Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-08-07

accommodation train, which s~auntered
from one small station to the next,
skirting the water for miles.
Andrew Merry tossed a half-smoked
cigar into a swamp beside the track
where the thin, green blades of cat
tails were whipped by the breeze.
81 don't believe / want to mix odors
this morning." he said.
ut is great ozone" Wentworth
lifted his hat to let the wind cool his
head. There's the little station now!
I'll bet that speck of white is Dorcas!"
How queer that I've never met
your sister," Merry suggested. '1s she
grown up?"
Wentworth laughed. Almost" he
admitted. You did see her once"
Merry followed Wentworth as the
train stopped. In a half-dozed fashion
he shook hands with a tall young
woman in a white linen gown. Was
this the child-long limbed, gawky and
shy-he had imagined he might meet?
Somewhere back in his mind lay an
impression that Enoch had referred to
his sister as a young colt. The
thought was SO absurd that he smiled;
any coltish awkwardness must have
disappeared with short frocks! Merry
stared at the girl with bewildered adj
miration, wondering now why he had
never felt the mildest curiosity about
Wentworth's sister. He became con
scious that he was making a mental
analysis; she had black-fringed gray
eyes; warmth and dancing blood
glowed in her face, for she had the
coloring of a Jack rose; a mass of
auburn hair was coiled in a loose knot
at the back of her head; she wore no
hat; a band of dull-blue velvet was
tied about her head and fell in a loose
bow owe her ear, but strands of hair.
which glowed like copper in the sun
shine, had escaped and blew about her
face; she had the tender mouth of a
child. In the Straightforward eyes
was sweet womanliness, gentle deter
mination, and a lack of feminine
vanity which Merry had seldom seen
in the face of a beautiful woman. He
ever forgot to drop her hand while he
gazed into her face, half admiringly,
half ~perplexedly..
eve brought Mr.. Merry, down to
stay with us till we go home" Went
worth announced.
"I'm delighted" cried Dorcas cor
daily.
Next morning after breakfast Enoch
and his sister rowed out to deep water
with their fishing outfit Merry still
was in bed; he was tired, he pleaded,
and could not Immediately acquire the
habit of early rising.
What do you think of Andrew
asked Wentworth abruptly. He lifted
his head after the task If batting q
hook and looked into his sisters face.
81 think he ought to be walked up"
ITO join our fishing trip"
81 mean walked in his ambitions. He
seems to me like a man who has no
goal in sight He needs something to
work for. He spoke last night of one
ambition he has"
Sort of moonlight c-onfdences?s'
queried her brother.
"No-not that. He's determined to
jump straight into a part that will
wiring the heart out of his listeners"
That's foolish. The public wants
just so much versatility. You can't
kill off a beloved comedian to resur-
rect a new emotional actor, no matter
how good he may be. People won't
stand for it."
He isn't satisfied" The girl pulled
up her line and tossed away a morsel
of nibbled bait, covering the hook
with a fresh clam.
Some greedy fish had a square
meal off your bait and never got the
hook in his gullet. He'll come back
for more, then get caught. It's the
same way with human beings"
Philosopher" laughed Dorcas. She
dropped her line again into deep water
and waited for her brothers predic-
ton to come true.
Merry had breakfasted before their
return. He sat upon the vine-grown
piazza, gazing at the sparkle of the
ocean, when the two agile figures
stepped across his vision.
We'll, Sir Lazy, sc you're up!" cried
the girl. You should have been with
Us to find an appetite. See our fish!
Here's a dinner for you'll"
I'm going to turn over a new leaf
said Merry. His eyes we're fixed OF
the girls glowing face, and for a mo
ment he shared her intense enjoyment
of life.
"Will you turn it over tomorrow
morning at sunrise?" she demanded.
Even SO soon, most gracious lady
He swept her a stage bow, his soft hal
trailing the ground as if it had been &
cavaliers cap loaded with plumes.
Matching his grace, the girl turned
to him, laughing, with the MOCK
dignity of a queen.
Il command that at early dawn
when the tide goes out, We HE three tt
yon fats and dig CLAIMS for our savory
meal"
Il shall obey, most royal highness,
answered Merry solemnly.
81 believe he is waking up" though
Dorcas as she ran upstairs to dress fol
the noon dinner. IF he does that. II
believe he has some backbone"
When Dorcas and her brother cam
down next morning for breakfast
Merry had disappeared.
I'm glad I'm not your victim" sail
Wentworth, with a note of sympath.
in his voice.
"Enoch." the girl turned to hin
gravely, 81 told you he needed wakin;
up. and this is a good start. It won
hurt him a bit"
Poor Merry! What a sighti"
They watched him come trampini
over the beach. He wore Farme
Hutchins' overalls rolled up to hi
knees and a Tapping cow-breakfas
hat. He carried a clam fork and occa
sionally shifted a heavy basket o
CLAIMS from n arm to the other.
CHAPTER III.