
~ view. Then he peered into all the CO
ners of the room and ven under Il
sofa, for he had read stories Of col
Is cealed small boys. He found nothiI
wrong. There had been nothing
"a laugh at. ~
,ta There could be but N e~xplanatio
40 IL lrnarr tho cav rhia1U from what