Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-12-18

even Dave If you said no, fatty. but
you wouldn't" Connie added confident
ly, mot if really wanted him. Don't
worry dad; he hasn't asked me, and
he won't not with the handicap, he's
under. | want you to go TO Goodwin
4 Hart and take over the Ashley
mortgage with my money, and not let
Dave know who has it, Hardy's GO
ing to foreclose with Mrs. Ashley just
home from the hospital"
Mr. Wade started back at her, sud
denly alert and aroused. The Ash
leys had been neighbors for years,
and the doctor close friend. He rose
and took down his hat from the old
antelope antlers on the wall. Connie
never spoke as he swung out of the
door like boy and down the walk TO
the street.
She saw him turn at the corner on
the way downtown, and then dropped
in the willow chair by the desk and
laid her head on it. Even if he did
help on the mortgage, she knew il
would not put Dave on his feet, nor
lift the barrier between them. II would
only tide him over until he could get
start She sat in the study until 1t
was almost dark and Mrs. Hopkins
came to say supper was ready twice.
Finally she heard steps on the walk,
and two figures came up to the door.
She tried to fasten up her rumpled
hair when she heard Dawes voice in
the hall.
"Iye brought him back to supper
because we've got to talk over some
business" said Mr.. Wade cheerfully.
"Hope you've got something good to
eat, Con. Better open up some of
those strawberry preserves and the
picked apricots. Can't have apricot
brandy any more, Dave, but they
haven't shut down on pickles yet. Sit
down and get your breath. IT'S all
right, Connie. I've got the mortgage"
He went out OF the room and left
them together. Connie could not speak.
His directness left her without de-
Tense, and she wondered If Dave knew
she had overheard his trouble on the
kwire.
81 don't understand all this" he
said bit huskily, running his fingers
through his hair in the boyish way
she remembered. Hardy was jam
ming me on the money and your
fathers taken it over Says 1t can
run indefinitely Offered me place
down in the railroad Office If ! care
to take it. Said he didn't want me to
be under any handicap. What did he
mean?"
Connie looked at the how, of fresh
cut late roses on the table, the crushy
pink ones that always came after all
the rest had fallen, and her face held
the same tint The voice of her father
startled them both as he sauntered
back into the ROOM his hands deep in
his pockets.
"rll tell YOU why l did it, son.
When | was your age / was handi-
capped, too. | loved Comics mother,
and we had to wait six years before
/ was in a position to marry her. We
never caught up on those lost years
Of youth, and l made up my mind then
that when my girl cared for anybody
well enough 10 marry him"
"DadW Comics voice was desper-
ate with warning, but the light in
Dawes eyes as he looked back at her
silenced her.
Mr.. Wade's eyes twinkled merrily.
Didn't you know Connie intended
to marry you, Dave? Why, mercy,
she's talked of nothing else since she
was five, and / thought it was all
settled"
81 just didn't dare ask her, Mr..
Wade" faltered Dave. IL didn't have
any right to, the way we were situat-
ed"
That's it. Same way with me.
Well, | want you to have a far run
ming chance now, without any handi-
cap. Ask her il you want to, and you'd
better call up Tompson tonight and
tell him you'll report on that job in
the morning. There's thirty-tive a
week to start, and Comics got quite
bundle herself"
He picked up the evening paper and
strolled out to the dining room. The
two turned to look at each other, Con-
ME shrinking back against the wall
as he came toward her.
Il don't want to wait six years, do
you, COnnie" he said. Gee ] don't
see how your father ever guessed I
was in trouble. Isn't he a brick,
though? Do you suppose he really
meant"
Tell the boy yes, as soon az you
can, Connie. The biscuits are getting
cold" called Mr. Wade comfortably
from the dining room, and Dave
asked no more questions, but reached
for his own