Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-31
r n.-(Continued.)

Al last n morning he ventured to
call her up on the telephone at her
Office.
progressing at the Glenside place." he
said after he had explained who he
a II was wondering If you would
care to come along and look things
over. What time do you get through
at your Office this afternoon?'
That Is very kind Of you. Mr.. Ora
ham,, said Shirley, but I'm afraid
that won't be possible. I'm not
usually done until half-past fve. I
much sooner. and that would be too
late for you"
Not at all, Miss Hollister. That
would be a very agreeable time. 1
have matters that will keep me here
quite late tonight. and that will be
Just right for me. Shall / call for
you, then. at FIVE? Or is that too
soon?'
pressed excitement. you are very
kind-"
mot at all. 1t will be a pleasure"
came the answer. ''Then l will call
at your' Office at fve," and the re-
cetver clicked at the other end. leav-
ing Shirley in a whirl of doubt and
JOY.
How perfectly delightful! And yet
ought h to go? Would mother
think it, was all right? His little sis
ter was going. but was it quite right
for her to accept this much attention
even in a business way? 1t wasn't at
Sall customary o. necessary, and both
he and she knew it. He was just do
ing it to be nice.
And then there was mother. She
must send a message somehow, or
mother would be frightened when she
did not come home at her usual time.
She finally succeeded in getting
Carol at her school. and told her to
tell mother she was kept late and
might not be home till after seven.
Then she few at her work to get it
out of the way before five o'clock.
But, when she came down at the
appointed time, she found Carol sit
ting excitedly in the back seat with
Elizabeth. fairly bursting with the
double pleasure of the ride and Of
surprising her sister.
They came to the school for me.
and took me home; and I explained to
mother that I was going with you to
look at a place we were going to
move to. 1 put on the potatoes, and
put the meat in the oven. and moth
Ter is going to tell George just what
to do to finish supper when he gets
home" she exclaimed eagerly. And,
oh, isn't it lovely?"
Indeed it is lovely said Shirley.
her face flushing with pleasure and
young man in the front seat who was
opening the door for her to step in
beside him.
That was a wonderful ride.
The spring had made tremendous
advances in her work during the ten
days since they entfthat way before.
The flush Of green that the willows
had worn had become a soft, bright
feather of foliage, and the naples
set them. Down in the meadows and
along the roadside the grass was
thick and green, and the bare brown
fields had disappeared. Little brooks
sang tinklingly as they glided under
bridges. and the birds darted here and
there in busy, noisy pairs. Frail
wavering blossoms starred the
swampy places. and the air was sweet
with scents of living things.
But, when they came in sight of the
barn. Elizabeth and her brother grew
silent from sheer desire to talk and
not act as il there was anything diff
ferent about it. Now that they had
actually brought Shirley here, the
new windows seemed fairly to flaunt
themselves in their shining messy
paint and their vast extent of dia-
mond panes, so that the two con-
spirators were deeply embarrassed.
and dared not face what they had
done.
It was Carol who broke the silence
that had come upon them all.
. oh! oh! OH" she shouted. 'shir-
ley, just look! New, great big win
dows! Isn't that great? Now you
needn't worry whether it will be dark
for mother days when she can't 60
out! Isn't that the best ever?"
But Shirley looked. and her cheeks
grew pink as her eyes grew starry.
She opened her lips to speak. and
then closed them again. for the words
would not come, and the tears came
instead: but she drove them back, and
then managed to say:
ooh. Mr.. Graham!. Oh, you have
gone to so much trouble!"
mo, no trouble at all,'' said he al
most grossly: for he had wanted her
not to notice those windows, at least
not yet.
you see it was this way. The
windows were. some that were left
over from another order. and I got a
chance to get them at a bargain. I
thought they might as we'll be put in
row as any time and you get the
benefit u them. The barn really
needed more light. 1t was a very
dark barn indeed. Hadn't you no.
ticed it? I can't see how my grand
father thought II would do to have
SO little light and air. But you
know in the old times they didn't use
to have such advanced ideas about
ventilation and germs ana things"
He felt he was getting on rather, IA
mousiy until he looked down at the
clear eyes Of the girl: and knew she
was seeing right straight through all
his talk. However, ske hadn't the
face to tell him 80; ana 10 he boldly
held on his way, making up hne
stories about things that barns need
~ until he All but believed them
himself; ana. when he rot through, ne
needed only to finish With "and, IL It
INIT 70. II ought to be- TO have
regular Watef-Aaby argument ont Of
1t. He managed to talk on in this
vein until he could stop the car and
help Shirley out. and together they
All went up the now ye1vety green Of
the incline 70 the btg door.
II ~ bsantifu1rs beauttful!" mur.
INJURED Shirley in o. daze Of delight.
She could not yet make It seem real
that she wae t0ec0mA TO this charmed