The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-11-16

:. dr. Spinner IS gcing
IN me tomorrow.
of his man, despite the
cir al, grew guardedly in
soil lou care to invest, Miss
Bro. Isked with a smile.
Bd could answer, the door
was risky. A stranger strobe
in an but ceremony took the
prospi looking Spinner aside.
They fired in an undertone for a
few ms ehts. Then Spinner turned
back.
Where does Zebulon Cole live, AL
drich?"
f"Fifteen miles east"
Spinner frowned thoughtfully. And
Hagarstown is west?"
Yes; eighteen miles"
Then I'm afraid l can't go over
with you tomorrow. Mr.. Cole has
sent for me; he wants to invest with
us. We couldn't make the two trips
in the shape the roads will be-" He
nodded toward the outdoors where the
first heavy snowfall OF the winter was
filling the ruts and blanketing the
walks.
He glanced calculatingly from John
to the mutinous face of the postmis-
tress.
Tell you what. though; we could
go the next day"
Aldrich looked up in surprise.
"Why, you told me you had direc-
tors meeting in Chicago!"
Spinner's start of recollection was
we'll done. That's so; I'd forgotten|
all about it
IL +ooly q boax,v anvalona from bA
pocket. Across the face of it was
printed in staring black type the Gd-
dress of the Condor Company. Hea
fixed half dozen of the stamps he had
Just purchased to the upper right Inland
corner, wrote Special delivery, be-
meath them, and handed it to Aldrich.
you can send the money in that,
he said. Don't buy draft, get 500
bills, pin them to a heavy sheet of pa
per and send them along. And be
sure to get the letter away tomorrow.
All stock subscriptions must be in ten
days before the first of the month in
order to participate in the regular
monthly dividend. You can mail it at
Hagarstown."
John shook his head. 1--WE patron
ize our own postoffice," he replied with
er depends on the amount of business
done, you know"
Quite right" retorted the promoter,
heartily. He had won and could afford
to be magnanimous. And now l must
make arrangements for an early start
tomorrow"
He swept off his silk hat and bowed
low, revealing the fact that his thin
hair was dyed, too. Goodbye, Miss
Brooks. Glad to have met you. If
you desire to invest, Mr.. Aldrich can
give you our address. Come along,
Aldrich, want to talk to you"
Spinner slipped a triumphant hand
though the arm Of the fiattered John.
Followed by the messenger from Zeb-
ulon Cole, they left the office.
Next day Ruth Brooks forever fitted
to the front door to peer out on the
storm-swept, deserted street, returning
to her work behind the petition of the
little postofice as one reprieved,
though unsatisfied.
At o'clock that evening, as if to
escape from her thoughts, she gave
the narrow quarters a thorough clean
ing. She sprinkled the pine floor, and
then welded the broom vigorously.
The pine box, which served as a recep-
tacle for outgoing mail was moved
away from the slot in the partition,
so that she might sweep behind it. By
1880. the usual closing hour, every
thing was in order. Nothing remain
ed but to tie up the meaere gist of
letters, lock them in the mail bag and
dispatch them to the Chicago train by
Robbie, her brother and after-school
assistant
There was a clatter at the front
door. BY the light of the oil lamps
she could see 1t was John Aldrich,
scraping the snow off his shoes, pre-
paratory to entering. AS he stepped
in, letter in his hand Ruth slipped out
of the back door. Robbie, whistling.
sorted and tied the mail. John drop
ped the long envelope into the letter
slot an <hNrried out. almost guiltily.
Rob9 ssed in his task, did not
turn