Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1913-10-23
A BELIEVER IN SIGNS
BY HENDERSON WELSH.


teenth, but finding he could get away
on the first decided he would visit the
place without warning.
| When he stepped from the train at
| the little town he did not suspect that
| Brown of Jones & Brown happened to
be on the depot platform al the time
nor that the latter parsonage read
| with some alarm the name on the
| strangers handbag
Westcote had never been In this
| community before, but the liveryman
assured him the place would be easy
| to find. All he needed to do was TO
keep right on the Wellsville road I'M
til he reached a big white house sur
rounded by tall lombardy poplars-
That was the Lowry farm
Westcote did not know that Brown
had followed him TO the livery barn.
and had heard announced his destina-
ton, and then had FASTENED to his
own rig and was then some distance
in advance and making good time.
Brown, however, was greatly per
turbed in mind until, reaching an alb
rupt turn in the road where a lane
trailed of to the north, a brilliant
thought struck him. Climbing from
his buggy he mounted the fence
where the old signboard solemnly
pointed the way To Wellsville" and
with wrench swung it so it pointed
down the lane
THERE" he announced to himself,
VII NIL hA1
have time to get that Lowry girl out
Of the way and get the papers signed
Then let him come on.
When Westcote few minutes later
came to the altered signboard. he
turned obediently down the lane as in
Dictated.
That other road looks as If it went
to Wellsville, but l still believe in
signs; and this one points with such
confident, solemn air there is no
mistaking it, so here goes"
A half mile further on the lane
narrowed until two vehicles could pass
with difficulty, if at all
What kind of place can Wells
vile be if this be the kind of road
that leads to it," he muttered Il
wonder what would happen If l should
meet another team"
He had scarcely finished the thought
before he was face to face with that
very predicament The lane dipped
into a forested hollow, and around a
curve came a team attached to
spring wagon.
Good morning." he said gaily
Would you like to pass?"
Il believe l would if it could be ar
ranged"
Are you a stranger also in this
land Of single track roads?"
NO. I'm a native as they say
down here"
Then perhaps you will tell me what
the custom is when people meet like
this. / suppose l should back to the
| nearest switch, should | not?"
DO you see that little gap just back
OF you? l believe you can back into
it and by lifting the buggy around a
little can get turned the other way"
Yes, l believe l can do that. II
l succeed will l be facing the right
way to reach the Lowry FARM"
The Lowry farm Why, that's our
place. l am Miss Lowry"
Il am Harry Westcote. here to in
spect the Lowry farm. l believe
Jones & Brown Realty company own
it now?"
Not yet. They have offered to buy
1t and We will probably close the trade
in day or two"
What! So that's the deal, Ell?
How much are they Offering you for
the placer"
The question surprised her, but the
look showed no impertinence was in
tended.
Twelve hundred. You see 1t is moi
very good land and now that father
is dead we are not able to make much
out Of it and we're glad to get their of
fer"
2 Miss Lowry" said Henry quickly
Il came down here to buy that farm
for l have found that 1t contains tn,
| richest deposits of iron. ore in Thu
S country. l sent an engineer here I,
| IL 'coti6dtO ohu I'll lib report L nav
agreed to pay $4,000 for it."
What" was all Miss Lowry coul
get voice to say.
Another thing. If you accept this,
shall want to remain for a while an
oversee the development Of the mines
l have no use for the house, and 20
and your mother may retain that an
some Of the land near it II you wi
: board me while l am here"
1t took some repetition of this prof.
osition before Miss Lowry could gras
e the reality Of it all, but his sincerit
could not long be doubted. Quite a
difficult a feat was the getting c
O Harry's buggy about, and by the tim
it was accomplished good FELLOWSHIP
" had been firmly established.
When they came to the signboar
Harry pointed to it triumphantly.
Now you see l was right about ths
road. Read what that says"
er well, Of all things That shoul
point the other way. Some wag hs
changed that for a trick"
Perhaps, but 1t must have been a
inspired Wag. and I'm a firner n