Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1911-01-12
Just missed seein' her"

needn't upset you none"
THANK you for those kind words,
Tracey" Nat sighed and passed a,
troubled hand across his brow. YOU'RE
a true friend"
I'm tryin to be. Nat. same's you
are to me-" Tracey thought this over.
But you amt foolin' me- are your he
asked presently. II mean bout bein'
a 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
We'll. l 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 a 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-
ment. but it was beyond him.
"'rhen why the dickens don't you talk
SOS folks III know what it's about?" he
demanded heatedly.
"Because-hm! Duncan hesitated,
with his enigmatic smile. well. be-
cause the rules don't require it,
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 upturned box in corner of the
store, came an idea. He drew a roll OF
bills from his pocket and stripped off
the top one.
Here's S. he said to Tracey
Girls can usually be captured by
judicious expenditures. wish you
luck
"Ah, thanks. Mr.. 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 III be the hardest rule of
all for me- shadow clouded Ira
ceys honest eyes But got to do 1t
that way. anyway | can't ask her to
marry me yit | can't afford to get
married"
ITS a contrary world. Tracey. a con-
trary world sighed Nat in tone Of
deepest melancholy.
What makes you say that? You
kin git married S soon s 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 smilcd-"no. Don't be-
lieve ] do, not just now. at any rate"
well, you don't have to If you don't
want to. cd night"
Eyes. do" Nat told Tracey's back.
The rules say So If the girl asks me
I must"
He grimaced ruefully beneath his
wisp Of mustache Anyhow, I've
got few months left"
So the winter wore away, and as
spring drew nigh upon our valley Dun
can seemed 10 grow perturbed, even
as he had been in the autumn before
Betty went away.
Duncan urged Sam to move his house
hold from over the store to house. He
pointed out that separate residence
distinctly betitted the dignity Q! man
who was at once prominent inventor
and one OF Radville's leading mer
chants wide q Personal in he late
issue of the Radville C,izenl. to saJ.
nothing of the social position of his
meaning Betty. And the
house Duncan had his ms lphoryal
eye upon was large enough 10 shelter
Nat himself in addition to the Gra-
ham family
Graham fell in with the 81 heme with
out murmur of ditblety or dissent
Whatever Nat proposed in Sans uu-
dcrst2ndin. was right and feasible.
and even il ii wasn't really so Nat
would make il so They engaged tns
house and moved Miss Ann Soehrui-
sibn Whitnarsh. II maiden ,aay Ut tor
ty-tive or Whereabouts. popularity known
as "Phrony. had been comm. IN by the
day 10 do for" old sam IN The folnis
above the Shop. She MAS engaged as
resident houSekeerer for The uew rs-
Establishment and entered upon her du-
ties with all the discreet Joy OF one
whose MATERNAL instincts have heen
suppressed throughout her life She
nothered Sam, and she mothrrpd Nat.
md she painted in expectation of the
day when she would have Retty to
mother. ,-
CHAPTER NVIII -
v OSlE LOCKWOOD came home