The Press., 1919-09-25
A Recluse and Queer
 h
By S. B. HACKLEY
Copyright, 1919. by the Mcclure News
 paper Syndicate.)


 How would it do to invite Nathe Craft over to see Miss Roberta, Ma mie? Jim Leverance, in the saddle, looked inquiringly at his wife, who had just left her newly arrived guest. Mercy, Jim! Bert would marry him right out of hand! Dora's enter- tafnfng her at 12 o'clock lunch tomor- row, and she doesn't want him to drop in and meet Bert and the other girls she's invited. Can't you get him off to town tomorrow afternoon on some pretext2"
 "I guess I can get him to drive in and get that piece of freight we or dered together; but. say, Name, don't you think you girls are exceeding your rights?"
 "Oh hush, Jimmy boy" Mamie cried lightly. we are safeguarding little Nathe's interests !"
 Jim's snort was not complimentary to their sense of justice. They his wife and all his wife's people-since Dora, the youngest Hunter girl, had married Burrell Craft, the younger of
  CT, owned thousand acres of the richest land In the Blue Grass, and raised blooded horses and cattle for the market-seemed obsessed with the fear of Nathan's marrying When the Hunters. newcomers, dis covered the two bashful bachelors, pretty Dora had annexed Burrell skillfully. There had been no other daughter for Nathan, and after the advent of Dora's little boy, the family, seeing a possibility of the child's be- ing some time heir to his uncle's share of the farm, had determined nobody else's daughter should "capture' Ma than.
 When Burrell married. Nathan very sensibly took his cases of insects and moved into a big, comfortable log house on the back of the farm and gave the big red brick home up to his new siSter-in-laW-a most pleasing ar engagement to the Hunter family. Ma than, living alone in his own house, a bit isolated, could be kept from meet ing their unmarried women guests.
 "Mamie's a dear. and Dora's good to Burrell," Leverance unused as he rode off. "I gall it rotten they don't want to see old Nathe. the most affec donate fellow in the world, happy with a woman, too! They have even filled Burr's head with the advisability of keeping Nathe single. That-that's getting within mans rights! Well, l promised to send him off ten miles to- morrow, but, darn it, feel meant"
 The next day Nathan Craft, at the station, stepped into the danger zone Jim wished him to enter. An erect elderly lady with very white hair and very black eyes spoke to him. Did he know of a small cottage in the coun- try and somewhat isolated from the road she could rent until September? Her daughter, Miss Hagar McNaught. a teacher, had been Ill, and was or dered to the country.
 When she introduced the daughter, a graceful girl with particularly beau- tiful black eyes, Nathan felt that fate could hold nothing better in store for him than to allow hi1n tc-take this winsome creature In his arms and carry leI tIlIOuSH ll1t.
 Yes, he knew of such a place. small stone cottage on the river cliff. Nobody was living In it, but it was in good repair. This house (which fact he did not mentiOn) was on the five miles distant cliff on which he spent every Sunday afternoon in summer with his butterfly net. A man had nI 1if.iH before, but Nathan withheld this fact also. If they knew nothing of the un- happy story the cliff would be an ideal resting place.
 Three days after. on Sunday after noon. Nathan took his butterfly net and set out for Reads cliff Under the seat of his runabout he slipped while Shadrach. his negro cook. was not looking, a peck basket of yellow mcnted, pink-chceked peaches. At the foot of the cliff Nathan secured his horse. and with a strangely beating heart. climbed the rugged path.
 Back of the cluster of cedars that stood between the path and the cot tage he paused uncertainty. Then he heard voices
 "Of, mother, isn't 1t beautiful here? That nice man that sent us here don't you love him, mother dear?"
 This came clear through the cedars Nathan'S foot struck stone noisily. He could only go on.
 Good afternoon !" he stammered. "I was passing by and I remembered there was no fruit here-I have brought you a few peaches !"
 And the cliff was covered with ripen- ing blackberries!
 They greeted him with gentle friend Illness and after q while walked with him down the river path where the butterflies hung over the fire pinks.
 With his hobby before him Nathan forgot his shyness. His clear brown eyes grew brilliant in his enthusiastic explanations, and Hagar-Hagar won- dnred if the simmer thav had nrona rod