The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-09-19
Unmasked
By GEORGE ELMER COBB
1919. by the Western New
paE<r UnioR.)

tCopyrish t. 1919. by the Western News
pa1er Union.)
Rather pettishly Mrs. Abner Gill
founced into the kitchen where her
husband was mending a leaky pan.
She naturally had q spicy, fault-find-
Ing vein, and just now It was accent
uated.
"Humph! Another whim of that pre-
cious old relative OF yours" she snap
ped out.
what now" questioned Abner.
Your Uncle Silas has brought home
a stranger to dinner deaf as a post,
like himself.
THAT so? Well. Martha. you know
what we have ct stake. We've man
aged to get the old ~curmulgeon right
into our clutches away from all the
other relatives, and we mustn't lose
our grip now. He can't last forever.
and when he does kick the bucket
we're pretty sure to get the bulk Of
his fortune
Sullenly Martha Gin proceeded to
prepare the meal, but she and her
husband we're al smiles when the quar-
tet sat down at the table. Their
policy was to coddle, entertain and de-
lude their aged relative. Uncle Silas
had about $4,000 government bonds.
The ellis believed they were his chosen
beneticiaries and had played their
cards so cleverly that Silas had come
to them with the statement:
II need a home and am willing to
pay for 1t. If you say SO. I'll camp
down here With you people. turn in
$500 q year for my keep, and as to
what I leave behind we'll see in due
time"
"Oh! dear Uncle Silas, don't talk
about money. All we care for Is to
make you comfortable" asserted Mrs,
Gill.
II was by accident that Silas had
happened upon a brother In affection
passing through the town. Per slate
and gesture they had quite a comfort
able conversation When they ad'
journed to the next room the
stranger sat watching Abner and his
wife clearing off the table.
He seemed immensely interested in
studying their faces. Finally he wrote
on the slate:
Friends Of yours?"
"Oh, yes" nodded Uncle Silas.
mot very good Ones" came in re
ply, but the stranger, who understood
lip movement language, declined to ex
press more than an opinion. He. how
ever, showed Silas a little book pub
lished by a prominent aurist in the city
to whom he said he was going FOL
treatment.
After he was gone Uncle Sila!
thought a good deal about the city ex
pert and n day told Abner and Mar
tina that he was going away on
visit to his deaf acquaintance. TIL
announcement disquieted those font
relatives. but they dared not cross hi
will. Abner grew anxious and Martht
fumed and fretted constantly, as {
month passed before Uncle Silas wrote
them that he intended to be back home
In a day or two.
When he did come he found thu
folk absent. He lay down on thu
seat Of a little latticed summer house
in the garden. He awoke at the sount
Of voices.
"Yes. it's him." he heard the voice
of Martha-"heard," for the aurist ex
pert had cured his deafness.
We'll have to begin the old proc.
ess Of humoring him" replied Abner
And he looks as If his trip had done
than he ever did"
"Say. Martha, you go through his
things when you have time and see
II you a get any inlkling OF his pur.
pose in visiting the city"
"A good idea. Maybe he has been
making arrangements about his will
A fine thing 1t would be If, after all
our scheming to get his fortune, he
should cheat US J"
"Oh, we've pulled the wool over old
clared Ahner.
Uncle Silas vas hurt, astounded-
Mortified. He had greeted the restOra-
ton OF his hearing with ardent delight
and thankfulness. The shock that now
accompanied It's possession benumbed
him.
He went from the garden wondering
If all the rest of his kin were of the
same heartleSs mold as the Gills. Men
tally he went owe the long list Of
relatives. Almost involuntarily he
turned into the yard of an humble lit
tie cottage. 1t was the home Of his
brothers widow and of Alice Leigh,
her daughter.
All Of q sudden he realized that he
had not treated them just right in al
lowing the ellis to poison his mind
against them.
Through the open window foated
the voice Of his niece. yes, mamma,
Orion is poor like ourselves, but we
love one another. and he is going to
A. r.. l. ----N- -