The Parker post. (Parker, Ariz.) 1910-1918, 1915-08-07
A PERFECT NUMBER
Seven Figured Largely in the
Wooing and Wedding of
Arthur Raymond.
By ANNE DOUBLEDAY.

duU, lOChluS Iu6 uOOT VI Ills law VI
fee, went slowly down the street.
His brisk step had lost it's elasticity
and there were white threads in his
dark hair.
At the white gate Of Hiram
Tweedy's house, Arthur turned in and
went up the path between the stiff
rows of box. From the garden came
the sickly-sweet smell of day lilies
standing like white sentinels among
their patches of bright green leaves.
Hiram Tweedy was sitting on the
narrow front porch, smoking his eve
ming pipe.
"How are you, Arthur" he asked
cordially.
Good evening"" responded Arthur,
sitting down on the steps. IT don't
suppose you've heard anything?"
Hiram removed the pipe from be-
tween the thin line of his hard lips.
"Nope, not word. was telling
Ella this morning that Amy was an
ungrateful mink! I'm really ashamed
to own she's my niece" A
"She hasn't done anything except
go away to earn her own living" re-
torted Arthur; "and you tainted her
into that, Hiram. You admitted it
yourself"
Hiram laughed raspingly.
'Well, Amy's such little spitfre
/ just couldn't help it, anyhow. he
admitted. Lord! / didn't expect the
girl would flare up and run away.
Why, she might run away from me
and her Aunt Ella, but I'll be hanged
if it shows much sense in her to run
away from her best fellow"
Arthur arose. We'll, if there's no
news from her, I'll go on. / suppose
you're making every effort you can
to find out where she went" he added
"Of course, am, Arthur. She's my
own niece, even if she amt treated
me right" returned Hiram in an in,
jured tone, Nobody knows what
I've done for that girl"
"Amy has only lived with you two
years." observed Arthur coldly. Since
her fathers death, it has always been
understood that Amy's help here has
more than paid for her board"
I'm the one who ought to know!"
retorted Hiram irascibly.
Arthur turned without another word
and went down the street, his head
bent little thoughtfully.
Hiram smoked on unconcernedly un-
til thin, sallow woman appeared be-
hind the screen door that led into the
house.
'eWas that Arthur Raymond?" she
asked curiously.
"Yes-asking about Amy"
He's a goose to bother about her."
remarked Mrs. Tweedy, sourly. "She
didn't care enough about him to stay
here
Hiram stilled her voice with wave
of his pipe.
"You better keep still, Ella; heard
what you said to Amy that night
heard you telling her that Arthur
Raymond was tired of her and that
he was sweet on that little Weeks
girl! 1 expect it was that that drove
ings."
"The very ideal" quavered Mrs.
Tweedy tearfully. eff that isn't just
like a man-always blaming every
thing on his wife!"
Il know what you said, and / know
what I said, and know that the girl
packed few clothes and went away
before we was up the next morning.
Is supper ready?"
Arthur Raymond went toward his
boarding place with the ever-present
vague hope that in the gathering of
good gossips around the hospitable
board of Miss Milly Brown he might
hear some news about Amy. He was
conscious that the Tweedys enter
tanned hostile feeling toward him.
Why, he did not know; only he was
aware Of it.
His hopes were verified.
1t appeared that Miss Milly Browns
sister was the wife of the station
agent, and that afternoon Miss Brown
had made a long-deferred call upon
her relative. She came home primed
with a bit of news that Arthur Ray
npond seized upon eagerly.
"The Tweedys are so close-mouthed
about where Amy went it would make
you laugh" remarked Miss Brown, as
she ladled out generous portions Of
clam chowder. Just as if folks
weren't bound to find out sooner or
later. My sister says that Jabez told
her that Amy Flood had gone to New
York-he sold her ticket that morn
ing. She went on the 1907 train
Arthur Raymond didn't listen to the
remainder of the gossip. The magic
words, or numbers, "seven-seven" were
an inspiration to him. Seven was his
lucky number; without being super
stitious on any other subject, Arthur
stoutly claimed that the number seven
was his mascot always; all through
his life 1t had appeared at important
periods. He had even been born on
the seventh day of the seventh month