Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1915-10-20

She noticed that it was not new hat
but panama head covering of tn,
season before.
Sally had almost reached Aunt Jane's
house when she murmured:
How white he was. He must have
a frightful temper. And all about :
last years hat!'
But she dismissed the unpleasant in
cident for the time because Aunt Ian,
was frantically preparing for Agatha
Trent's wedding.
For several days Sally Birch evinced
an unusual restlessness. No lOnge'
was she content to sit on the vine
draped piazza and read or embroider.
To Jane Gray's disgust Sally took to
walking.
MY dear" fused the little woman.
81 can't follow you about the country.
over hill and dale, and it really isn't
safe for you to go alone"
81 always take Caesar along" pro.
tested Sally.
Caesar is all very WELL" retorted
Jane, patting the French bull pup,
but after this don't go any farther
than the pine woods"
Sally agreed, blushing holly, for how
could she explain to Aunt Jane. mar
row minded and prejudiced, that the
Havelock pine woods had been the
Mecca of her daily walk? Aunt Jane
could not be made to understand that
Sally felt that she owed James Worth.
+bo GsY,;cor Of UovoIooIy on onol0Cv
for her rudeness.
So Sally and Caesar went to the pine
woods once more, and for the first
time since that May morning when she
had slipped through his hedge she met
the "miser of Havelock."
He was standing under the pines
listening to the song of a wood thrush
bered, with a guilty pang. Aunt James
idle gossip that the ''miser" had taken
to going bareheaded about the coun-
tryside.
He heard Caesars pattering tread OH
the pine needles and turned his head
just as Sally came to pause, looking
like lovely picture in her pink frock
The sunlight slanted down and touch
ed her brown hair with golden lights.
Her eyes were as blue as the uncIoud
ed sky.
"Good afternoon" he said gravely.
and without waiting for an exchange
of courtesies he looked up to the top,
most twig of pine where the thrush
was silhOuetted against the sky. ~.
"Mr WORTH" began Sally timidly.
I've been wanting to see yOu-tO tell
you I'm sorry about the hat"
His eyes looked so surprised that
Sally's heart jumped oddly. just as if
he had said: why. this girl is much
nicer than thought! She isn't such
barbarian. after air.
He smiled, too, and ten years vanish
ed. Surely he was not more than thir-
ty. He looked very boyish.
'Pray don't trouble about the
wretched hat" he said. I'm sorry
acted so panic stricken over it. but
he laughed outright-"it was very Sc
rious natter
81 am sorry. l was very rude about
it and about the flowers" she added.
would it bore you if told you why
I am called miser?" He hesitated.
A lovely look came into Sally's eyes.
81 would feel honored by your conf
dence," she said quite humbly.
He found seat for her on fallen
log. and, sitting down on the pine nee
dies. he stuffed his pipe into his peck
eft and began.
Sally listened. fascinated. to a story
of how man. his father. had failed
in business. in the crash carrying to
ruin a number of his customers, men
of small means who had trusted him.
Almost Immediately he had died, and
on his deathbed his son had promised
to pay back every creditor and clear
his fathers name. To him it was a
sacred trust. and he had paid up the
debts. denying himself luxuries and
even necesSaries. Dick Havelock had
been his college chum. and last year
Dick had offered his friend the use Of
the country house. with the privilege
of selling fruits and flowers, while he
saw that the place was kept in re-
pair.
James Worth was a writer who was
struggling toward success. He had
just completed novel, it had been ac-
cepted by publishers. and substantial
check was I'm his pocket.
Il am happy today" he concluded
frankly. This check will pay off the
last Indebtedness against my fathers
name"
81 am so glad for you said Sally
softly, land thank you for telling me.
l wish every one knew that the 'miser
Of HavelOck' is nObleman I'm dis
guise."
"Oh." he cried. in embarrassment. 81
only told you because IL didn't want
you TO misunderstood. Any decent
chap would have done the same thing"
You will be going away?" she asked.
He nodded. Tomorrow. Wait
moment, please" He disappeared