Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-06-23
"But Roland's 'takin' her home

needn't upset you none
Thank you for those kind words.
Tracey" Nat sighed and passed
troubled hand across his brow. You're
u true friend"
I'm tryin' to be, Nat. same's you
are to me-" Tracey thought this over.
"But you amt foolin' me. ure your he
asked presently. Il mean bout beln
q true friend?"
"Why should II"
"Ah. dunno. You're so Gurus
sometimes. | amt never sure whether
you mean what you're sayin' or not"
"Oh. don't say That"
well, | amt the only one. Every
body in town says they don't under
stand You half the time.
duncan moved over to Tracey. His
face was entirely serious. Tracey.
he said. dropping hand on the boys
shoulder. do you know. nothing In
life is harder to bear than not to be
underStood:"
Tracey wrestled with this for mo-
mcnt. but 1t was beyond him.
Then why the dickens don't you talk
SOS folks IL know what It's about? he
demanded heatedly.
"Recarlsp-hmr' Duncan hesitated.
with his enigmatic smile. well. be-
cause the rules don't require II"
What d you mean by that!" Tracey
exploded.
Nat couldn't explain. so he counter
ed neatly This is one Of your An
gle evenings. isn't it. Tracey"
Yep. but
We'll. you hurry along. I'll close up
the shop"
To Duncan, now seated on the edge
of an upturued box In II corner Of the
store, came an idea. He drew II roll of
bills from his pocket and stripped off
the top one.
Here's So" he said to Tracey.
Girls can usually he captured by
judicious expenditures. wish you
luck"
An. THANKS. MT. duncan.
But. Tracey
The boy paused at the door.
WHAT"
Remember what told you. Don't
you make too much love. Let Angie
do that"
Gosh. that IL be the hardest rule of
all for me- \ shadow rlnuded Tra-
cey's honest eyes. But / got to do 1t
that way. anyway. can't ask her TO
marry me yit. | can't afford to get
married"
It's u contrary world. Tracey, IL con-
rrary world" sighed Nat IN tone Of
deepest melancholy.
What makes you say that? You
kin git married 'ssoon = you want to-"
you think so. Tracey"
"All you got to do s ask JOSIE
I'm almost afraid you're right"
why? Don't you want to git mar
ried?"
"Well"-Nat smiled-"no. Don't be-
neve do. not just now. at any rate"
"Well. you don't have to If you don't
want to. Cd night"
"Yes, I do" Nat told Tracey's back.
1.-The rules say so. If the girl asks me
I must"
He grimaced ruefully beneath his
wisp Of a mustache. Anyhow. I've
got few months left"
So the winter wore away. and as
spring drew nigh upon our valley Dun
can seemed to grow perturbed. even
as he had been In the autumn before
Betty went away.
Duncan urged SIM to move his house
hold from over the store to house. He
pointed out that a separate residence
distinctly befitted the dignity Of man
who was ut once q prominent inventor
and one Of Radville's leading mer-
chants wide a Personal" in the late
issue Of the Radville Citizen). to say
nothing Of the social position Of his
daughter-meaning Betty. And the
house Duncan had his metaphorical
eye upon was large enough to shelter
Nat himself In addition to the Ora
ham family.
Graham fell IL with the scheme with
out murmur Of dubiety or dissent.
Whatever Nat proposed in Sans un-
Outstanding was right and feasible.
and even If 1t wasn't really so Nat
would make 1t so. They engaged the
house and moved. Miss Ann Sophron-
siba Whitmarsh, u maiden lady Of for
ty-tive or thereabouts. popularity known
as "Phrony." had been coming In by the
day to do for" old Sam In the rooms
above the shop. She was engaged as
resident housekeeper for the new es-
adjustment and entered upon her du-
ties with all the discreet Joy Of one
whose maternal instincts have been
suppressed throughout her life. She
mothered Sam. and she mothered Nat
and she painted in expectation of the
day when she would have Betty to
mother.
CHAPTER XVIII.
-O SIE LOCKWOOD came home