The Lamar register., 1919-11-12

Of berries and went on up to the
house, and Nancy started for the
raspberry bushes, when a figure rose
from the far side OF the bushes, q tall.
lean figure. and she found herself
facing their neighbor.
1t was q tense moment. but as Nan
cy said later, she fixed everything
Blushing and ratified. she told Mr.
Moore that she was 80 very sorry they
had talked about him. He was com
plimented that they had even noticed
him. he told her grsvely And then
he had added that they had The be~t
berries around there. and he had beer
pilfering joyously ever since his a.
rival
The following day the Moore gar
dener brought over long stemmeh
punches OF roses and p-onies. The
greenhouses. and more roses. But
Nancy switched the cards. for on the
flowers WAS her name, and on the
peaches rma's. She tried to steer
him on straight course deftly by
telling him that lrms was the" Miss
Newcomb.
I'm only Nancy. ] just left school
last year. Irma's 81 clever when you
ger acquainted with her. or course
she's hard 10 get acquainted with"
"l;aih-r particularly" queried Moore.
tensingly. I'm glad you're easily
pleased"
Nancy worried and puzzled ever
thai for several days. But someway.
the days stretched into weeks. and II
became the usual thing for her to md
him waiting for her down In the gar
den. and when the phslanI of cut
worms and other pests advanced on
the little Meadowbrook garden, he
pitched in and helped her fight them.
while Irms swung in the big wind
shielded hammock ON the veranda.
and read. Sometimes Nancy wondered
whether she wss doing wrong not to
tell her sister of their conrsdeship
but the fear of Irmr's swift little ridi-
cul- held her silent. Even II he didn't
look heroic. he was y delightful cont
panion. and she had grown to mIsa
him when he did not come now.
Abby startled her one morning In
late July by saying that Rodney. the
gardener. had told her Mr.. Moore was
going to be- married. Rodney knew
the signs, II appeared. He had or
dered twics as many rose varieties
put In. and the south end of the house
va. being nred over with q view TO
feminine occupancy.
Nancy walked slowly down the path
that morning. her lavender gingham
dress brushing the marigolds lightly.
and her eyes were full OF . young,
poignant misery. She had not dreamed
she could miss him so. and that all
the dear companionship Of the past
weeks had been only = summer &C
quaintnnce. And suddenly she
stopped. for there by the tall hedge
that separated the two grounds she
caught the sound Of his voice talking
to Rodney.
"fd put In III. Jacks and brides
mostly. Plenty of them. Rod. and
run some climbers up to those south
end windows. Do you think I've got
any chance to winT"
The old man chuckied audibly.
Better be about II. Mr.. Randy" he
said. shes blooming fast. and she'd
be a beauty. I'd make sure pretty
soon"
He smbled on toward the green
houses, and Moore came over to the
hedge with eager. teasing eyes.
speaking OF angels" he said
"You remember how ] heard you talk
Ing about me that nrst dayf Turn
about's fair play. isn't lit Do you
think I've got any chance to via.
Nancy"
Nancy Easped and backed away
from his outstretched arms.
"Irms1l blame me awfuliy," she fal-
tered.
"weli, life must hand cut some
compensation to me- he said. Tell
her that"