The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-03-14
LITTLE STORIES OF LIFE
CONTENTS OF HER WATCH-BY CARROLL "a. RANKIN
COPYRIGHT BY SHORT STORY PUB. co.

beach together. 1t was barely possible
that the tiny watch had slipped from
It's chatelaine hen, although the owner
mad not missed it until she had gone
TO her room to change her gown for
DINNER. He could easily find the place,
for he remembered just how she had
looked as she had leaned against a
certain rough harked tree while she
examined the little shell. He remem-
bered wishing that he We're the tree.
The others, including Miss Penning-
ton, had, apparently, not thought of
that portion of the beach. The place
was some distance up the shore but
that did not matter. Bancroft would
willingly have Wake 10 times as far.
If, by so doing, he could win a smile
from Miss Pennington.
A smile. indeed, was about all he
could reasonably aspire to. The cap
ricious beauty was not only bewilder-
ingly fair, but she was her fathers
only daughter, and would. presumably.
inherit half his fortune. The fact was
significant when one remembered that
her father was considered the wealth.
lest man in the state.
Wilmington. at that m eroyel-
ing in the sand for the lost treasure
could have gone-had he been so
m~lnded-to the orient to purchase a
ship load of enameled watches. without
disturbing his capital. Wardlow. dam
aging the knees of his trousers and
scraping his knuckles among the gravel
was a rising young lawyer, with a re-
markable practice for a mar of his
years. Miner, wallowing in the mud
and cropping zealously among evil
smelling water weeds, would fail heir
to a fortune when a certain aged and
apopletic uncle should depart this life.
Bancroft felt that his own case was
hopeless against such formidable riv-
a Is His income was eli EOn i,
1t occurred to none of these indus
trlous lovers that Miss Pennington
might nave reasons for wishing that
her watch might never be found.
Bancroft made for the tree. When
he reached it, he went down suddenly
on all tours. seized a small blue object
that lay half buried in the sand. and
pressed it to his lips. After all. it had
been ridiculously easy. There. in the
very spot where she had paused to pick
watch, with its enameled case and
slender silver ring. A cheap thing,
truly, yet how dear. thought the man,
since it was hers. He hoped, since she
priced it SO highly, that the works were
not injured. He would examine it. he
would look inside.
He did look. Pasted snugly within
the inner case there was a small pic
ture. With a sudden. joyous start.
Bancroft recognized his own features
III d niue hptdk photograph that a
member OF the merry party had taken
the previous week.
This said Bancroft. staring at his
pictured countenance with hopeful eyes
may mean much, or it may mean
nothing at all: but 1 intend to find out
tonight just what it does r:ean. Mean
while bancroft was no foo1) | shall
postpone the discovery of this priceless
timepiece to some future date. The
dear girl must never suspect that I've
seen that blessed picture"
With this. Bancroft dug a little hole
in the sand nea the tree, buried the
watch neatly, II then, with hope
high In his heart, walked
swiftly homeward.