The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1916-06-16
THE PEAFoWl
BY KEITH KENYON.

Dexter Conrad approached the for
| trance to Frogmore. the handsome es-
tate Of the Cullens, at East Orange.
Miss Cullen was within the gates
feeding a handful of grain to a pair
| of peacocks that were spreading their
| tail feathers for her admiration. Miss
Cullen was no less lovely than the
peacocks and quite as vain.
Il wonder" Conrad said, raising his
hat respectfully, IF there is a vacancy
| of any sort on the estate. l am anx-
ious to get position in the country
for few months"
The girl within the gates cut him
! short with naughty stare.
I'VE are not in the habit of employ
| ing tramps. Only people we'll recon-,
mended need apply for work She
| turned away, as IL the interview was
over.
"But l do not happen to be tramp.
| am stranger looking for light en-
ployment, having lost my energy in
the city, and desiring to find it again.
l am sorry to have troubled you"
There is lot Of work on the place
extra work-on account of spring
| ting-transplanting from the con-
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES and shrubbery. Ar
you familiar with such work."
Il have done nothing beyond anna
| teur flower cultivation, but, being a
| lover of such work, l have had great
| success at it."
| Miss Cullen's eyes were appraising
him from head to foot, disparagement
in her glance.
Conrad added quickly: but sup.
pose, l have sufficient intelligence to
look after your roses, and If you hap
pen to have an orchid house"
"Orchids!" she exclaimed and new
light came into her eyes. Il have
some rare ones that the head gardener
knows nothing whatever about. It's
breaking my heart-to see them fad
ing day by day"
mot doing we'll, chr" he asked. Il
spent a year down in South America,
where they abound"
ity with orchids gained him a po-
sition on the estate. He was delight
ed when he found that he might oc-
cupy small cottage adjoining the
plant houses.
From day to day Barbara kept her
eye on him. In fact, daily contact with
Conrad was teaching the mistress of
Frogmore to forget that her new gar
dener was but hireling. His opti-
mism and deep knowledge on many
subjects amazed her.
Thus he compelled her to listen to
a chord IN her own heart which she
had striven for years to stife. She
had been trying to live according to
convention and false ideals of happi-
ness.
One day she woke to the knowledge
that through what she regarded as
some strange perversity of her nature
she had fallen in love with her gar
dener.
"The horror of it," she gasped.
There followed a speedy return of
solved to put an end to the disquiet-
ing thing without delay.
So, with the intention of burning
her bridges so that she might never
be tempted to cross them again, she
went swiftly down through the long
gardens toward Conrads cottage. AS
she drew near, she heard the click
of typewriter. The easement was
open and through it she saw her new
gardener seated at the machine and
so intent upon his work that he did
not even raise his eyes as she stood
before him at the window.
Conrad" she spoke firmly.
Hello! Who is it?" He rose quick
ly and in a moment was by her side.
You want me for something, Miss
Cullen?" he asked deferentially.
only to say that since the spring
any more" she said constrainedly.
There was silence for a moment.
I'm glad" Conrad said then, with
evident relief in his tone. Il had
planned to tell you that / must re-
turn to the city in the morning."
Greatly to her discontinue, his
prompt acquiescence irritated Barbara.
That anyone should be SO resigned to
leave her service hurt her self-esteem.
The loftiness Of manner that had been
absent for several weeks returned i'm
mediately. Indeed! May ! ask II
you have bettered your positions" she
said, with a perfectly audible sniff.
YES" admitted Conrad briskly. Il
have gained my end at last See!" He
pointed to a mass of half sheets that
were scattered over the scant furni-
ture of the cottage and some of them
On the floor. THAT is the script of
novel which was accepted by a pub
Ifqher year ago. / couldn't get it
finished-for the pot had to boil, you
know-but there it isl" He threw out
his chest and breathed sigh of salts
fed achievement. His eyes were fairly
a-glitter.
So" Barbara flashed angrily, that
is it! You simply have been using me
as a medium to further your own self