Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-12-23

ginning TO grow angry. because m
knew | hated the woman and he want
death. That's why"
| His anger Gained Nellie little; +
showed her that at least she had tn.
power to awaken some emotion in him
even if it was not love-
.T want you to marry her. Ned.
she sobbed. ssThen I will wait for yor
day. She can't live to be more thar
| ninety, and then you'll be seventy anc
/ shall be sixty-two-"
Ned patted her cheek fndulgent1y
"Dear, you are going to marry me, and
I'm going to get the license tomor.
row.
"NedI" she cried. 1T Is absurd to
talk In that way"
I'm going to-" answered Ned
sewhat are you going to wear for go
ing away in, Nellie?'
Blue" sobbed Nellie, sinking into
her lovers arms.
Ned broke the news to Miss Lucinda
that evening, and whatever hopes OF
matrimony he may have shattered, at
least she took the news philosophic-
ally.
'tHumph, it's what might have ex-
pected of your she muttered. "Mr.
Jabez has provided for me-"
Il hope you won't be in a hurry to
leave, Miss Burt" said Ned politely.
I'll go when get ready" she
snapped.
mot till you've let my wife taste
one of your apple pies" protested the
young man.
You think I'm a fool sitting on the
Barney Stone. I suppose" answered
Miss Lucinda.
She disappeared two days later, but
Ned did not care, for that was his
wedding day. and his wife, radiant in
blue, was in the Pullman with him
about the time that Miss Lucinda was
packing her trunks.
They came back two weeks later.
more in love with each other than ever
before, and settled down to the prob
lem of housekeeping. The exchequer
had been exhausted by the trip. Still.
love can make money stretch a long
way, in spite of the statements of
cynics. But just when things were
really looking black, Ned was sur
prised to receive a communication
from the lawyer, inviting him and his
wife to call.
Seated in the office, scowling. was
Miss Lucinda Burt. Ned shook hands
with her and presented Nellie. Miss
Lucinda bowed as one might look for
a steel needle to bow.
''Sit down, Mr.. Lewis" said the
lawyer cordially. ''Mrs. Lewis. pray
take this chair. 1t is now my duty to
RI he oil
your uncle's will. They amount, in
brief, to this: Three calendar months
after the testator's death the funds
which he willed, and has donated to
the Home for Incurable Horses, are
withdrawn from the trustees Your
uncle felt that with the extension of
the good work of the Society for Pre-
vention of Cruelty to Animals, the
need for this organization 1apses.
Consequently, the funds return into
your uncle's 1egacieS. Half of these
are to go to Miss Lucinda Burt. The
remainder, not being willed to any
body, go to yourself, under your clause
of the testament. The sum is seventy
five thousand dollars, half to Miss
Burt and half to you"
II get thirty-seven thousand five
gasped Ned.
Yes, in the event of your not mar
ryfng Miss Burt. Otherwise the
Home for Incurable Horses would re-
main endowed. I think, to be frank,
that your uncle was perpetrating q
little joke on you, Mr.. Lewis. He
smiled when he dictated these
clauses"
He nearly choked to death over
his apple pie when he read them to
me-" said Miss Burt smiling.
And somehow the steel needle as
pect had SO entirely disappeared that
Nellie ran to her and Rugged her.
you knew. you dear old thing" she
cried.
eyes, I knew" admitted Miss Burt.
Mr.. Jabez wanted to get even with
Mr.. Ned for having quarreled with
him, and-and 1 was married twenty
years ago, and I'd never take a sec
ond, never, and-and I'll go home
with you and make you one of NV
pies.''