The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-08-23
THE WINNING SIDE
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

head, formed a roof or bright yellow
| green. All around was spring, from
| the white and pink orchard on the hill
side to the robins nest indifferently
| hidden under the caves of the house.
Just as he stepped on the porch the
front door opened and a girl came out.
Tom was very much surprised. He
had hardly expected this. She was his
next-door neighbOr in the city, and
their relations may be guessed from
what followed. At first neither spoke.
Tom politely lifted his hat and the girl
raised her chin about two inches.
Then the silence became embarrass-
ing. Tom asked: as Mrs. Caruthers
at homeW
%es, she is" answered the girl stiff
ly.
"Do you think could see herr"
"You probably could"
81 mean, may | see herr"
81 suppose you may. VIII you come
INF"
"Oh, I'll just wait out here. thank
you" he said,
"Oh, Mrs. Caruthers," cried Edith,
rushing upstairs where an old lady
was quietly knitting
"Yes, my dear! l see we have com
pany. l was just going down. Can't
you stay a few minutes longer2 It's
early and"
"No, I can't stay, thank you, but |
shouldn't if I could. ] know who that
man is, Mrs. Caruthers, and | want
to warn you against him. He's come
to get an option or something on your
land. 1 don't know what it is, of
course, but feel sure he's up to some
thing"
"How do you happen to know so
much about him, Edith?"
"They live next door to us In town,
and dad had an awful time with them
about the line between the lots. Dad
had to take it to court and the VIII
sons acted awfully mean about It,"
"But why are you so hard on the
young man, dear? Perhaps In fact
most likely, he had nothing to do
with It,"
tend to have anything to do with any
of them, if I can help 1t, and really
, think you ought not to, either. You'll
see. He'll sell you bogus stock or
something. But I think I'll slip over
home the back way now. Do you care
If 1 go through the orchard and get
some blOssOms?"
"Certainly not, dear; help yourself.
THERE l must go down now and see
my visitor"
Edith could not reach many bios
some from the ground, so, since the
trunk Of an apple tree was crooked and
bent she crawled up into the branches.
Then suddenly she realized that
someone was below and, looking down,
she recognized "that Wilson man." He
had spade and a box and was look
ing cautiously in every direction-ex-
ccpt up, He didn't dream of her near
ness, evidently.
81 knew itr' thought Edith triumph
antIy. 81 knew he wasn't here for any
good. Now what do you suppose 1t is
money or the fiat silver? He'll come
back some night and dig it up. I'm sure
he has taken something's
Tom began to dlg-not very deep,
but a little hole just big enough for the
box. Then he covered it over with
dirt and departed.
Edith waited until he had gone and
then, forgetting her blossoms, slipped
down the tree and dug up the loose
earth with her bare hands. The box
of light pasteboard, came up easily, its
contents featherwelght. Now what
in the world do you suppose? Bonds,
maybe-or perhaps paper money.
"Ill 60 right down and tell Mrs. Ca
ruthers," she declared. "We'll call him
in and confront him with the evil
dence."
But Tom was already in the house.
I'll saw you burying this in the
orchard, Mr. Wilson," said Edith nc
cusingly, coming into the living room
with the box. ne handed 1t to Mrs.
Caruthers.
"You open it, dear. / can't see very
we'll"
"Do you mind Tiff l go out on the
porch?" asked Tom. at might be bet
ter for everybody"
"No. l think you'd better stay
here" said Edith firmly, taking Off the
lid.
Edith picked up an envelope-the
only thing in the box. 1t was adj
dressed to her. Queer! She opened
it and read:
"Dear Miss Edith: saw you go up
into the tree. / hope you won't come
down until get this written and post
ed (O Grandma says you don't like
me. ] knew it before. But we Will
sons always get what we 20 after, and
I've made up my mind that | love you
and am going to marry You. | hadn't
q chance in town with the families
scrapping, but with grandma on my
side we're going to do what we can to
get you.
"If you'll only give me a little hope
I'll see that the pater digs up the hedge
in town and gives yours the six inches.
Surely that Is an induccment. For
further reference see grandma. Yours
devotedly, Thomas Caruthers Wilson"
Ruth had sense Of humor. She sat
down and laughed Historically.
"Tve fallen into my own trap" she
acknowledged ruefully. And then:
"What do you think of him, Mrs. Gu
ruthers? DO you advise me to fight