Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1915-05-14
'oked distractingly pretty at that mo

'SS.AS~ ~Aou0SAueAy POSSy ~ SAas LAW
ment.
III you don't mind waiting half
hour ! believe could prepare some
thing fit to eat" she announced tim.
idly.
They appladded her enthusiast
and offered to help. She accepted
Miss Taylor for an assistant in the
kitchen, and Lillian Nugent opened
/, the tiny cupboard and prepared to
set the table for a dozen people from
the hermit's scanty store Of crockery.
Beth lighted FIRE in the cracked
old cookstove, Carl Bellew and Andy
Smith carried firewood. and opened
the cans OF vegetables. III
Bobby danced in and out report.
ing progress. Baked potatoes! Hot
biscuits-um! Bacon-mother, they're
cooking bacon and eggs out there"
They were doing all those things,
while outside Of the frail shelter a
summer rain drummed on the shin
giles and made the fire and the cozi.
ness more desirable.
At last they sat down at two tables.
They gave Beth seat of honor, and
no one told her of the dab of -four
on her hair or the smudge OF, SCOT
that became a beauty spot near her
lively eye. With her flushed cheeks
her rufled brown hair, her pale blue
sleeves pushed up above her rounded
elbows, Beth Newton was radiant.
They were all so good to her, too!
She smiled happily, too tired to eat.
Her eyes met Carl Bellows and some
thing in the mans gaze brought a
hot flush to her cheek. After that
her eyes did not wander far from her
plate. $1,000, ~
As a delightful surprise Beth pro.
duced steaming apple pudding with
maple strip, and in token of their
gratitude Andy Smith hastily plucked
a bunch of herbs from the rafters
and solemnly crowned her with
wreath of catnip, the queen of cooks.
, BY the time the dishes were washed
and put away the sun was shining
ott1ide. The invaders had restored
the house to order and Carl Bellew
had pinned a note on the table cover.
Inside of that envelope were folded
cracking banknotes Of such large de-
nomination that old Ned Blake would
never cease to marvel over the acces.
sion of riches that made his declin.
ing days more comfortable.
They returned to the scene Of the
campfire, and all too soon the three
motor cars arrived. Somehow Mrs.
Blisshs menaxedy9to smuggleRB Beth, and
Bobby into the same car. with her
self and Carl Bellew, and that night
when she went to bed the girl assured
herself that she had rounded out her
perfect day. ....,.
A few days later the party had
broken up and the picnic was for
gotten by all save Beth Newton and
Bobby-and. perhaps, Carl Bellew.
His place was not very far away and
he found many excuses for calling on
the Blisses. When kindly Mrs. Bliss
realized that it was her little nursery
governess whom Carl Bellew wanted
to see, she remembered her own days
of wooing, and entered wh6le-hearted.
ly into matchmaking. ,t>."f&.. st..
Dear" said sCa5l Bellew one Octo-
Der day when he had received Beth's
answer. I've loved You from the be-
ginning. but fwhsn ! tasted your
cooking" ,..sa. ,.,s ) ," o.. z~'
49,.
Beth's hand pressed his lips in, 81.
lence. She looked up at her splendid,
gallant lover. --y.s:e H..
"Ah, Carl" she murmured. Il am
such a humble little thing-so IN
worthy of you! You might marry a
princess-or queen!"
Carl threw back his head and
laughed. Then ho gathered her closer
in his arms.
Il am going to marry queen he
protested, the queen of cooks!"