The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-06-08

fOhtH8 tnOugntIully across the store
 But since then I've been thinking
 over what you said to me and I knov I'd be out of place there. belons
 here with father. working in the store
 And I guess folks is better, off," add Fed Betty attacking the woodworl
 with vigor. If they stay where the, Nat watched her moment in si
 fence. slowly returned the money t,
 his pocket and pulled out his note
 book and pencil.
 l That's good enough to go in tn, rules. be murmured as he worte il down. CHAPTER VI.
 Had it been your good fortune te Evisit. the charming if somewhat sleepy little town of Radville some ter months later.- without having hap pened around in the interval, the l chances are that your attention would have been first arrested by the bril- liant and shimmering new drugstore of Graham & Duncan, on the site o1 the nloldering old one, electric-light- ed, tesselated, marbleized-stocked to the minute and shining to the last de gree. Most of that-probaply all od busy months that followed his joining his fortunes with old Sam Graham. and likewise the rebuilding and the refurnishfng of Sam and Betty's tuin- ble-down home into comfortable and happy abode was Nat Duncanss work as any resident Of Radville, male Or female. would have been only too glad to tell you. sgs = Nor did the activities of this re- markable younE man stop there. Bet ty Graham he had sent away to school for six months-or he had prevailed upon Sam to allow the firm to send her. which amounted to the same Ethe natives almost any day. as a full blown rose of girlhood instead of the |unproxhisine bud they had been ac- customed to see around the old store. Tracey Tanner was clerk to the drug firm and the town seemed to revolve around the glfstening soda a-fountain, which was the chief decorative charm of the drug g-store.
 And as for Nat himself, he was following the rules of conduct laid down for him by Harry Kellogg, with Ha Teltgioust persistency that seemed to be Afowly but surely ,bringifg things +to $ focus with a mathematical cer- tainty and along the lines of Kellogg's propfecy. But Nat was beginning to dread the outcome
 s.Joaie Lockwood was all we'll enough 8t the start but-well marrying a girl fot her money alone was a pretty, low down trick for man of Nat DuncaHts calfber to attennpf, and 1t was his realization of that fact that brought q frown to his, brow every time he thought of her. True. Josie was still atdently wooed by the effustive MT. Barnett, her fathers clerk, but from the day Nat first drew SSOda-water for her ai1d Angie Willis, he did not try to conceal from himsef the fact that, Josie was probably his any time he cared to mention the matter: Recent nerves little bit. and he wasn't sure how 1t was all going to end.
 It was the evening that Betty had come home from boarding school for tile Arst time, and had amazed her father ands Tracey by the fruition of perfectly tailored gown such as no one in Radville had ever seen on Betty Graham.
 Nat had not seen her-he was at prayer meeting when she arrived at the drugstore, and when he got there she was: gone home to supper with her adoring father. Josie Lockwood had called Nat up on the. telephone and taken him to task for not wait ing to escort her home from church, and Nat had wearily explained that he thought she preferred Roland Bartnett's company, which he did not think at all, and Josie had promptly inquired if he had hurried home to meet Betty. He was gloomily pom dering on the whole proposition when a lusty shout of his name from the door startled him. sys si
 He turned to meet "a no less unex- pected parsonage than Harry Kel- logs. efs
 uyo1,lf3nsf have heiievod if Rv love l it's all true.''
 Nat welcomed him heartily and and after Kellogg explained that he had come down on business with old sBlinky'' Lockwood, the con versations turned to the progress of mediately became grave again.
 "I've obeyed every rule," he said. 'Not a drink, not smoke, not a swear, and as for the church-why, I own it! This thing is so easy it seems a shame to do it.''
 And the girl?" pursued Kellogg. ''You made play for old Lockwood's B
 Certainly not," exclaimed Nat. You're forgetting your own instruc- tions. I allowed her to make play for me. Remember, she was to pro- pose to me, Harry" a
 You're right-my mistake said Kellogg. And how far have you got? Engaged yet?''
 "No, I've got two months yet" said Nat. "But it's worse than that. It's got to a place where I have to dodge her now.'
 "splendidl" cried Harry. .'But don't cary the dodSiug too far"
 D4aho9n spaused a71d e6Ati6dfed For al 
 Harry. do you really want me to carry out the rest of the agreement % he asked. II most certainly do.' declared Kel- lOgg. .Why not?" .-3
 Well, I'll tell you," said Nat. When you proposed. the scheme I was down and out and willing to take chance at anything, no matter how contempt lble. NOW it's diFereft !" j
 His friend looked at him .quizzicaIIy, trying to get at the real reason for his change of front. @.
 Good heavens!" he said. "You don't l mean you'd be willing to live here?"