The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-10-03
Copyright by A. c. McClurg Co., 1oxz.
Ray Walters

however, MISS Hlper haQ al engage
ment. When several other days were
mentioned she had engagements for
those also. Could she have been made
to accept Gloria, the task of conquer
ing Belmont would instantly become
less arduous. Her father was head of
| the great Piper Mining company, and
her family was looked upon as one of
the most exclusive in the whole state
If Laura Piper would, she could make
it extremely pleasant for Gloria. But
Laura Piper had her own way and her
family's ideas about the Kerr breed,
and nc matter how nice Gloria might
be, she was still her fathers daugh-
ter.
Mrs. Gilbert reported her lack of
success to her husband on his return
from his first trip to Chicago, and he
| mentioned it, almost casually, to Da-
via Kerr when they met the next day.
The boss inquired the particulars, but
made no comment That he was not
unmindful Of the episode developed
two days later when the Piper Coal
company received a complaint from
the secretary of the school board that
there was an undue quantity of slate
in the last coal furnished the public
schools While worrying with this, the
company's legal department sent word
to the president that the city solicitor
had just notified the company that one
Of the important spurs into an uptown
coal yard crossed a street without au-
thority Of law
Old man Piper sWore by all the gods
in mythology that it was the worst
outrage ever perpetrated upon him in
all his business life He had but day
or two to catch his breath before Mrs
Gilbert telephoned at the dinner hour
asking Laura to luncheon the next day.
The whole thing dawned on him when
Laura founced back from the tele-
phone and announced petulantly that
she would not meet that odious Gloria
Kerr. He said nothing until after din
ner, then calling Laura aside ne or
dered her to telephone Mrs Gilbert
and withdraw her refusal His pocket
book having been hit, Piper was will
ing to make some sacrifice to deter
mine the reason and what he was to
expect in the way of further attack
He kept his mouth closed, and waited.
Laura returned from the luncheon
with a favorable opinion of Gloria, but
she could not forget her parentage
Upon being questioned she told her ia
Their she did not care to put Gloria on
her visiting list.
Suppose l have some one to visit
me who asks: Who is that girl you
introduced me tor complained Laura
And I'll have to say: That's Gloria
Kerr the boss daughter Then what
will the visiting girl think of Belmont
society, and what will she think of
me? I'm sure l would be surprised if
| went to visit anyone and they intro
duced me to the son or daughter of a
man like Kerr"
Laura" answered her father, IT
think you'd better go down to New
York for couple of months"
And two days later Laura went, aft
er having called when Gloria was not
at home. She never knew why her IA
Piper felt it would be cheaper to pay
the expense of a New York trip than
to have his company stand the continu-
Gus annoyance by which it could be
worried, if what he suspected was true.
When he inquired about coal for the
school board the complaint depart
ment reported that the secretary had
been Modified but hoped it would not
happen again. AS for the city solicitor,
the legal department refrained from
asking anything about the track across
the street and that official never wrote
again.
Old man Piper kept his mouth shut,
but he knew he had been taught
lesson.
Kerr was keeping a sharp eye on
things, but his hand was suspected
rather than seen in any move that was
made. AS the time for the ball ap-
preached his rheumatism troubled
him more and more, and upon the adj
vice of DR.. Hayes he decided to go to
Esmeralda Springs to drink the wa
ter. Sam Hayes took him down and
came back with the comforting report
that he was already better He was