The Taney County republican., 1919-10-09
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THE BOOKW0RM
BY VINCENT c. PERRY.
Z. !.
Copyright, 1918. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)

Raymond Walsh waS.a puzzle 10 the
villagers Of Willgreen. At the age OF
twenty-five he was not even giving
marriage a thought. Nothing seemed
to interest him but books and his
estate. Sarah Morley. who had been
pOStmlstreSs for thirty years (this was
fact Sarah hoped no one could re-
member), kept the village posted on
his activities. The first year he had
been home from college he had taken
q correspondence course in law, then
he had switched off to Short-stOry
writing and later had studied the keep
Ing of bees and the culture Of mush-
rooms. He was always trying some
thing new, but kept on with the old
things he had learned, adding to his
hobbies almost monthly.
Raymond did not find time for social
life. 1t did not interest him in the
least. lie attended church every Sun
day morning and sat in the Walsh
pew all by himself.
"What do you suppose he is study
ing now?" Miss Temple exclaimed,
breathleSsly, as she hurried into the
meeting of the II, G. c. (This might
have stood for Town Gossip Club)
Every member knew who she meant
but before they could offer guess
she had told them. veterinary sur
gerry! What do you think of it?' The
discussion thar followed did credit to
the vOlubility OF the members of the
4. G. c. Little Miss Audrey Dunbar
from the city was an interested visi-
tor.
"Why, auntle, what is 1t all about?"
she asked. "Who is this man, and why
does everyone criticize him so Sc
verelyT
They were only too glad to tell her
all about Raymond, After the meet
Ing Audrey felt m irresistible longing
to meet this "oddty" of the village.
The sunshine suggested stroll in the
direction of the Walsh estate.
Just Ms she neared the Walsh estate
dog llmpcd toward her. Struck with
q sudden thought, she Coaxed the AMI
NAL to her and examined its injured
foot. II was broken, she felt sure. 1t
was a big, dirty cur, by all appear
ances, but nevertheless she picked 1t
I'm in her arms and walked boldly
through the gate that led to the Walsh
home. She almost let the dog fall as
she caught sight Of tall, gOod-looking
man wedding In the garden, but re-
gained her courage and kept right on.
He dropped his hoe as he caught sight
Of aer, and ran to meet her,
"What has happened?" he asked.
"My dog has been injured" she said.
"Whatever will ! do? l should not
have brought him from the city with
me. Oh, Is his leg broken? Do not
wiggle so, dear FldO." ..s
Raymond smiled family, as he took
the dog from her and rested 1t on the
grass. "NO, 1t Is not broken" he hn-
nounced, "but needs attention"
poor old Rover-FldO l meanw
Audrey corrected her mistake hur-
rledly. She hoped Raymond had not
noticed II.
II will carry him to the kennels. l
have hospital equipment there" Ray
mond said, as he looked up from the
dog.
Fido seemed quite at home In the
kennels. All he required was the rest
cure, apparently, for Raymond left
him to show Audrey about the place.
ut is wonderful" she told him Ell
Enthusiastically. Everything Is perfect.
You mast be a genius to have knowl'
edge Of so many things"
lie laughed "The villagers here
think l am lunatic. You are the first
outsider to 90 over this estate for five
years. Nobody takes any interest in
me.
Once the ice had been broken Au.
drey called often to see how "FldO'
was getting on. She left him entirely
in RaymOnd's care. But visits don't
last forever, and one day she nn'
nounced that she was going home to
the city.
81 am sorry" Raymond said sadly,
~ will miss you more than you cOn
realize"
"Wlll your she asked earnestly,
Il certainly will" With an effort
he changed the subject. "You will
take Fldo home with yOu, Of course,
He is right at home here"
Audrey blushed furiOusly. "He Is
not really my dog" she confessed. ~
never saw him before that day. He is
just a poor dog I picked up. wanted
to meet you, and that was the way
went about It,"
Raymond was laughing, II knew II
all along" he, too, confessed. HE Is
my dog--one Of the best / own, aren't
YOU, Jip, old bOy" The recovered FidC
danced around his master In acknowl
edgment,
. "You must have thought | was ter
rible," she cried, horror-strlcken. I'll
was a dreadful thing to do"
ut was a sweet thing to do. Every
thing you do and say Is sweet. Jus
think how happy your deception hal
made me. l love you, dear, and If /
was not that knew you hated village
life so much I would ask you to be
> come my wife"