The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1911-03-10

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waiting for some one?" "
40; I have not"
"He was to have me- me here, but
l don't see him."
IL was to have met a little girl my
self. She hasn't colae, Or ii b has
I've missed her"
II don't know what I'm going to
do"
II have n carriage outside and will
be happy to drive you wherever you
wish to 60"
.'Thank you ever so much. I'm to
20 to my guardian, Mr.. Willard Lane,
No.
"What!"
mfr. Lane"
81 thought you said he is an elderly
gentleman"
"Why, 1 suppose he is. He and my
father''-
care you Marie Bingham"
Eyes"
Lane looked ut her for a moment as
IL dazcd, then said:
"I'm the elderly gentleman you're
looking for, and you're the child I'm
looking for. Pm your guardian. Come
right along"
Selling a bag she carried, he led her
out Of the station, put her into a car
rage and drove her home. The house
keeper received them at the front door
and looked surprised Mt seeing instead
of a child a tall, wlllowy girl who
might have passed for twenty.
"Just wait here Il few moments"
said Lane to his ward. II wish to be
sure our room is all right. Mrs.
Parker, We'll go and see."
The two hurried upstairs.
1--WE must get this out frst," he
said, taking hold Of one end Of the
playhouse.
"She'd never get in it in the world"
remarked Mrs. Parker dryly.
run it up into the garrett"
The crib was next removed. after
which the dolls, sets of dishes and 9TH
er toys. Then Lane went down and
told Miss Marie Bingham that her
rooms were ready for her.
Mrs. Parker had been in the Lane
family long enough to have taken care
of Willard Lane when lie was Il kld.
She was the only woman upon whom
he could rely for advice, and as soon
as she came downstairs he said to her:
"What am I to do? Will 1T be prop
er for me to keep her here"
"In the first place, Mr.. Willard, L
understand she has no other home.
Some people will think it right for
YOU to give her II home here with me
for chaperon, while some will talk.
But if we're going to listen to what
people say Of us We'll be hearing
something ~disagreeable all the while.
If she's happy here l see no reason
why she shouldn't stay"
'That settles it; she remains"
Marie Bingham was of an age to
be treated either as n woman or one
Just emerging from childhood, espe-
cially by her fathers old friend. The
tomb, rs he had called his house,
seemed to have thrown off it's Sc
pulchral atmosphere from the day she
came into it. For some time after
her arrival she felt deeply the loss OF
her father. But youth IS quick to
throw off sorrows, and ever during
this period she was cheerful. Beyond
this was the presence of n young girl.
1t seemed that the very atmosphere
had been changed. The servants were
better contented and easier to man.
age. Mrs. Parker's heart. that had
been supposed to have CONCEALED with
age. came, out to the motherless girl,
and she was happy in having some
one to care for. AS for Lane, it SEEM
ed to him that he walked lighter,
breathed fr~eer-indeed, that the whole
world had taken OF a brighter hue.
Three years passed, years that Lane
afterward referred to as the happiest
Of his life. From the first he was in
terested :t having the direction Of q
young girls education, the same as If
she We're his own daughter. Her in
come was a slender one, entirely in
adequate to give her special advan-
tages. He supplied the deficiency,
Keeping her in ignorance of the fact.
II must find some young fellows for
her," he said to Mrs. Parker. 'She
needs to associate with young men Of
her own age"
AAIS.. J. itihcI ltOheu UP AT tuc ceiling
and said nothing.
SO Lane hunted up some Of the
younger members Of his club and took
them to call upon his ward. She ap-
peared to enjoy their society. but 1t
was not to be expected that she would
fulfill the purpose for which he had
brought them-that is. that she should
marry one Of them. Her t%wenty-first
birthday was near at hand, when by
the terms of her fathers will her in
heritance was to be turned Over to her,
and, though her guardian had trotted
up a number of attractive young men.
she had shown none Of them any pref
erence.
The day she a twenty-one Lane
handed in to the chancery court an ac-
count Of his stewardship. His ward
surprised him by asking for a copy Of
II Ha povo ~. IN hop and Sho noy,,co6