The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1912-09-20


\ fact that her queer Cousin Agatha
Moore had refused to rent the west
wing Of her big house TO anybody In
the village. but had leased It for any
length of time up 10 twenty years tso
would run the story to Mr.. FenIow. the
tall. good looking man who had charge
Of the building Of the new stone church
near the river Mr.. Fenlow had been
staying at the hotel. but 1t had been
rumored that he was dissatisfied and
desired to make a change.
Agatha Moore had seen him once or
twice and had never spoken 10 him In
her life. Indeed. so casual mad been
her glances ut him that she hardly
knew just how he looked Now she
had involved a perfectly harmless and
strange man in some of Cousin Phoe-
be's gossip. OF course II was Agntha's
fault. She had no business TO try to
Jest with Mrs. West. Phoebe had no
sense Of humor.
1t was not until after supper that
Agatha decided to run over to Phoebe's
Gno NOuICcS tuut SuC uuu OCCu yOh"S
about the new tenant for the west
wing and thus nip In the bud any Cos
sip that Phoebe's busy tongue might
propagate.
Alas. It was too late: The mischief
had already been done. On her way to
Phoebe Vests Agatha met several
neighbors. and each one was thorough.
~ informed concerning the new ten.
ant who was coming to occupy the
west wing of Agatha's big house.
Where's he going to get his mealsy'
asked one.
Cook em himself. for all I know"
snapped Agatha impatiently as she
faced about home. and thus she added
another bit Of fuel to the flame OF Cos
sip.
II wonder what ought to do" mus.
ed Agatha three days later as she
wandered distractedly around her lit.
tie garden. 1t lacked two days OF the
6rst of the month. and her molehlll Of
a joke had developed into mountain
Of incontrovertible fact.
People watched daily to see II Aga.
tha's new tenant hnd arrived to take
possession of the west wing. and Phoe-
be West had made last and desper-
ate effort to induce Agatha to take old
Mrs Peterson into her house as q
chaperon.
"A woman of my age doesn't need
chaperon." retorted Agatha. Fastening
away. She avoided Phoebe nowadays.
On the day before the first Agatha
found courage born Of desperation and
I wrote u little note TO Simeon Fenlow.
She asked him to call ION important
business" explained her prim little
note.
That evening. the eve Of the frst.
Simeon Fenlow called upon Agatha
Moore. Agatha almost swooned with
agitation as she unfolded her iniquity
to the big. broad shouldered man
whose voice doomed like the waves on
the beach whenever he spoke. Simeon
Fenlow watched her keenly as she re-
lated the story of her innocent Joke
upon gossiping Phoebe West and how
the joke had become a boomerang OF
retribution.
Agatha was too much excited. to.
notice how interested he was or to
realize that he was a very handsome
man with keen hazel eyes and iron
gray hair and that the hazel eyes
grew very humorous and tender as the
penitent little woman shed tears over
her recital and rutfied her brown hair
with her little hands and grew pinker
and pinker with modification at her
own folly
When she had ended Simeon Fenlow
threw back his head and laughed such
hearty roar that Agatha was fain to
join 10 after awhile. and In her tears
Of mirth the bitterness OF the last few
days was washed away.
Now tell me what I can do. Miss
Moore" he said after awhile.
II was wondering IL you wouldn't
come and be my tenant for a few
days. just to carry ont the Idea. Yon
needn't pay anything. yon know. and
II you would just say that you didn't
like 1t or something Of that sort people
would understand. l don't suppose /
ought to ask such thing of you.~
though"
II don't know why" bristled Mr..
Fenlow. why can't l have the west |
wing really and truly. Miss Moore?
There's my dear old mother pining
away for me at home. while I'm nailed
down here on this job. 1t would be
mighty nice for Us to have your west
wing for few months. What do YOU
say? I'd rather be your real tenant
than borrowed one"
What could Agatha say?
One evening the gossips of the town
were startled at the report that Mr.,
Fenlow had been seen to drive I'D in
carriage to Agntha's house and hand
out white haired old lady. who went
In. and little later m express wagon
followed with some trunks that we're
carried upstairs.
And just before the occupant of the
west wing vacated 1t there was an.
other report more startling still. It
was that Mr.. Fenlow and Agatha we're
engaged And 1t was true.
When Agatha Moore md. Cimaon