The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-03-16
THE APPLICANT
Ry AGNES G. RRoeAN.


air might do you both good An you
/ viii have to do is TO look over carefully
the applicants who come in response TO
my advertisement.
IF we are to make Il success of our
legacy farm during the coming sum
mcr, good farmer must be put in
charge nov. One With housekeeping
Wife would Of course be preferable.
Man, or man and wife,, | Wdrded the
od. If YOU can't find suitable couple
however, and a promising single man
ahpcars-takc him. He can shift for
Himself. Your Judgment is better
than mine, sis" he endcd pacatingly
Il hate TO 90 out to that forsaken
place" Nancy gIumbled especially
now. when there are so many things
to 10 In town. 1}rt when did | ever
Gail YOU Zen? If Aunt ATatlld;t can be
persuaded
"Aumt Matilda is always glad to help
others" that lady answered severely,
aud the brothcr-hcad Of the family
rclicycdly turned TO depart
"By th"rway," he called back. don't
fail 20 sclE any " the old stuff in the
house If yoU lave IA chance"
:, 10y ""' " n"''' -H''n'H Sl,Ho''t
torr, " IN ~ ,bot i'y.l ,riiG,rno., ~ S' 0'0 i'r
nr M 80
try place wGs not as dlstouraging as it
had seemed. Aunt ATaulda settled
Nac,- cornro,toIly in a rocl,". hofora
,hc nro which ea,lv enring limo nade
necessary wbtIn Nancy onana1 ia
long unnscd ni,no ;rl,n hormnny
which her fingers drew from the yellow
Ervs wos mtcrrunfed bv a lond yinr.
Ing Of the While handled doorbell and
The girl hastencd TO respond. A tall
heavily cloaked figure stood before her
in the doorway runpling his dark hair,
tie man Snatched OFT his cap in greet
in.
Il came about the advertisement"
he answered.
"Cone in." Nancy invited she nusbed
forth 4 chair.
The mans eyes frightened IN eyi-
dent admiration at sight of her.
About the advertisement" She muir
mured considering. "Are YOU mar
ried?"
The applicant stared. "Why. no"
he began.
"Weli. II isn't essential" Nancy said |
that Is. If vou are able to do vour own
cooking and washing M. Can youg"
The man bIinked mrhe .dvortieo-
nlent-" he started bnt AGAIN tho yirl
nterrunted
"tto,.a ,.ou = r,,o,o,,ao ~, az,
od 4"e'
w.,
" ~ %pI'i,iO''ii' Stoou up anu smiled
80 piu'i,er selt me ou'' lie SAID
~ ~ : 'se ''e ip'one . iioilehl
neii hau sent nm. In rcilef Nancy
w 'le WY 10 tne te'ephoie'
rms IS barclay spoke the mans
Folce- Ihe young lady out here wants
o pe sure am all right will you tell
lcr'
Sure came back Ben's familiar
one.
Nancy took the instrument into her
iands. "Tou can bank on that man
Barclay, sis" Ben assured her Then
,rislily she led the way 10 the kitchen.
~ will need your helm here frstv
llc told the man. engaged for al worl.
nd he laid aside his heavy coat cam.
NJ cheerfully ia her assistance wban
he fire had been attended to be busiad
iu.Aslf with refractory faucet wbiIa
tancy began her task of preparing the
evening meal Constantly pba felr
hose dark eyes upon her tbongb the
lan remained deferentiallv silent
During the week which followed the
1an was tireless in service. even Annt
Iatilda admitted that Ben had found
jewel. eve may now leave the
lace safe in his hands" she said
But to Nancy the thought of re-.
lrning TO the city home was far from
lviting She had not known maj
Drlngtime in the country could be 50
nchanting. 1t had been fun. too, She
Iade self confession guiltily-teaching
Ir. Barclay TO cook. And he had been
most agreeable pupil. So many
lings had been pIeasant--the long
ryes about the place which if had II
cen her duty TO take in his company
$ director. Nancy sighed
Through the window she noticed