News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-03-11


on the forehead. And when he'd let
her go and she had dropped into a
chair and hid her shining face against
| the back, as If she was ashamed,
which she might well be, he stood
laughing over her bent head at me.
Come out, Minnie!" he called.
Come out and hear the good news"
Heart" ! said, I've seen all the
news | want"
Gracious! Miss Patty said, and
buried her head again. But he had
reached the shameless stage; man
who is really in love always seems to
get to that point sooner or later. He
stopped and kissed the back of her
neck, and if his hand shook when he
pushed in one of her shell hairpins it
was excitement and not fright.
"T hardly realize 1t, Minnie" he
said. 81 don't deserve her for a min
ute.
Certainly not" I said.
"He does" Miss Patty's voice
smothered. Then she got up and
came over to me.
lucIc lD 6OlH6 W U0 Oil AWFUL IuSS,
Minnie" she said. Think of Aunt
Honoria-and Oskar!"
Let them fuss!" said grandly. "It
the worst comes, you can spend your
honeymoon in the shelter-house. I'm
SO used to carrying meals there now
that it's second nature"
And at that they both made for me,
IT,, I.
Barnes opened the door. He stood for
a moment, looking queer and wild,
and then he slammed the door and we
heard him stamping down the steps.
Mr.. Pierce had to bring him back,
Well, that's all there is to it. The
place filled up and stayed filled, but
not under Mr.. Pierce. Mr.. Jennings
said ability of his kind was wasted
there, once the place was running, and
set him to building railroad some.
where or other, with him and Miss
Patty living in a private car, and ha
carrying portable telephone with
him SO he can talk to her every hour
or so. Mr.. Dick and his wife are run.
ming the sanatorium, or think they
are. Doctor Barnes is the whole
place, really. Mr. Jennings was so
glad to have Miss Patty give up the
prince and send him back home,
after he'd been a week in the hotel
at Finleyville looking as if his face
would collapse if you stuck a pin in
it-Mr. Jennings was so happy, not to
mention having worked off his govt at
the wood-pile, that he forgave the
Dickys without any trouble, and even
went out and had meal with them
in the shelter-house before they moved
in, with Mr.. Dick making the coffee.
/ miss the spring, as | said at the
beginning. 1t is hard to teach an old
dog new tricks, but with Miss Patty
happy, and with Doctor Barnes
around
Thoburn came out the afternoon be-
fore he left, just after the rest hour,
and showed me how much too loose
his waistcoat had become.
"Ive lost, Minnie" he confessed.
Lost fifteen pounds and the dream
of my life. But I've found something,
too"
"What?"
"My waist line!" he said, and threw
his chest out
you look fifteen years younger" I
said, and at that he came over to me
and took my hand.
Minnie" he said, maybe you and
| haven't always agreed, but | always
liked you, Minnie-always."
Thanks" l said, taking my hand
away.
you've got all kinds of spirit" he
said. you've saved the place, all
right. And if you-if you tire of this,
and want another home, I've got one,
twelve rooms, center hall, tiled baths,
cabinet mantels-Id be good to you,
Minnie. The right woman could do
anything with me-"
When l grasped what he meant, /
was staggered.
'I'm sorry," l explained, as gently
as could. "I'm-Fm going to marry
Doctor Barnes one of these days"
He stared at me. Then he laughed
a little and went toward the door.
''Barnes!" he said, turning AN
other redhead, by CAD! Well. I'll tell
you this, young woman, you're red,
but he's redder Your days for rum
ming things to suit yourself are over"
I'm glad of it." retorted. 81 want |
to be managed myself for change. |
Somebody" l said, who won't be al
ways thinking how he feels, unless it's
how he feels toward me-"
Bah! He'll bully you"
It's human nature to like to be |
bullied,'" quoted. And l guess I'm
not afraid. He's healthy and healthy |
mans never a crank"
"A case of yours for health, eh?"
he said, and held out his hand.
1.-THE END.1