The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-12-05
CHAPTER I.

10 me before he and Mrs. Sam left.
hated to see him go, after all we
had been through together. and / sup.
pose he saw il in my face, for he
came over close and stood looking
down at me, and smiling. "You
saved us, Minnie" he said, land
needn't tell you we're grateful; but do
you know what ! think?" he asked.
pointing his long forefnger al me. 81
think you've enjoyed Il even when you
were suffering most. Red.haired wom-
en- are born to intrigue, as the sparks
ny upward"
Enjoyed H." l snapped I'm an
old woman before my time Mr.. Sam.
What with trailing back and forward
through the snow TO the shelter-house,
and not getting to bed at all some
nights, and my heart going by fits and
starts, as you may say, and half the
time my spinal marrow fairly chilled.
not to mention putting on my over
shoes every morning from force OF
habit and having to take them OF
again I'm about all in"
It's been the making OF you. Min.
ME-" he said. cycling me, with his
hands In his pockets. Look at your
cheeksi Look at your disposition!
don't believe you'd stab anybody in
the back now!"
(which was a joke, OF course;
never stabbed anybody in the backO
He opened the door and a blast OF
February wind ratified the window
frames. Mr.. sam threw out his chest
under his sweater and waved me an
other good-by.
Well I'm off. Minnie" he said.
Take care OF yourself and don't sit
too tight on. the job; learn to rise a
bit in the saddle"
"Good.by, Mr.. Sam!" called, put
ting down Miss Patty's dolly and fol-
lowing him TO the door; "good-by; bet
ter have something before you start to
keep you warm"
He turned at the corner OF the path
and grinned back at me.
"All right" he called. "I'll 20 down
TO the bar and get a lettuce sand
wich!"
Then he was gone, and happy as
was, knew would miss him terribly.
It began when the old doctor died
suppose v1u have heard of Hope San
atorium and the mineral spring that
made it famous.
| have been spring-house girl at
Hope Sanatorium for fourteen years.
For the first year or so | nearly went
crazy. Then found things we're com
ing my way I've got the kind of mind
that never forgets a name or face and
can combine them properly, which
isn't common. And when folks came
back | could call them at once. The
old doctor used to say my memory was
an asset to the sanatorium.
He was in the habit of coming to
the spring ghouse every day to get his
morning glass OF water and read the
papers. For a good many years it had
been his custom to sit there, in the
winter by the wood fire and in summer
just inside the open door, and to read
off the headings aloud while | cleaned
around the spring and polished
glasses.
All that winter, with the papers
full of rumors that Miss Patty Jen-
we'd followed it by the spring-house |
fire, the old DOCTOR and /, getting an
cry at the A. mperor for oppos-
ing 1t when " how much too |
good Miss ~ for any foreign
er, and then setting nervous and
fused when we read that the princes
mother was in favor of the match and
1t might 90 through. Miss Patty and
her father came every winter to Hope
Springs and couldn't have been more
snxious about it if she had been my
own sister.
Well, as say, it all began the very
day the old doctor died. He stamped
out to the spring-house with the morn
ing paper about nine o'clock, and the
wedding seemed TO be all Off The
paper said the emperor had definitely
refused his consent and had sent the
prince, who was his cousin, for a Jap
anese cruise, while the Jennings fam
lily was going to Mexico in their pri-
vate car The olG doctor was indig
nant, and remember how he tramped
up and down the spring-house, NUT
tering that the girl had had a lucky
escape, and what did the emperAr
expect if beauty and youth and wealth
weren't enough. But he Gained down.
and soon he was reading that the pa
pers were predicting an early spring,
and he said we'd better begin to in
crease our sulphur percentage in the
water.
by the way" he remarked, Mr.
Richard will be along in day or So
Minnie. You'd better break it to Mrs
Since the summer before we'd had {
to break Mr. Dicks coming to Mrs
Virgins, the housekeeper, owing to I
his finding her false front where it !
had blown out OF the window, having |
been hung up to dry, and his wearing r
It to luncheon as whiskers. Mr.. Dick t
was the old doctors grandson. t
"Humph!" / said, and he turned {
around and looked square at me- i
He's good boy at heart, Minnie"
he said. We've had our troubles with s
aim, you and l. but everything has
been quiet lately" n
I'm not obiecting to Mr. Dick &
coming here, am 1? Only don't expect y
ne to burst into song about It, Shut h
he door behind you when you go out.
But he didn't 90 at once. He stood s.
me polish glasses and get
he card-tables ready, and l knew he a
IT'LL had something on his mind. a
What has Mr.. Dick been up to "
49, M y ,s -s..- -