The Washington times., 1918-07-03
By Virginia Terhune Van
de Water.
chapter XII.


roR some days after this. John
Butler saw Elizabeth Wade
only At meal times or IN the
presence Of Amos and Mrs. Chaplin.
Elizabeth suspected that he was
deter mined to prevent any closer
aequSlntanes with herself, and was
more amused than piqued by the
suspicion. She appreciated that be-
Heving her to be the cousin OF the
farmers wife. he had scruples about
paying her such marked attention
Gs hem light bestow upon one OF his
own class. So. smiling to herself.
she aided and abetted his efforts to
Svade her.
Yet. occasionally, she wished that
she might have = pleasant long
talk with him. She was lonely here.
away from all her former asso-
eiates and without intellectual
eompanionship. When not helping
Mrs. Chaplin she spent much OF her
time In her room reading. She
wrote to her brother but seldom.
for there was little to tell except
that his e1-patient was looking
stronger and better with each pass
ing day and that the fields were
improving a. rapidly as he was.
It was evident to he rthat Chaplin
was allowing John Butler to do
much Of the work that he himself
was in the habit OF performing.
Whereas Amos was accustomed to
riBing At daylight, on these morn
tngs he lay abed until Butler had
been below stairs for an hour. In
The afternoon. also. Amos would
come to the house for q little nap.
while the young guest would re-
main at work until close to the
supper hour. Elizabeth knew that
since Butler had been forced upon
Chaplin the farmer had resolved to
take advantage OF the chance to
lead q more luxurious life than
heretofore.
Butler may have noticed this him
self. but he spoke no word OF COM
plaint Instead. he took matters
more and more into hts own hands.
ordering from the city certain farm
implements OF which CShapin knew
nothing, and making Improvement
that the farmer considered useless.
A fol and his money are sono
parted" Chaplin remarked dryly one
day TO his wife. as she and Eliza
beth Eat In the vine-shaded kitchen
porch hullins strawberries. That
young Butler seems to be crazy to
spend good money on a lot OF new
tangled axin's. Well, II he wants to
Il, and the owner OF the farm don't
object I'll not say anything. Your
brother and 7 will proth by il may
be-if there is any profit. which I
doubt" he added to Elizabeth.
| Sceptical Farmer.
There viii be profit. 81 one may
Judge by the looks OF the farra." the
girl affirmed gravely.
Looks aren't everything Wait
tili the crops come in," the man
said skepticaliy. Il don't hold with
these scientific ways OF doin' things.
But your brother wanted It tried
eut-so I'm keeping mum" The
words set Elizabeth to thinking.
and the results OF her cogitation
was the decision that John Butler
knew what he was doing and that
she would best not display too
much interest IN the matter. She
would not mention II to him.
But Butler himself introduced ths
subject one morning when. on her
ray down to the pond for water
lilies. she met him.
May / 90 with your" he asked
abruptly when she told him her
srrand-
'why-yes," she stammered, IF
You aren't too busy
y An rot" he declared. Il have
been working hard lately, but just
now I called Mr. Chapin's attention
TO this fact and suggested that he
and Talak finished the bit of cul-
tIvatinE I was doing in the corn.
I do not think he liked it, be added
rehectively.
TT is his Job. anyway" Eliza
beth declared bluntly. Don't let
him impose on you. Mr.. Butler
The man looked at her with a sur
prised expression that reminded her
that Chaplin was supposed to be her
cousin By marriage
II mean" she explained, hes al
ways been In the habit Of doing
such work, and you have not"
He did not speak until he and
she were in one OF the iat-bot-
TONED boats on the little lake.
Then, when Butler had rowed
around a bend that hid them from
the farm. he laid down the oars and
let the boat drift into the shadows.
Pleasing Impression.
1T is good to get out here where
It 10 quiet and COOL he remarked
after a long silence. -chapin
brought me . letter from the viii
lage an hour ago. II is from my
mother. Do you mind II read it
nowT
certainly not" she assured him.
Read Il BY all means"
Leaning back in the stern Of the
boat she watched him stealthily.
How well he was looking. and how
much more handsome he was than
he had been on his arrival three
weeks GgoI
As he read, she saw him start
and hUsh suddenly.
BY Jove!" he nattsred-
whats the mattsr7" she asked.
rs anything wrongT" Then. as