The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-03-07

! 81 guess that'll do" she pronounced
mt last pushing the spectacles up on
her lined forehead. "You read it, Billy
Louise, n see what yuh think"
81 think it's all right. Marthy." said
Billy Louise, after she had read the
document twice. ITS a bill Of sale !;
and it also wipes the slate clean of any
possible think Mr.. Seabeck is very
| c-clever."
Whereupon Marthy signed the note,
with a Spluttering of the abused pen in
her stiffened old fingers and great
twisting of her grim mouth us she
! formed the capitals. Then Billy Louise
| wrote her name with fine. schoolgirl
ease and Il 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 blOtter, hunted an envelope
folded the note carefully, and laid it
away inside.
81 believe that is all, Mrs. Meilke.
hope you will suffer no further uneasl-
ness on account of yOur-nephew."
I'm liable t suffer some gittin' that
five hundred dollars paid up" Marthy
returned with some acerbity. I'm
much Oblpeged 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
Stamnercd deprecatingly and left the
room with what haste his natural dig
nifty would permit.
That ended the Seabeck part of the
whole sOrdd affair, except that he re-
manned for another hour, doing chores
and making everything snug for the
night. Also he filled 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 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-souied, too. I'll remember it
always, Mr.. Seabeck."
"Will yOu?" Seabeck looked down
at her, with his hand upon the latch.
Even If you are put in q position
where you must pay that nOte-yOu
will still-Hm-mm l see. Before l
90, Miss Macdonald, l should like your
permission to send Il man down here to
look after things"
"NO, you mustn't" Billy Louise
spoke with prompt decision. "Marthy
might think you were-yOu see, it
wouldn't do. I'll see about getting a
man. If you will take this note up and
leave it in the mailbOx for me, John
Pringle will come up tomorrow. Well
manage all right"
'Youre quite right. But, Miss Mac
Donald, there is something else. Ter
should like to give you q little-wed-
ding gift, since you honorcd me with
the news of your approaching-mm-m
marriage. AS an old ncighbOr, and
one of your most sincere admirers, who
would feel greatly hOnorcd by your
!
accept this" He held something out
70 Billy Louise and pulled open the
door for instant escape. Good night,
Miss Macdonald. I think it will
storm" Then he was gone, hurrying
down the narrow path with long
strides, his tall figure bent to the wind,
his coat Tapping around his lean legs.
Billy Louise closed the door and her
haIf-open mouth and let down her
lifted eyelds. Standing with her back
against the wall, she turned that some
thing-an envelope-over twice, then
tore off the end and pulled out the
contents. 1t was the note she and Mar
thy had signed no longer than an hour
ago. and written large across the face
of it were the words: paid, Samuel
ScabpCk."
misunderstanding !" said Billy Lou
Use under her breath and went straight
in to show 1t to Marthy.