The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-12-19
cHAPTER Iv,-contInued.

explained. I'VE got a sleigh to come
over in, but we walked up the hill and
came here. don't mind saying that
my wlfe's people don't know about this
yet, and we're going to lay low until
we've cooked up some sort of a
scheme to tell them" Then he came
over and put his hand on my shoul-
der
Poor old Minnie!" he said; hon
est, I'm sorry. I've been a hard child
to raise, haven't II But that's all
over, Minnie. I've got an incentive
now, and it's steady. old boy for me.
You and will run the place and run
It right"
Il don't want to-" l retorted. hold
ing my bedroom slippers to steam be-
fore the FIRE. I'm going to buy out
Timmon's candy store and live a quiet
life, Mr.. Dick. This place is making
me old"
Nonsense! We're going to work
together, and we'll make this the bust
est spot in seven counties. Dorothy
and have got 1t all planned out and
we've got some corking good ideas"
He put his hands in his pockets and
strutted up and down. TITS the day
of advertising, you know. Minnie" he
said. You've got to have the goods,
and then you've got to let people know
you've got the goods. What would you
say to a shooting-gallery in the base
ment, under the reading-roomT
couldn't be light-hearted to save
my life.
your sisters been wild all day."
told Mrs. Dick. She got your letter
to-day-yesterday- l don't think
she's told your father yet"
What" she screeched, and caught
at the mantelpiece to hold herself.
Not Patti" she said. Mortified, "and
fatherl Here!"
Well, listened while they told me.
They hadn't had the faintest idea that
Mr.. Jennings and Miss Patty were
there at the sanatorium.
THE idea was this, Minnie" said
Mr.. Dick. odd mean Mr.. Jennings
isis not well; he has a chronic in
disposition"
Disposition, l call it," put in Mr..
Jennings daughter.
And he's apt to regard my running
away with Dorothy when l haven't a
penny as more of an embarrassment
than an elopement."
"Fiddle!" exclaimed Mrs. Dick. Il
asked you to marry me, and now
they're here and have to spoil it all"
The thought OF her father and his
disposition suddenly oVerpowered her
and she put her yellow head on the
back of a chair and began to cry.
IL can't tell him!" she sobbed. 'T
wrote to Pat-why doesn't Pat tell
htmf Maybe she will think Of some
way to break 1t to him. She can do
a lot with father"
II hope she can think of some way
to break another Richard Carter to
the people OF the house." | said tartly.
Another Richard Carterl" they said
together. and then told them about
how we had waited and got desperate,
and how we'd brought in Mr.. Pierce
mt the last minute and that he was
asleep now at the house. They roared.
To save my life / couldn't see that
It was funny. But when l came to the
part about Thoburn being there, and
his having had a good look at Mr..
Pierce, and that he was waiting
around with his Jaws open to snap up
the place when 1t fell under the ham
mer, Mr.. Dick stopped laughing and
looked serious.
Its possible we can get by Tho
burn" l said. You can slip in to-
night, we can get Mr.. Pierce OUT
Lord knows he'll be glad to go-and
Miss Dorothy can go back to school. |
Then, later, when you've got things |
running and are making good"
I'm not going back to school," she |
declared, but I'll go away; I'll not |
stand in your way, Dicly." She took
two steps toward the door and waited
for him to stop her.
Nonsense, Minnie" he exclaimed
angrtly and put his arm around her, 81
won't be separated from my wife. We
could go to the old shelter-house on
the golf links" looking me square in
the eye. Il took the hint, and Mrs.
Dicky never knew he had been hid
den there before) Nobody ever goes
near 1t in winter" So l put on my
slippers again and we started through
the snow across the golf links, Mr.
Dick carrying a bundle of frewood,
and leading the way with my lantern
We got into the shelter-house by my
through the window, and
when we had lighted the fire and hung
up the lantern. 1t didn't seem SO bad.
There were two rooms, and Mr.. Dick
had always used the back one to
hide In. It's good thing Mrs. Dick
was not a suspicious person. Many
! woman. would have wondered when
The saw him lift board in the floor
and take out a rusty tin basin, a cake
Of soap, moldy towel, a can of sar-
lines, a toothbrush and aNrubber car
Rage robe to lay over the rafters un-
Ter the hole in the roof But it's
been my experience that the first few
lays OF married life women are blind
because they want to be and after
hat because they have to be.
II was about four when I left them.
lifting on a soap box in front of the
ags t1Asing sardines on the end OF