The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1915-07-09

<~''-' 49, SADPPAh6. iaCiCu uClCl
to try it.
How much?" when farther on sh
saw an old ruby-glass scent bottle.
Half crown, lady, that's just givir
| 1t away. Nice little bit, eh?"
I'll take 1t for two shillings," ven
tured Helen.
Its yours, mum. Anything else
Got 'em all down to war prices"
i may como back this way later,
murmured Helen, wondering IL she hat
offered too much. She might have got
ten 1t for one and six.
Hello, dug up anything?"
She started to find Warren beside
her.
"Oh, what have you got?" looking
at a bullying bundle under his arm.
Never you mind Doing a little
looting on my own"
Dear, you know you mustn't pay
what they ask first, don't your" anxi-
ously. They all ask more than they
expect to get"
See here" testify, who's doing
this? You go ahead and buy your own
junk II | see anything | want-Tll
get it,"
Helen turned away vaguely troubled
He might buy something foolish and
pay an absurd price. Perhaps they
should have stayed together
The next moment she was absorbed
In particularly alluring lot from
which she finally selected an ivory
fan, broken but not past mending,
cameo pin and a curious jade locket.
After some bargaining she got the
three pieces for only seven shillings.
1t was dusk now, and oil lights flick
cred over many of the stalls. 1t was
a weird scene-this great dark market
space, lit only by those fiaring lamps.
Some of the men were now packing
up, but many were still shouting their
wares, eager for few last shillings.
At stand farther on Helen found
an old sampler. 1t was dated 1853,
With q quaint house-and-tree design.
Did this man know its value. Her
heart beat fast at the possibility of
getting 1t for q few shillings.
twenty-five shillings," he an
swered gruffly, as he went on packing.
'Yer'd poy three guineas at one O. yer
Bond Strait shops"
So he did know. Helen's hopes fell.
"Oh. l couldn't pay more than
twelve" she murmured.
Five-and-twenty's thu price, m'um.
Take it or lave it,"
Helen flushed Indignantly, yet she
the sampler. She passed on
slowly, hoping he would call after her
Where was Warren? She turned
suddenly to look along the opposite
line of stalls. 1t was quite dark now.
What If they should get separated?
Her eyes strained anxiously through
that shabby. jostling crowd.
A long panic-stricken moment. Then
she saw him-a few stalls back
"Oh!" running to him with joyous
relief. Il thought I'd missed you"
Had enough? Let's get out of this.
Which gate did we come in?"
Outside, Helen looked back over the
iimly-lit market. They had been
through only a small part of it, and
she thought longingly of the undis-
covered treasures in all those other
stalls.
They made their way back through
he dark, squalid street to the under |
ground. When they entered the train |
Helen glanced anxiously at Warren's |
'ulky package. What had he bought? |
remembering certain purchases he |
lad made in the past, she mistrusted |
lis judgment.
Want to see it now, Ell? All right,
veil give you treat"
He took off the crumpled newspaper
nd proudly displayed a garish shell
OK with a mirror on top! Helen
ulped. 1t was awful!
Pretty good haul, eh?" fitting a
bose shell in its red paste bed. "Old
ne too. How about that for ten
hillings?"
Ten shillings! II he could throw
way ten shillings on this CHASTITY
ling-why hadn't she bought that
What's the matter" sharply. Don
Ike it?'
"Oh, yes-yes." hastily. II was
ally thinking Of an old sampler that
m sorry l didn't get"
With we'll feigned carelessness,
'arren felt in his pocket
That it?" tossing a small package
to her lap.
Helen tore IL open, and with a cry of
eight held up the sampler.
"Oh, you dear, you dear. But how
d you know"
Was right there behind you"
In her joy over the sampler, the aw
/ box was forgotten.
Now how about this?" Warren took
up again. Think it bum, Ell? Well,
it'll make you feel any better-l
lily paid a bob Thought 1t would
} worth that" with a chuckle, Ito see
u glare at It,"
Obi" with mingled relief and re.
ntment you spent q shilling just
to"
f.Ta cot van yotru uad A. A.-x