Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-09
CHAPTER XVI.

with Graham's compliments, and a
few days later a big box of oranges
for Mrs. HOLSTER with no clew what
ever as to their sender. Shirley be-
gan to wonder what her part would
be and what she should do about it,
and presently received-a letter! And
then, after all, 1t was only q pleasant
rent, about which she had always
been SO punctual, until his return, as
no one else understood about. his af-
fairs. He added a few words about
his pleasant trip and a wish that they
We're all prosperirg---and that was all.
Shirley was disappointed, Of course.
and vet, If he had said more, or it he
had ventured to send her ever aslmere
trifle Of a gift, it would have made
her uncomfortable and set her Aues-
tioning how she should treat him and
it. It was the perfection of his be-
havior that he had not overstepped q
single bound that the most particular
might set for a. landlord and his re-
spected tenant. She drew a deep sigh
Inc put the letter hack into the en-
velope, and as she did so she spied a
small card, smaller than the envelope,
on which was an exquisite bit OF
scenery, a.colored photograph. appar-
emily, and underneath had been pen
cilled, zone Of the many beautiful
spots in California that I an sure you
would appreciate"
Her heart gave an unforbidden leap
and was promptly taken to task for it.
Yet when Shirley went back to her
typewriter the bit of a picture was
pinned to the wall back of her desk,
and her eyes rested on it many times
that day when she lifted them from
her work. It is questionable whether
Shirley remembered Miss Harriet
Hale at all that day.
The garden was growing beautifully
now. There would scon be lettuce and
radishes ready to eat. George had Sc
cured a number of customers through
people at the. store, and was planning
to take early trips to town. when his
produce was ripe. to deliver it.. They
watched every night and looked again
every morning for signs of the first
pea blossoms, and h little green
spires Of onion tops, like sparse hairs,
beginning to shoot up. Every day
brought some new wonder. They al
most forgot they had ever lived in the
little old brick house, until George
and reported that it had been half
pulled down, and you could row see
the outline Of where the stairs and
closets had been, done in plaster, on
the side of the next house. They wore
all very silent for q minute thinking
after he, told that, and Mrs. HOLSTER
looked around the great airy place
in which they were sitting, and then\
out the open door where the faint
stain Of sunset was still lingering
against the horizon, and said:
I'VE ought all to be very thankful.
children. George, get the Bible and
read the thirty-fourth psalm Won
deringly George obeyed. and they all
sat listening as the words sank into
their souls.
\ "Now." said the mother when the
psalm was finished and those last
words, 1.-THE Lord redeemeth the soul
Of his servants. and none of them that
trust in him shall be d~esolate"; now
let us kneel down and thank Him"
And they all knelt while she" prayed
a few earnest, simple words of
thanksgiving and comnlended~them to
Gods keeping.
By this time Mrs. Hollister was SO
well that she went every day for a
little while into the garden and work.
ed, and was able to do a great deal
in the house. The children We're over
joyed, and lived in a continual trance
of delight over the wild, free life they
were living. Carols school had closed
and Carol was at home all day. This
made one more to help in the garden.
George was talking about building a
little pigeon-house and raising squads
for sale. The man who did the
plouEhing had given him a couple to
start with, and told him there was
money in squads if n only went
about it right. George and Harley
it, and talked much on the subject.
The weather. was growing warm,
and Shirley was:wishing her vacation
came in July or August instead Of the
first two weeks in September. Some
how she felt so used, up these hot
days, and the hours dragged by SO
slowly. At night the trolleys were
crowded until they were halfway out
to Glenside. She often had to stand,
h was very happy and thankful
only there was SO much to be done in
this world, and she seemed to have
so little strength to do it all. The
burden OF next fall came occasionally
to mar the beauty Of the summer,
and rested heavily upon her young
shoulders. II only there wouldn't be
n winter for just one year and they
could stay inhthe barn and get rested
moving. It was going to be so
hard to leave that wide, beautiful
abtding-place. barn though 1t was.
Ono morning nearly four weeks aft
er Graham left for California Shirley
called from her desk to the outer
to take some d~ictation for Mr.. /
Clegg. While she vas there two men
entered the outer office and asked for
Mr.. Barnard. One of them was a
snort, thick-set man with a preten-
tious wide gray. mustache parted in |
h middle and -combed elaborately
out on his cheeks. He had a red face.
little cunning eyes, and a cruel set
to his Jaw, WHICH somehow seemedl
at variance with his loud.
checked suit, sporty necktie Of soft |
bright blue satin. set with q scarf-pin
of two magnificent stones, a diamond
n q sapphire, and with the three
snowy jewelled rings which he wore
on his fat, pudgy hand. The other
man was sly, quiet, gray, unobstru-
stve, obviously the henchman Of the
first.
Mr.. Clegg told the men they might
go into b inner Office and wait fnr
Me-. Barnard, who would probahlv no
In shortly, and Shirley watched them
as they passed out of her view. WON
.dering idly why those exquisite stones
2 70 pc wasted In such an out-of-
place spot as In that coarse.lookinrl
mans necktie, and II q maj like that
really cared for beautiful things else
why should he ever wear them? rs
was only 9 passing thought, and then
she took up her pencil and took down
the closing sentences of the letter M.
Clegg was debating. 1t was but a mn:
i1ent] NJ and she was free Ia -
back 70 her own little aicoye, iust hs.
hind Mr.. Barpard's office ana enn.
Meeting with It, There was an an,
trance. % Il from the tiny cloak.rnorr