The times-herald. [volume] (Burns, Harney County, Or.) 1896-1929, 1918-08-24
CHAPTER !.
The Ray OF Sunlight.


Sunrise Cove and fingered on the sill,
so the little girl in the black frocl
and hat with twin braids of sunshiny
hair ON her shoulders, lowered at the
entrance of the dim and dusty place.
She carried satchel In one hand,
while the fingers OF the other were
hooked into the rivet-studded collar of
notified, homely mongrel dog.
"Oh, dear me, Prince!" sighed the
little girl, "this must be the place.
Wen just have to go in. OF course l
know no must he nice man; but he's
such stranger"
Her feet faltered over the door sill
and paced slowly down the shop be-
tween long counters. She saw no clerk.
At the back of the shop was a small
office closed In with grlmy windows.
The uncertoin visitor and her canine
companion saw the shadowy figure Of
man inside the office, sitting ON a
high stool and bent above big ledger
The dog, however, scented something
else.
In the half darkness Of the shop he
and his little mistress came unexpect-
edly upon what Prince considered his
arch-enemy. There rose up on the end
Of the counter nearest the open Office
door big, black tomcat whose arched
back, swollen tail and yellow eyes
blazed defiance.
"Ps-s-st-ye-ow
The rising yowl broke the silence of
the shop like trumpet call. The little
girl dropped her bag and seized the
dogs collar with both hands.
Prince !" she cried, don't you speak
to that cat-don't you dare speak
to It'll"
BLESS mer' croaked voice from
the office.
The tomcat uttered second ''ps-s-st
-ye-oww and shot up ladder to the
top shelf.
Bless mew repeated Joseph Stagg,
taking off his eyeglasses and leaving
them In the ledger to mark his place.
what have you brought that dog in
here for?"
He came to the Office door.
IL didn't have any place to leave
him." was the hesitating reply.
"Humi Did your mother send you
for somethingT
Moo, sir" sighed the little visitor.
At that moment a more daring ray
Of sunlight found Its way through the
transOm over the store door and lit up
the dusky place. II fell upon the
slight, black-frocked figure and for an
instant touched the pretty head as
with an aureole.
BLESS me, childI" exclaimed Mr..
Stagg. "Who are your
The fiowerlike face Of the little girl
qulvered, the blue eyes spilled big
drops over her cheeks. She approached
Mr.. Stagg. STOPPING and squirting In
the Office doorway, and placed a timid
hand upon the broad band of black
crepe he wore on his coatsleeve.
You're not Hannah's Car'lynT
questioned the hardware dealer huskily.
I'm Car'iyn May Cameron" she
confessed. You're my Uncle Joe. I'm
very glad to see you, Uncle Joe, and
and ] hope-yOu're glad TO see me-
and Prince" she finished rather fall
teringly.
BLESS mel" murmured the man
again.
Nothing NO startling as this had en-
tered Sunrise Cove's chief hardware
emporium" for many and many year.
Hannah Stagg, the hardware mer-
chants only sister, had gone away
from home quite fifteen years previ-
Ously. Mr.. Stagg had never seen Han
nah again; but this slight, blue-eyed,
sunny-hajred girl was replica Of his
sister, and In some dusty corner OF Mr..
Stages heart there dwelt a very faith
full memory Of Hannah.
Nothing had served to estrange the
brother save time and distance.
"Hannah's Car'lyn," muttered Mr..
Stagg again. "Bless me, child how
did you get here from New York;
"On the cars, uncle. You see, Mr..
Price thought I'd better come. He says
you are my guardIan-ifs In papa's
Will and would have been so In mann
mas will, If she'd made one. Mr..
Price put me on the train and the con-
ductor took care OF me.
"Who is Mr.. Price?" the storekeeper
asked.
Hes a lawyer. He's written you
long letter about It. It's In my bag
Didn't you get the telegram he sent
you last evening Uncle Joe? A night
letter. he called IT,"
Never got it." replied Mr.. stagg
shortly.
"Well, you see. when papa and NAM
ma had to go away so suddenly they
left me with the Prices. ] go TO school
with Edna Price and she slept with me
at night In our hat-after the Dunra-
ven sailed"
"But--what did this lawyer send
you up here for?" asked Mr.. Stagg.
The question was a poser and Caro-
lyn May stammered: IL Don't
guardians always take their little girls
home and look out for themT