The Washington herald., 1914-12-18
her WEDDING PRESENT.
By HARMONY wELLEs,

tJOpgHgnt, lSlA.l
John Wakefield looked up from the let
ter he had been reading and over at his
son, who occupied q second desk chair
on the opposite side Of the table The
real estate once OF Wakefield & Son was
not large, but II was prosperous.
You won't remember old Peter Wood
ward. for you were not more than a
couple Of years old when he left the East
TO seek his fortune out West Well, Pete
has evidently made that fortune, because
here is a letter from him, in which he
asks me to find a house for a wedding
present to his daughter. The property
may cost ALI the way from $4,000 to
SO. .0O0."
Here in the manor?" questioned Wake
field Junior.
Yes. He is tired Of the West and
wants to come back and settle down in
his old home town. Didn't know old
Pete had a daughter. but he must have
II she is to be married"
Perhaps some chap Is marrying her
for her house." laughed the son lightly;
then turned to business. How about
the Stanlaw property? It's a peach OF
a place, and has a great view across the
bay. / wouldn't ask for q better one my
self for q wedding present" Wakefield,
jr., sighed and in the sigh was the pent-
up desire for q home of his own and the
right girl within its portals. But the
right girl had not appeared on his hori-
non.
Might be just the thing" unused his
father, quite unaware OF the sons senti-
mental sigh. You can get out the pho
tographs, and We will send them on, but
wait" He scanned the contents OF
the letter 4 second time. No; our client
will be on his way here in a day or two
and can look over the property himself. "
He smiled reminiscently. 1T will be
good to see old Pete again. wonder
what the girl is like"
Raw -bOned Westerner. no doubt" sug-
gested Bobby Wakefield. intent on find
ing the photographs OF the StanlAw prop
erty. which had apparently found their
way into the bottom of the drawer
Her mother was a mighty pretty girl," 4"
unused Wakefield.
Here they arer' said Bobby, and a
moment later father and son were look
ing over the photographs OF a most lovely
home that overlooked the bay and backed
onto the beautiful roads of fir trees for
which Douglas Manor was famous. II
Bobby sighed a second time, 1t was be-
cause the property appealed to him so
deeply.
''Old Peter Woodward's son-in-law will
be q lucky dub II he gets this with the
girl" was his comment.
A few day later both father and son
looked up from their desks when the
door opened to admit Peter Woodward
and his daughter. Bobby was the fret
to get onto his feet, and Wakefield. sr..
followed quickly
Great Scott" muttered Bobby, and
unconsciously smoothed back his i'm
maculately neat hair that lay like 4
golden wing across his head.
Even Wakefield, ST., gasped softly. 1t
seemed to be impossible that one small
feminine being could possess SO much
beauty
Her eyes were so heavily fringed that
after the heeting glance she allowed
Bobby he was not sure whether they
were violet or gray.
However, Peter Woodward's hearty
laugh and handshake first with Wake
field and then with his son dispelled the
silence of startled senses. Afterward
Bobby remembered that Daphne Wood
wards hand had touched his own for an
appallingly short space Of time and that
he was gazing at her and wondering who
the lucky chap was who had won her.
"RawboRed," he muttered softly.
did you speak to me?' questioned