Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-07-26

beck. And I'll bet there was a hos !
pital m doctors bill bigger'n this cat
tie note, to be paid. l don't want to
pile on"
"Now, Marthy, you be still. I'm per-
fectly willing to sign this note with
you. If it will satisfy Mr.. Seabeck,
I'm sure it's the very best we can do
or--expect." Billy Louise, bless her
heart, was trying very hard to be grate-
full to Seabeck in spite of the slump
he had suffered in her estimation.
"Well, I'll want your written word
that yuh won't prosecute Charlie nor
help nobody else prosecute him." stipu-
lated Marthy, with sudden shrewdness.
'If men Billy Louise signs this note,
wen pay 1t; and we want some per-
lection from vou, fer Charlie"
"Hmmm-mm- Il see ~ He turned and
went back to the Uttered desk and
wrote carefully ngnin upon another
sheet of paper. u think this will be
quite satisfactory" he said, and hand
ed the paper to Marthy.
"Glt my specs, Billy, Louise-off'n
the shelf over there" she said. and
read the paper laboriously, her lips
forming the letters of every word
which contained more than one syl-
liable. Marthy, remember, was a plains
woman born and bred.
II guess that'll do" she pronounced
at last, pushing the spectacles up on
her lined forehead. "You read 1t, Billy
Louise, m see what yuh think"
II think it's all right, Marthy," said
Billy Louise, after she had read the
document twice. Its q bill of sale;
and II also wipes the slate clean of any
possible 1 think Mr.. Seabeck is very
c-clever."
Whereupon Marthy signed the note,
with n spluttering of the abused pen in
/ her stiffened old fingers and great
twisting of her grim mouth as she
formed the capitals. Then Billy Louise
wrote her name with fine, schoolgirl
ease and little curl on the end of the
last d. Seabeck took the paper from
the tips of Billy Louise's supercilious
fingers, returned with it to the desk
for a blotter, hunted an envelope,
folded the note carefully, and laid it
away inside.
II believe that is all, Mrs. Meilke. l
hope you will suffer no further uneasi-
ness on account of your-nephew."
'Tm liable t suffer some gittin' that
five hundred dollars paid up" Marthy
returned with some acerbity. 'Tm
much obleeged to yuh, Mr.. Seabeck,
fer bein' so easy ON us. If yuh hadn't
drug Billy Louise into it, I'd say yer
too good to be human"
Hmmm-mm-not at ALL" Seabeck
stammered deprecatingly and left the
room with what haste his natural dig
nifty would permit.
That ended the Seabeck part of the
whole sordid affair, except that he re-
mained for another hour, doing chores
and making everything snug for the
night. Also lie filed the kitchen wood
box as high as he could pile the sticks
and brought water to last overnight
since Charles plan to pipe water into
the cabin had remained a beautiful
!, plan and nothing more. Billy Louise
thanked Seabeck, when he was ready
: to go.
Il know you were square, and you're
really big-souled, too. I'll remember il
always. Mr.. Seabeck"
"Will you?" Seabeck looked dowI
Mt her, with his hand upon the latch
: ''Even if you are put in q position
where you must pay that note-yol
will still-Hm-mm / see. Before
I 90, Miss Macdonald, should like you
: permission to send'a man down here Il
look after things"
mo, you mustn't" Billy Louis
spoke with prompt decision. "Marth
I might think you were-yOu see,
wouldn't do. I'll see about getting
man. II you will take this note up an
leave 1t in the mailbox for me, job
Pringle will come up tomorrow. We1
manage all right"
you're quite right. But Miss MAJ
= Donald, there is something else. I-e
= should like to give you a little-we(
ding gift, since you honored me wit
the news of your approaching-mm-I
marriage AS an old neighbOr, an
: one of your most sincere admirers, VIII
= would feel greatly honOred by you
y friendship, I-should like to have 70
= accept this" He held something OF
. . to Billy Louise and pulled open II
"a door for instant escape. "Good nigh
IL Miss Macdonald. l think 1t wi
I storm" Then he was gone, hurryir
down the narrow path with lOr
N strides, his tall figure bent to the win
p his coat Tapping around his lean legs
Billy Louise closed the door and h
" half-open mouth and let down h
I'd lifted eyelids. Standing with her ba'
II against the wall. she turned that som
in thing-an envelope-over twice, tn
er tore off the end and pulled out Il
a. contents. 1t was the note she and Ms