Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-03-21

ANIIlo. pAI1ul attempts AT ana
style and beauty In her shabby little
q loose nun Of gold-glinted hair that
had come down v one hot cheek
and ear. How ~dishevelled she must
look, and how dusty after climbing
over that dirty barn! And then she
plunged into her subject
CHAPTER m.
TIN sure I don't know what you
will think OF my asking" said Shirley
excitedly. but I want very much to
know whether there is any possibility
that you would rent q beautiful big
stone barn you own out on the old
Glenside Road, near Alltster Avenue.
| You do own 1t. don't you? I vas told
you did. or at least Mr.. Walter Gra-
ham did. They said it belonged to
the estate" f
We'll. now you've got one on me-"
said the young man with q most en-
gaeing smile. "I'm sure I don't know
whether I own 1t or not. I'm sorry.
But lit belongs to grandfather's
estate-his name was Walter, too. you
know-why, I suppose I do own part
of it. I'm sorry father isn't here. He
! would know. But I think he has left
the ONCE. However. that doesn't mat
ter. What was it you wanted? To
rent 1t. you ,say?"
YES" said Shirley, feeling very
small and very much an imposter;
that is, il I could afford It. 7 sup
pose perhaps it will be way ahead OF
my MEANS but I thought it wouldn't
do any harm to ask" Her shy eyes
were almost filed with tears, and the
young man was deeply distressed.
to say. I'm Just stupid that I don't
know about II. Where did you say 1t
was? Out on the Glenside Road? A
barn? Come to think Of it I remem-
Der n Of my uncles lived out that
way once, and 1 know there is a lot
Of land somewhere "a there belong
ing to the estate. You say there is q
barn on it?".'
yves. beautiful barn." said shir-
ley a%nxiously, her eyes dreamy and
her cheeks like two glowing roses.
Tt Is stone. and has a wide grassy
road like a great staircase leading UP
to 1t, and a tall tree over. it. There Is
a brook just below-it IL high up
from the road on a little grassy hill.aa
oh. yes. yes" he said, nodding
eagerly. II see! 1t almost seems as Il
It for the summer, you say? You
are-ah-in the agricultural business,
I suppose? 20. He looked at her re.
specially. He knew the new woman,
and honored her. He did not seem
at all startled that she wanted to rent
a barn for the summer.
But Shirley did not In the least un-
derstand. She looked at him be-
wildered q moment.
""oh. no! I am only a stenographer
myself-but my mother-that is"
she paused in confusion.
"oh, I see, you mother is tho
farmer, I suppose. You home is lear
by--near to the barn you want to
rent?"
Then she understood. -.
"No. oh, no! she said desperately.
barn at all. I want to use It for a
house!" n -
It was out at last, the horrible
truth; and she sat trembling to see
his look of amazement. .,.eL9 y
use It for d house!" he exclaimed.
WHY. how could you? To live in, do
yqt mean? Or Just to take a tent and
camp out for few days?"
ITO live in" said Shirley .doggedly.
lifting her eyes in one swift defiant
look and then dropping them to her
shabby gloves and Thin pocketbook,
empty now even of the last precious
nickel. If he said anything more. she
was sure she should cry. If he pat
ronized her the least bit, or grew
now tHat ne saw now low
she was, reduced, she would turn and
fly from the office and never look
him in the face.
But he did neither. Instead, he just
talked in a natural tone, as If it were
the most common thing in the world
for a girl to want to live in a barn,
and nothing to be surprised over in
the least.
"Oh, 1 see." he said pleasantly.
] ssVVell. rnuy fhafI rinhf 'ho oxroroaA
you know. OF coursetI don't know
much about things. but I could find
out. You see, I don't suppose we
often have calls to rent the property
that way" .y !,
"No,. Of course not" said Shirley,
gathering up her scattered confidence.
II know it's queer for me to ask, but
we have to move-they are going to
build an apartment house where we
I should like to get her out into the
country. our house is so little and
dark: and I thought. II she could be
all summer where she could see the
sky and hear the birds. she might get
we'll. I want to get my little sisters
and brothers out Of the city, too. But
we couldn't likely pay enough rent.
I suppose 1t was silly Of me to ask"
mot at ALI" said the young man
~courteously. as though she had been
a queen whom he delighted to honor.
II don't see why we shouldn't be able
to get together on some kind of a
proposition-that is, unless father has
other plans that I don't know about.
A barn ought not to be worth such a
big price. How much would you feel
like payingg" 90
He was studying the girl before him
with interested eyes; noting the
well-set head on the pretty shoulders,
even in spite. Of the ill-htting shabby
blue coat: the delicate features; the
CLINT Of gold in the soft brown hair:
the tilt Of the firm little chin, and the
w~istfulness in the big blue eyes. This
was q. new kind Of girl. and he wa
disposed to give her what she wantAd
IL NE could. And he could, He knew
we'll that anything he willed nightly
would not be denied him. /.@
The frightened color came into the
delicate cheeks again. and the blue
eyes 1uttered down a~shaunedly.. &
WI are only paying nfteen !
month now" she said: f'and I couldn't
pay Anys more. for we haven't got It.; ]
] couldn'tf pay M much. for It would
cost sixty cents q. week apiece Tor
George and me to come in to our
work f.om there. I couldn't pay more
1 than twelve! and I know hats RI
d~iculous for such = great big. beauti-
full .place. butt had to ask"
She lifted her eyes swiftly IN
apoioxY. ana dropped them again:
the yohng man felt . glow Of sym
PATTY for her. and a. deep desire to
help her have her wish.
why. certainly. ne said heartily.