The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-11-11

wore her shoes out tramping the
streets of Oakland and San Francisco.
At Office after Office she applied for
work, only to be met with refusal
when her lack OF qualifications be
came apparent Then she tried the
stores. in the hope OF securing a place
as clerk until something better offered,
but it was the dull season and the sell
ing forces were being reduced instead
of increased Hook, though he man
aged TO retain his habitual CHEEKY
smile, was meeting with no greater
success. for there is little work that a
one-armed man, no matter how will
ing he may be, can do. This was
driven home to him time and time
again as he applied at employment
bureaus, contractors offices, ship,
lumber and coal yards, only to be
CURLY turned down when it was seen
he had an iron hook instead Of a left
hand. At the end OF a fortnight the
gloom OF encouragement hung like a
cloud over the little cottage in Valda-
via and, though the wolf was not yet
at the door, both Cleo and Hook rea-
lized that he was not very far away.
Two days before the wedding Hope
called at the Machin home to see the
presents, which had been steadily
pouring in
Miss Langham is calling on Miss
Machin," said the man who answered
Hopes ring. 'But I'll tell her that you
are here, sir"
"Don't disturb her." said Hope. HTn
wait in the library until Miss Lang
ham leaves"
Dropping into an armchair he
picked up a magazine which he was
idly perusing when his attention was
distracted by the sound of voices COM
| ing from the adjoining room, the door
of which was ajar. This room, he
/ knew, was Inez' room where she was
/ accustomed to receive her friends.
The voices he recognized as those of
| his fiancee and a girl friend Lucy
! Langham, but it was not until he
| heard his own name that he lowered
| his magazine and, unconscious of his
eayesdrOpping, sat with alert ears
''Your Lieutenant Hope is a perfect
| dear, Inez," he heard Miss Langham
saying. Everyone is crazy about
him. We are all wondering how you
happened TO get him. He's so quiet
and serious-not at all your sort"
eff 1 tell you how it happened Will
| you give me your word never to
breathe it to a living soul, Lucy?"
came Inez' voice through the half-open
door.
"Of course I won't repeat anything
you tell me, DEAR" said Miss Lang
ham.
''WeIl, it's really awfuIIy amusing
said Inez, and Hope could hear her
laughing softly. Il met him last sum-
mer at Abernethy's. They had house
party, you know, at their camp on
Lake Placid. One afternoon Jarvis
and I started to climb Whiteface
mountain, but we lost our way in the
| woods, and, to make matters worse, a
terrible storm came up. Fortunately
we found q deserted cabin . and
there we spent the night. Jarvis be-
haved beautifully he never
slept, keeping guard all night, though
we had to remain there till morning.
There were only two rooms in the
| place. I slept on the bed in one of
them and he insisted on sitting up in
/
aged to find the trail again and made
our way back to the Abernethy's, who
were worried to death about US.
| knew perfectly well how they would
| all raise their eyebrows If we told
| them that we had spent the night to-
| gether in a deserted cabin, so l per-
suaded Jarvis that we had better tell
them that we had spent the night to-
| gether with the Lees, who have q
camp on the lake. A few days later
the camp party broke up without any
one suspecting anything. Jarvis was
ordered to the Pacific coast and
never expected to see him again. But
last month when was visiting Lucille
Allen in Washington, I sat at dinner
one night next to a very well-knOwn
lawyer. He had had more champagne
than was good for him and he was very
laxative and confidential. In the
course of our conversation something
was said about Jarvis and the lawyer
| remarked:
"NThat young man is going to be one
Of the richest officers in the navy one
: of these days.
Nonsense I answered = happen
|
; cept his lieutenant's pay
"'And 1 happen to know said the
) lawyer, that he is the sole heir of
Theodore Wickham.'
Not Theodore Wickham. the steel
magnate? 1 asked.
The same said he. He is Jarvis
: Hopes uncle
allow do you know all thisY
asked him.
al know it, he replied. because we
are Theodore Wickham's attorneys
} and have seen his will But I must
, beg of you. Miss Machin, not to repeat
what have just told you I'm afraid
e I have talked too much
? "'Don't worry answered. I shall
2 not repeat it
!. 'tBut that set me thinking. Paps
had had some serious reverses in Wal
i street. and mamma and had beer
4 forced to economic. We had had tC
+ give I'D the cottage at Bar Harbol