The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1914-03-27

the uAOcTuAHHeI. LudC. u StcuS "
me. | ought to taboo as table talk at
Baldpate inn 1t relates that a few
lays the youthful cashier Of IA
hunk in a small Pennsylvania town
disappeared with S:O.,AW Of the banks
funds. No. he concluded. we are
simply here. gentlemen. ana / am
very glad to let ii 60 ut that"
Mr.. Bland Sneered knowingly
Il should think you would be-" he
said. If you'll turn that paper over
you'Il read on the back page that day
before Yesterday a lot OF expensive
paintings in a New York milliOnaire's
house were cut from their frames and
that the young artist who was doing
%retouching in the house at the time
has been just careless enough not tn
send his address 10 the police.
Mr.. Magee threw back his head and
laughed heartily
We understand one another. it
seems. he said. II look forward to
pleasant anionship where | had
expected solitude, All. here's Peters.
ne added as the hermit entered
through the dinin: room door at the
side Of the stairs.
PETERS, said Mr.. Magee. I'VE have
been wondering if you will stay Oh
here and cook for rs. We need you.
How about it"'
Well I'll be glad to help you out"
the hermit replied. Il guess | can
manage to give satisfaction, seeing
there amt no women around. IT
there was l wouldn't think of it. Yes.
I'll stay and do what can to boost
the hermit life in your estimation. p
He stopped. His eyes were on the
dining room door, toward which Mr..
Magee's back was turned. The jaw
Of Peters fell. and his mouth stood
wide open. Behind the underbrush
of beard a very surprised face was
discernible.
Mr.. Masee turned quickly. A few
feet inside the dOOr stood the girl Of
the station. weeping no more. but
radiant with smiles. Back Of her
was the determined. impossible COM
panion Of yesterday.
"Oh. mamma" laughed the girl.
we're too late for breakfast! Isn't
it q shame?"
From tears to smiles" said Mr.. Ma
gee. taking the girls hand. What
worked the transformation? Not the
Commercial House. | know. for | pass
ed it last evening"
mo. hardly the Commercial House"
laughed the girl. Rather the sunshine
Of a winter morning. the brisk walk uD
the mountain and the sight of the
hermit Of Baldpsts with eyes like sau-
GERS staring at a little giri who once
bought his postal cards"
Then yon know Mr.. Peters," inguir.
I'd Magee.
lis that his name?~ You see. | never
met him in private life-he was just
the hermit when I knew him. ! used
to come to Baldpate in the summers
and send his cards back to the folks al
home and dream dreams Of his love
story when from my window | saw
the light Of his shack at night. I'm
so glad to meet Mr.. Peters informally"
She held out her hand. but Peters,
by long practice wary Of women, had
burdened himself with breakfast plates
which prevented his clasping it. He
muttered Flow dye dor and fed TO-
ward the door, narrowly averting what
would have proved a serious collision
with the large woman on the way.
Mr.. Peters meets so few OF your
sex in winter" Magee apotogized. you
must pardon his clumsiness. This gen
tleman"-he indicated the professor.
who arose-.'is Thaddeus Bolton. i dis
tinguished member of IA certain univer,
sity faculty. who has fed to Baldpate
to escape the press Of America. And
this is Mr.. Bland. who hides here from
the world the scars Of a broken heart.
The girl smiled brightly. And you
she asked.
William HallowelI Magee." he re-
turned. bowling iow. u have a neat
little collection Of stories accounting
for my presence here. from which l
shall allow you to choose later. Not to
mention the real n which Is simple
almost to a fault"
II am so happy to meet you all. sa'd
the girl. I'VE shall no doubt G.
very good friends. for mamma n
have also come to Baldpate inn-tc
stay"
Mr.. Bland opened wide his usual'y
narrow eyes and ran his hand thought'
fully over his one days beard. FRO
lessor Bolton blinked his establishment
Mr.. Magee smiled.
81 for one am delighted 10 heal It,
ne said.
INV name" went on the girl rs
Mary Norton. May I present my moth
er. Mrs. Norton"
The older woman adopted what was
obviously her society manner.
Il certainly am pleased to meet YOU
ALL" she said in her heavy voice. "Aint
it a lovely morning after the storm !
The suns almost binding"
Some explanation" put in Miss Nor
ton quickly. lis due you II l am to