The Ordway new era., 1911-03-17
CHAPTER Iv.-Continued.

NJ the mortgage agaiu. Mr.. Everson
was out Monday. and he says the
the whole place will have to be sold.
He has a good proposition from the
land company. which wants to pave
and improve the whole tract and push
II on the market for us: but they
must have the house too. for the
situation Is valuable and they can
sell It to the Golf club. which will
insure the sale OF all the lots. II we
don't take their offer. 1t means we
shall have to sell II all at disad-
vantage and perhaps only make tho
mortgage. Mother refuses to decide
II for herself and has left 1t to me.
ssll-my home. but there seems no
way to keep IT," Miss Cynthia's lips
Quivered. but her eyes smiled bravely
down at Miss Selma Lue.
Honey, my heart is Jest a-aching
fer you. but there amt nobody can
tell what a mortgage and Golf club
will do. II worst comes to worst. We
can build another room by tearing
down some lumber often the barn. and
you can bring your ma right here to
i've with me. I would admire to
have her" Miss Selma Lue made
her offer with heroic eagerness. for
she and the invalided Mrs. Jackson
Page had failed to find the accord
which existed between the grocery
owner and the scion Of all the Jack
sons and Pages. albeit their few inter-
views had been marked by great cor
diality for the sake Of their common
interest in the conductor thereof.
"Miss Selma Lue. you are a darling
and ! would rather be a soap-boxer
than almost anything: but we shall
have small competency II we sell
now In the right way. It's giving up
the home-I'm afraid 1t will kill her
she worries So"
mo. 1t won't. honey. not when she's
got you-you'd be set-off against
any kind OF trouble. Leaving an old
home Is a wrench. as I found when
hitched up and started down from
Warren county: and. Miss Cynthie.
left graves behind me that I might
not never see again in this world
But II looks like the Lord floated mine
and Charity's mothers ark on the
right tain. and He'll do the same
by you and your ma. Now. don't &C
and mistrust His wisdom in selecting
mountains"
"Oh. Miss Selma l.ue. I knew yo,
would say the right thing about 1t all
What would do without you?" ant
Miss Cynthia's slim white hand stol,
in Miss Selma Iue's strong brown
one. whose sympathetic clasp was onl,
rendered the closer by the smudg'
of sorghum off the Kinney molasse,
together.
Looks like I couldn't hardly stant
It II I couldn't git even the edge o
my shoulder under any burden 20,
was a.carrying. honey. Now. I've go
something to show you that1l tax,
your mind often all distractments
Lay Blossom in her box and come
along OF me to the barn"
Considering its relation to the gro
Gerry and the Blun in general the
barn was most ostentatious struc
ture. 1t was large and roomy and ga
on the brow OF the BluT overlookinf
river, Willie tHe lltIle o
houses that clustered about the gro
Gerry seemed stranded at its feet L
had been built for the teams that hac
worked on the dam up the river. ant
had become the property OF the gro
Gerry owner for song when the worl
that had brought the horses and mer
to the settlement was finished. The
army had moved on, leaving the barr
and the grocery In a sort OF guardian
ship Of the few families which elected
10 stay and find work on the river o,
over In the city. Only the Hill Man
ston Of Mrs. jackson Page farther w
the river on the Bluff had any such
outlook. and for all it's wide. tall
pillared verandas and spreading wingt
It failed entirely to dwarf the impos
ingness of the barn.