Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-09-19
dreadfully i'll. You don't know what

Il am sleepless and exhausted: FEE
heartsick, but I am we'll as l ever was.
Answer me. Elnora, would your"
Answer nothing!" cried Mrs. Com
stock. "Hang your Goa there on your
nail, Phil, and come split some kin
ding. Elnora, clean away that stun
and set the table. Can't you see the
boy Is starved and tired? He's come
home to rest and get a decent meal
Come on, Phil"
Mrs. Comstock marched away. and
Ammon hung his coat in it's old place
and followed. Out Of sight and hear
ing she turned On him.
do you call yourself a man or q
hound?" she Jared.
"Mrs. Comstock. l came here to ash
Elnora to marry me"
"The more fool you, thenw cried
Mrs. Comstock. ''l'his time yesterday
you were engaged to another woman,
no doubt. Now, for some little fareup
you come racing here to use Elnora as
a tool to spite the other girl. A week
of sane living and you V be sorry
and ready to go back to chicago OF,
If you really are man enough to be
sure of yourself. she will come to claim
you. When you patch up your affairs
and go sailing away together, where
does my girl come in?"
II am a lawyer. Mrs. Comstock." said
Ammon. lit appeals to me as beneath
your ordinary sense of justice to decide
a case without hearing the evidence.
It is due me that you hear me first"
"Hear your side?" flashed Mrs. Com
stock. I'D a heap sight rather hear
the girl"! 81:
Il wish to my soul that you had
heard and seen her last night, Mrs
Comstock," said Ammon. '"Then my
way would be clear"
He gave his version of the previous
night.
do you believe me-" be finished
"Yes." said Mrs. Comstock.
"May I stay"
"Oh, it looks all right for you, but
what about her."
Nothing so far as l am concerned.
Her plans were all made to start to
Europe today. l suspect she is on the
way by this time. Elnora is very
sensible, Mrs. Comstock. Hadn't you
better let her decide this?"
"The final decision rests with her, of
course" admitted Mrs. Comstock. But
look you one thing! She's all L have.
SO far as l know you've always been
a man and you may stay. But if you
bring tears and heartache to her don't
have the assurance to think I'll bear It
tamely. I'll get right up and fight like
a catamount if things go wrong for Ell
moral"
II have NJ doubt but you WILL" re-
piled Ammon. and l don't blame you
in the least if you do. 1 have the ut
most devotion to offer Elnora, a good
home, fair social position. and my fam
lily will love her dearly. Think it over.
I know it is sudden. but my father ad-
vised it."
They prepared and ate supper. Aft
erWard they sat in the arbor and talk
ed. or Elnora played until time for Am
mon to go.
Twill you walk to the gate with meY'
he asked Elnora as he arose.
"Not tonight" she answered lightly.
"Come early in the morning if you
like, and we will go over to Sleepy
Snake creek and hunt moths and gath
er dandelions for dinner"
Ammon leaned toward her. May I
tell you tomorrow why 1 Gamer" he
asked. ...
II think not replied Elnora. tAThe
fact is l don't care why you came. It
is enough for me that we are your very
good friends and that in trouble YOU
have found us a refuge. 1 fancy we
had better live a week or two before
you say anything. There is IL pos::hili-
ty what you have to say uily chicago
in that length Of time"
ut will not change one iota!' cried
Ammon.
"Then it will have the grace of that
much age to give it some small touch
of flavor" said the girl. Come early
in the morning"
She lifted the violin and began to
play a dainty fairy dance.
We'll, bless my SOUL" softly ejacu-
lated the astounded Mrs. Comstock.
"To think l was worrying for fear you
couldn't take care Of yourself!w
Elnora laughed as she played.
The month which followed was a rep
etition Of the previous June, with moth
hunts, specimen gathering and perfect
nights filled with music, save that Phil
ip was now Elnora's avowed sutton.
Edith Carr, sick at heart. sailed for
Europe. at the end of a month Philip
asked Elnora to be his wife, but she
pleaded for more time, saying she must
be absolutely sure Of herself and Of him
before she could say yes. But she con-
scented to wear a beautiful emerald
ring which he had had sent from Chi
cago.
ITo RE Continued