The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-11-27

abe folly-nay, cruelty-Of setting
up a b'az ng cross before eyes that
were not prepared for the sight.
His thirty years of labor had
brought him a good result. Monto-
slas people were prosperous, peace
pble, anDJ fairly c.ean-iving. He
has shepherded them so that they
came to look upon Christianity as
blessing as prop TO lean on,
as a help in their troubles, not as
an alternative to dread punishment
in the hereafter.
John and his wife were together
/ in the old mans sanctum. The wo-
man cut a queer figure standing
/ just within the doorway out of the
blazing morning sunshine. She still
had a saucepan in her hands, which
every now and then she wiped with
a dishcloth, although it was al
ready dry. The fact was she had ar
rived at a sud Zen determination in
spired by a visit from Mary on her
way for her ride. The visit had oc-
cured whilst Mrs. Verricker was
in the midst of her morning wash
up, and she had proceeded at once
to invade the privacy of her hus-
bands study.
| Pen in hand, John was sitting
back in his rigid chair, gazing at
her with twinSlin,, ueep7set blue
eyes from beneath pair of shaggy
brows, while his long, lean fingers
raked thoughtfully at the roots of
his flowing white beard.
The wOman's thin, broad face was
aflame with the heat of her pur-
pose, and her alert brown eyes were
flashing ominously.
IT'S your duty, John she said
with an emphasis tnat set her hus-
bands eyes twinkling the more.
It's my duty to tell Ferman that
his wife has too many men friends?'
the man retorted, in that sing-song
voice which Scotchmen never quite
lose.
John You're foolish, which isn't
usually your way Marys good
girl, and | like her; but Ferman's
making a fool OF her by setting her
on sort of pedestal and having
everybody wait on her, including
himself. What she wants is occu
fritter time away. She's sick to
death of her life up there at the
farm, anti she'll either get i'll or-or
therell be trouble of some sort. It's
come to this: some ones got to
speak You're his greatest friend
She broke off, and wiped vigor-
ously at the dry pot.
"Now look here, EN- I've had to
face one or two awkward situations
in my time out here, as you well
know; but / draw the line at step
ping in between husband and wife"
The pot received a terrific polish.
You're afraid" she exploded.
You're afraid, and Ferman only a
man. At your time of life"
AT my time Of life l hope !
have learned sense"
Sense! You're as bad as him
shall do it myself the very next
time see him.
En-, be careful Ferman is the
best man | know, but | cont think
he'll stand any meddling-"
"Meddling! Who's going to med
die? shall tell him plainly he's a
fool, and if he doesn't like it ]
can't help it,"
Print dress, sun-bonnet, spring
side boots, pot and all, disappeared
with a rush through the door into
the kitchen hut. And the missionary
turned to his work with a chuckle
of amusement.
Ferman Elwood's friendship for
John Nerricker was in flat contra
diction to his strongest preiudices.
But then it was wholly in keeping
with his breadth OF mind and
! strength of character. lie knew that
John was honest and good. AMI,
above all, man OF the gentlest
. sympathy for the benighted crea-
, lures under his care. Rugged. rough
spoken and of militant spirit. he
, vet loved his flock of black sheep
as he called them, in his dry way
better than anything else in the
world, except his warm-hearted
spouse. And il was this ,oye of his
that first brought the two men into
touch, and sowed the seeds of their
great friendship.
Within half an hour of Emily's
departure the doorway of the sane
tum -arkened again and the sub.
iect of their recent debate pre-
] ,apt,I s.,