The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1919-08-07
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Se:x',)tette
~ GEORGE ELMER COBB
ossyasAt. 1919. b western Nswspsp,s usia

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"What's this-hre I" exclaimed Law
yer Ira Tarbell, arising hastily from
bis desk and starting for the open
doorway Of his office. His two eli
ents, Mark and Paul Elson, brothers,
hastily came to their feet and Joined
him In the hall without It was filed
with smoke and there was an uproar
Of alarmed voices in other rooms and
corridors, but it was soon discovered
that the smoke came through an open
window from the rear yard, where q
lot of rubbish was being burned up.
Now when Mark and Paul had
arisen from their seats each had left
open on the table his wallet. They
had been consulting their contents
while talking with the lawyer. Re
turning, each closed a wallet and re-
stored It to a pocket. The attorney
Resumed his wonted dignity and calm.
"Well, gentlemen" he said, referring
to a penciled sheet before him. II
think I understand the situation. I
am to make over to your sister, Miss
Naomi, the OLD family homestead md
ten thousand dollars in bonds, to be
held in her own right as a femme
SOLE" ,.,.. o~ as.5i.
''That's right" nodded Mark Elston,
ruddy-cheeked, bright-eyed as school
boy. .st, '.. . r-.... 4,
"And Naomi shall do just what she
wants to with the property and
money" said Mark heartily. .&
The brothers were under thirty,
their sister Naomi an agreeable spin
ster of thirty-Rve. When their parents
died she had taken charge of their
home and had we'll filled the bill as
housekeeper and cook. So comfort
ably she looked after her brothers, so
smoothly did things run on that the
pleasant routine was continued perma-
nently and unconsciously all hands
settled into a rut. Naomi was only
to add to the welfare and comfort Of
her brothers, and they accepted her
kind service as a matter Of course.
although truly appreciative and CRATE
full. Recently Paul had observed to
Mark that he fancied Naomi looked
tired and dull at times. They talked
It over. Maybe she needed q rest, a
change. Suppose they parceled out
to her what she was entitled to Of the
estate-made her Independent, in
fact? Certainly that would make her
feel better. Hence the visit to the
lawyers Office, and the brothers went
home feeling they had well consum-
mated an act of willing duty.
Naomi broke down and cried like q
child when they told her what they
had done. The way the imaginative
Mark pictured the transition awaiting
her! She was to be promoted from a
serfdom to the lot Of princess
Naomi was SO overcome at their gen
crosby and thoughtfulness, as she
chose to magnify 1t, that she fled to
her room to have her cry out. Mark
followed her to the hall to console her
and Paul, CHANGING to take out his wal
let, made a startling discovery.
"Why, we've changed wallets at the
lawyers Officer he exclaimed. "This
belongs to Mark. Hello hello hello y
Paul stared and thea grinned. In
an apartment of his brothers wallet
he found a time-worn photograph. In
an instant he recognized it.
did you ever" he chuckled. "Ber-
tina Drake!" and just then Mark re-
entered the room holding the other
wallet in his hand, and Paul flushed
like conscious schoolboy as he no
ticed revealed within it his own pho
tograph of-Wanda Drake!'
Him r. observed Mark with flush,
''both in the same boat, eh? Wen, it's
nothing to be ashamed of. They were
nice girls, Bertha and Wanda. There
was the brother Wilbur, too. Always
thought he had a sneaking fondness
for Naomi. What grand days those
were, back in Lacon, when the brakes
were our next-door neighbors! Why,
it must be two years since We all met
and drifted apart"
II don't want money to waste" said
their sister later in the evening. II
would like to fix up things a little
around the house, though, and have q
break in the loneliness by entertaining
some of our old friends once in q
WHILE" -s.z.s.as-. #,
Eyes, there's the Brakes" reminded
Mark, evading his brothers. eyes.
Bertha and Wanda" nodded Paul
in well-assumed generality. "And WILL
bur-" and Naomi flushed, hurriedly re-
ferred to other old acquaintances and
start was thus made along the road
of yesterday. .,.s ,a,.
How did 1t all come about7 When
the old neighborly companionship was
resumed Mark took great credit to
himself for suggesting the visit to the
lawyers Office, which had brought
about such happy suggestion. Paul
drifted back to his old liking for Wan
da Drake with an .ardor that spurred
Paul out Of all laggardness. As to
Naomi, she was blushing, sensitive
young girl once more as the visits Of
Wi1hup nroko hoca mo q q Ssnnc$onf ond