The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-11-20
Love and Law
gA$B
BY MIRIAM LEE DALLAS
S%@@@%34@@@@@@@@%@@3@@@Q5{
.s~S~S~S@SSS~~S$%S~S SS~S~~SSSSSSSs+
Copyright 1919. by the Western News.
paper Union.)

way.
what is the trouble now Reuben?"
inquired his wife.
"Verda She's on my mind and it
makes me suspicious and uneasy"
suspicious of what? Uneasy
why?" demanded Mrs. Han rousing up
considerably, for her favorite niece
had won from her almost a motherly
regard
Just this, Martha" explained Reu-
ben soberly: 'Verda has been here
month, and talks of staying two.
Doesn't it look to you as if there is
something in the wind when city
bred girl prefers this dun, way-bacs
life of ours to the excitement of the
town? Then, again, who supposed
when Brother Luke sent her on that
the bewitching little fairy was going
to have every young man in the village
fall head over heels in love with herr"
You great goose Verla is simply
enjoying the heydey of her beautiful
youth. DO you want to shut her up
like a prisoner in a nuuncry"
u don't" dissented Reuben, "but
| owe a duty to her father to see that
she doesn't fall in love with some poor,
shiftlesS fellow and us get blamed by
Luke for it to the end of The chapter"
she is up to enjoying life like the
sweet, rational creature She is" per-
sisted Mrs. Hall, land don't go, like
the meddling Simpieton YOU are, ana
interfere with her inuocc pleasures"
1t was concidcntal and suggestive
quite that at the general store that
evening the usual indout goSsiping
group making their headquarters there
should be discussing a new legal meas
ure, "the search and seizure law"
Now Reuben did not very deeply take
in the merits of the proposition and
Rugged the dehsion to his narrow
mind that he had discovered a way out
Of his troubles.
search and seizure, me meditated,
on his way home "That strikes me
right. 1t must mean that when a per-
son, say a relative or a guardian,
wishes to protect person under his
care and responsibility the law says
search and seize for the benefit of the
relative or ward. My duty is plain.
won't tell Martha; shed only encour-
age Nerda under all circumstances. l
owe it to my brother and to my con
science TO keep close eye on the
girl, and I'm going to do it,"
Nerda went away with some girl ac-
quaintances the next day and Mrs,
Hall had occasion to visit the town
stores. AS soon as he was alone Reu-
ben locked himself in the house, so as
to be sure there would be no Interrupt
tion, and went upstairs to the room
apportonod TO Nerdu.
81 like the girl" he soliloQuized,
"and I'm no rryiug spy. It's for her
own good and my duty to Brother
Luke" and he went to the bureau in
one corner of the room and opened its
top drawer. There was ring with
dainty bit of ribbon tied around it, and
Il faded rose and little packet Of let
tiers. The first of these began with,
"Dear Miss Hail." The next three or
four with Dear Nerda" and the last,
ardent, fun of love and expressed de-
yotion, bore such words as darling"
and dearest" They We're signed with
an initial only--it was "R"
"Who is R|" rumnated Reuben,
"and l wonder what Martha would say
to all that gushy trash? Whs the fell
low writes as if he owned Yerda En-
gagged? Oh, | must advise her father.
or get the gin back home at once"
Reuben sat down under a tree in the
garden and cogitated deeply over the
subject in hand. Then the hayrack
wagon came up and Nerda went up to
her room, but came down again almost
Immediately and, with an expression
Of palpahle anxiety and excitement
cloudng her face, discovered Reuben
and ran up to him
"Oh, Uncle Reuben" she exclaimed
breathleSsly, "some one has been ran
saclling my bureau and they have
taken some-some things | wouldn't
lose for the world Maybe some bur
glar has visited the house"
WAS it some letters you have
mssedT questioned her uncle.
i. why, yes, unclc-how did you
know?"
"Sit down. Ycrda I have something
to say TO YOU and forthwith he ex-
planned the merits of the case, while
his niece, open-cycd and astonished,
stared at him as though he were a
professional robber
"Oh uncle! How could your" she ut.
tered poignantly.
"And who is RI" he challenged.
Gle is the only man | shall ever
love-" declared Yerda. "IIe is Ray
mond Brccr, and although | only knew
him two weeks ana he has gone away
for spell, he writes me every day,
ANA who has a better rightY and
Ncrda broke down with tears and sObs,
while Reuben Han muttercd to him
self: "Well she's got good sense to
win the wcalthcst young man in Rush
Vile"
"And, oh, uncle" suddenly voiced
Vcrda, with your horrid search and
seizure idea you missed something. |
may as well confess everything while
I'm about It. There ana She extend.
ed folded document
and what's That, now?" he lnterro-