The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-06-02

It, but a fellow from town got 1t. He
bid in way that you could see he'd
keep bidding till kingdom come, so
Austin finally quit"
What sort of looking man was
he?" asked Ethel
"Oh. Il fat, pudgy. homely man."
probably some secondhand dealer"
Maybe: aud he bought all the best
things-all your parlor and bedroom
things. all the very things you would
have chosen.
81 am glad a stranger got them. 1t
would make me feel queer to go in to
call on the neighbors and see them
using our things"
Early the next morning Mr.. Sturgis
went to town. He came back looking
more cheerful over his purchases than
he had looked in months. Ethel was
left alone very often during the next
week. Mrs. Lake taking advantage of
having some one to leave In charge of
the house. One afternoon Mr.. Sturgis
asked Ethel to go over TO the forty"
and select a site for their cabin. He
declined to accompany her, as he had
to go to town. Mrs. Lake was in the
midst of breadmaking. SO Ethel sad
died horse and rode toward the
forty" Suddenly disagreeable
thought struck her.
"If Mrs. Lake has sent Austin over
here to see me I'll never forgive her"
She rode slowly. with her eyes glued
to the horses name. wondering If she
had been wise to reject Austin's love
and protection. She didn't raise her
eyes until she turned IN mt the forty"
Then she stared I'm amazement Here
stood trim little house with neat,
broad porch and blinds.
"Ths Is what Mrs. Lake and father
have been so mysterious over" she
thought. with sudden enlightenment.
"But how could It have been built in
so short a tme?"
She dismounted and went up the
steps. A card lay on the steps and
some advertising matter. "Oh. ] see
one of those portable houses! Won
der If the door is open"
II was. and with its opening came
another surprise. Here were all her
household goods arranged as they had
been in the old house. She passed
through the living room. dining room,
Kitchen and then into her fathers
bedroom. She opened the last door.
All her personal things were here and
many more beautiful new furnishings.
What did II mean? Then she grew
faint She knew-Austin. Had he
dared? She could not take them un-
less
She heard a knock at the door. and
she felt that II was the decision of her
life awaiting her. Could she? A mo.
ment elapsed before she summoned
courage to open the door
On the threshold stood n tall. 1.-THE
limbed man
"Will" she said family.
He clasped her 10 him
at took You two years TO forgive"
she murmured repronchfuly.
Dearest. | got your note only ten
days ago. It was in the secret drn wer
to your desk. You forgot to mail It."
"IIow could |! But how did you
come by itT'
81 am the new auctiOneer ! didn't
know you lived I'm these parts till Mrs.
Lake took me to tag your things. She
told me how you would miss your
desk, and ! made up my mind to bid
1t In. Casually opened a secret draw
er and found the letter ! had all the
things bid In. The next day your ia.
ther came to see me. and we fixed up
this surprise"
"Then these things are yours?"
"No-ours. We are going to live here
with your father"
"Will, did Mrs. Lake know too"
eyes; she was our right hand man"
81 have misiudged her. never
hpao I,n