The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-03-16
Lind''s
Fortune
e.
By GEORGE FINER COBB
"Won't YOU let me help youg"

in her pretty, innocent face.
Il thank YOU. hut-ycS. II you
please she said and wondered at her
own tcmcrity.
Lima was carrying two baskets and
. one WAS unusually heavy. lt-was Gov
cred with screening, newspaper fold
ed neatly Air. Dale Armstrong would
have probably wondered II he had
guessed whut it hid. ll~ wondered
at lis weight aS ne rcliCy,Si her ~ the
basket. Lima was able 10 carry the
J basket on her other arm very com
fortahly.
Il think know who YOU are" spoke
her escort. IL have heard Miss Barton
speak of YOU"
Yes. Nellie is my cousin, replied
/ Lima 1--WE don't see much of one an
other. though. She is away II good
deal und-'
4 Lima paused there and with tact MIR
+ Armstrong changed the subject lie
| understood without an explanation,
| Miss Nellie Barton was the daughter
l of "A family OF wealth. The Walters
/ folk We're not blessed with social nd-
. vantagcS lie chattcd about the birds.
\ the flowers. the lake, the woods and
/ Lima was relieved aud Interested. Then
I where the road turned and la sight
of rude old hut, she put out her
/ hand timdly
I 81 can take the basket now n YOU
! please" She said gratefully and the
young man scanned the depths of her
eyes with n realization that they were
true, tender eyes, the glowing glimpse
/ of which he did not soon forget.
/ He lifted his hat and strollcd slow
/ ly back The way hc had come, rcluct-
! untly too, for the lovely girl
seemed a natural part of the sweet,
fresh vornal frame about them. lie
was a broker from the city, "A close
friend OF Ned Barton, brother OF Mel
1 lie, and hc had been n guest ut the
Barton palatial home for week. Pur-
poScly invited or not. Miss Barton had
set her snarcS To capture him, as was
her rule with marrageablc young men
Of social prestige and money. Arm
strong admired her, for she was regal.
ly beautiful but he was conscious of
her wilos. There had been surfcit
OF her apparent wilcs. and the contrast
between the proud beauty and the lit
tie wildwood flower he had just left
was intense and sOul-stirring.
~ say, Armstrong, flirtingY' hailed
a free and eusy voice and Ned Bar.
ton came into view. his fishing rod
across his shoulder. Wasn't that Lima
WaltersT"
"Your cousin, she said" replied
Armstrong. Tell me about her. I'm
Interested"
"Thcn don't let Nellie know IT." al.
vised haphazard Ned. Truth is, Mel.
lie cuts her. You see, the Walters
people are the poor branch Of the fam-
lily and Nellie rather keeps the rcln-
tionship i'm Obscurity. Not but what
Lima is genuine trump. She's the
bravest little scout / ever knew. Works
for her folks day and night and *
happy and smiling over H. Poor Lima !!
for she's every inch a lady. Carry
ing something 10 Uncle Peter / war
rant"
"And who is Uncle Pctcrf' inquired
Armstrong.
ooh, sort Of an outcast, hermit
now. Poor, old Crossgraiucd. He ONCE
could have bought UP the whole town,
but ne got speculation In his blood
and IL led him 10 ruin. Pity you didn't
have him for a client I'm those old gol-
den days of his. 10 steer him up against
real securities that paid real dividends.
One day there was an explosion tlai
startled the town. His last dollar hod
taken wings in the wake Of fading
gold mining scheme that swallowed ~
something like FIVE millions. Then he
shut himself up in d. Q wrctchcd OBJ
shack down the road and lives 10 him
self"
And Lima that is, Miss WaltersT
lntcrrOgatod Armstrong.
"Oh. | suppose she has pitIcd his
loneliness. hear he Is growing frail
and weak. The Walter people haven't
much 10 spare, but what they have
Lima Is probably sharing with him. I've
met her Juggling "a basket Of coal down
there several times. Fancy Nellie do
Ing that for him.'
All of which made a due impression
on Dale Armstrong, FOR be was big
hearted, true-souled fellow. There was
q new arrival az the Barton place that
afternOOn--a girl chun ~ Nellie ana
her brother. Nellie proceeded 10 play
this young gentleman against Arm
strong 10 urge UP his Jealousy and at
tentiOn. Armstrong saw through the
nImsy scheme and was, In fact. glad 10
be relieved from 20 much 81 the com.
pany Of the shallow cOquette.
He kept q lookout for Lima. but he
did not meet her for several days. Be
fore he did. there was another INK
added 20 the circumstantial chain 81
incidents apperfaining 10 his formal
acquaintancoship with Lima. lie was
passing the old hut one afternoon when
there came feeble hail Armstrong
made out n figure seated In On arm
chair Just within the doorway He