The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1916-04-21
AEART's DESIRE
sy o L FoRREsrER

IeQ arrives 1850 b. N. 1ESA00
meet. STURDEVANT."
The telegram was handed to Knapp
at the desk when he got in from the
club q little past twelve. He looked
at it In surprise and some bewtlder-
ment. S%turdevant? That was one OF
the bunch of Californian cousins whs
had entertained him during his visit
to the fair last summer. He couldn't
recall any Ted.
The Overland Special pulled in on
time. There were few passengers. He
stood with q couple Of other persons
watching the stragglers come along
the platform until a girl stoRpad be
fore a stout, gray-haired old chap next
to him and exclaimed:
Don't you know me, Cousin Jack!"
Il believe that I'm Cousin jack"
said Knapp, lifting his hat and look
ing down into the brownest eyes be
had ever seen. Il was looking for a
boy"
For a boy?" She laughed. "T cup
pose you did get US all mixed up. In
Theodore, but they cali me Ted
We're the Santa Barbara cousins."
Knapp couldn't remember .apy .Sanb
Barbara connections.
Are you going to school bsre?" be-
asked.
Not here. In Boston," :55lm
stopped short, staring up at hin
blankly.
They told me what you ought 10
look like, and you don't at all. Hair
rather gray and a little stout, and eye
glasses. Are you sure you're Cousin
Jack Knott?"
I'm Jack Knapp. and l live at the
st. Ambrose, and l surely have cousins
in California" He remembered there
was a Mr.. Knott at the hotel. He
called up. MI. Knott had gone on 4
southern trip two days before. He
broke the news to her with q twinkls
in his eyes.
"Ill have to be a proxy Cousin JACK,
Now, listen. Your train leaves at 8:le.
That's a long while to wait. I en-
gagged a room for my boy cousin. bun
he hasn't turned up. I'm going b
call up my sister, Mrs. Durant. anf
you'll go up there"
"Oh, I couldn't" she faltered. In
deed, l couldn't. You're very kind
but IL don't think I'll leave the Sta
tion."
''Then we'll stay right here"
It never occurred to either OF then
that 1t was already st. Valentines
day until while pacing back and forth
through the terminal they came faee
to face with a large display of valen-
tines. It seemed years since jack tah
ever even remembered St. Valentine'e
day. Somehow, now he found himselj
telling her of his rather lonely child
hood, brought up in a boys military
school, sent later on to a technical
preparatory school. and finally to. col
lege.
Then what happened? :" she aske1
eagerly.
Nothing except that I came In foz
too much money and failed to follow
my good star" She caught at the uB-
dercurrent of bitterness in his wordl
But you're not old"
"Thirty.four."
Suppose you live to be eighty-fom.
and find out you've wasted fifty-fow
years just looking down your nose anf
wishing something had happene6
that's different? You said you had toa
- oo,ofnu TIM hoxyo oud uiv1o o~onM
they? II I were you, I'd send them
valentines tonight, checks, you know.
call them hearts desire valentines.'''
Twill you direct the envelopes?
asked Jack. "Ill write the checks q
you WILL"
Surely 1t was the oldest kind Of
Valentine celebration.
"Those are precious old auntkr"
Jack explained, q bit sheepishly. -Ies
all kinds Of fun, isn't 1t? Will thsy
understand"
60 pick out Valentine postcards t
go inside" Ted told him. writing bus.
lily. TITS after four already. Doesn't
the time Just n.y."
Jack went after the postcards. II
anyone had told him he would spend
the night at the Grand Central termi
nal IN company with Ted of Santa Bar
bara, diligently sending Valentine
checks to all neglected relatives, he
would have called it q fantasy. Yet
here it was-a lark, but surely the
happiest he had Known in years.
by Jove. l begin to feel bewitched;~
he told her. Can l send you a valen-
tine, proxy cousin? Let me send yos
one to your Boston address, can't II
mot the same kind. 1 don't need
any, kind SIR" Ted teased. "You may
send me a proper sentiment, though
After the express pulled out h
started up Forty-second street. A Dor.
lists shop was just opening.
Il want about half q bushea of viz
lets sent to Boston ON the next train,
Have you got . very small box I can
seal ana inclose?" .
While the violets were being packex.
he slipped q. ring from. his little I'm
ger. 1t was one he had worn thruust
school. before wealth had hit him. He
had told her Of It as they sat side by
eide. told her he loved it because 4