The Lamar register., 1916-11-29

You mean you wish to give IL 10
me this peachT" observed the old man.
"If YOU Will accept It,"
A queer grimace crossed the
wrinl,led face. II expressed meas
ure of mingled surprise. gratitude and
shyness. Then the sphynx-like features
relaxed. Deliberately the man de-
voured the peach. He smacked his
lips with satisfaction.
'I'll keep this for souvenir" he
said, slowing the peach stone in his
I ocket Might l ask your name
and where you Liver" he added.
Sybn told him. He seemed both
curious and Interested. He piled her
with questions. She could scarcely
resent the inquiries of a cosby.
querulous old man and treated him
pleasantly.
Live in one Of the Warner houses"
he remarked. and got to leave be-
cause a new owner in the city has In
herited it and going to double the
rents Too bad, that And you're
thinking of going TO the city yourself,
where you can earn more money, be-
cause the children need an education?
III remember that. And a lover in
the case, too, Miss? Don't think me
iinpertinent. I'm Interested in you"
She told him-why not?-of the
lover who had given her the peach,
Of their struggles and trials, their
hopes and their faith one in the other.
4 far away retrospective look softened
the eyes of the old man. He was
grateful, almost courtly, as he lifted
his hat. with the words:
perhaps some day l may be able
to return your kindly favor Of this
day"
It was a week later when Sybil was
surprised to receive a letter from the
city It was signed by adam Burt"
who had Inherited the Warner estate,
and stated that there would be no
rulse In the rent Of the house. Before
the month was over Ellison came to
her one day animated and In high
spirits.
81 don't know where the man who
has taken over the Warner estate ever
heard of me" said Ellison, but through
bis lawyer at Dover he sent word that
he had singled me out as an honest,
capable and deserving young man, and
offers me a contract for five years to
act as agent Of his property In the
district here. There's a heap Of IL, the
lawyer says. and don't need to give
ur my regular employment to attend
to it. Sybll, 1t seems incredible, but
the pay is over a thousand dollars a
year"
Il declared it seems as though moth
ing but good is coming to us" muir
INJURED Sybil gratefully. with the
rent as It is and raise they have
gwen me at the office. can arrange
10 let the children attend school reg
ularly"
"By next year" planned Ellison, 81
can have enough to start our house
on the fruit tract. In the meantime,
sybll. can't you make room for one
mo-e at the old homer
Yes, Sybn could, and a pretty little
wedding was arranged for. 1t was
week before the suspicious occasion,
and Sybil was returning from the viii
lage along the same path she had fol-
lowed that day when she had met the
queer old man. She started n trifle.
ns, seated directly at the spring, she
made out her pensioner Of that day.
waiting for you, Miss Webster"
he spoke, rising to his feet and seem
ingly greatly pleased at the occasion.
Going 70 get married. I hear"
You seem TO be kind enough to be
interested I'm me-" smiled Sybil.
ooh, yes. That peach. you know
Kind sacrifice and unselhshness. Want
10 return the compliment. So l keep
the peach stone as souvenir" and
he produced H. want YOU to have
t'ds as a memento. Goodbye and
good fortune, always"
Then he was gone, this odd specimen
Of humanity. Lying in the hands of
the astOnished Syhil was peach, an
Imitation peach made Of papier mache.
but very natural in colorlng and shape.
II opened with a little spring. Sybn
found enclosed a neatly folded scrap
Of paper.
"a checkl'' she fluttered. "Oh, nv I
for "A thousand dollars, and signed
Adam Burt ="
And Sybil understood the identity
Of the queer little man now.