The Red Cloud chief. [volume] (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923, 1919-11-20
CHAPTER lv-Continued.

=
Fortunate fate. or whatever good
angel II Is that sometimes drops un-
expected favors. designed that young
Eden should the following day deliver
coal at the home Of Mr.. Melvin Dun
can. MIR. Duncan, tall. quiet and forty.
Ave, was at work In his garden as
Dave turned the team in The lane and
backed them up the long. narrow drive
connecting with the family coal chute.
As the heavy wagon moved straight
to Its objective Mr.. Duncan looked on
with approval that heightened into
admiration. Dave shOveled his load
without remark. but as he stood for
a moment at the finish, wiping the
sweat from his coal-grimed face. Mr..
Duncan engaged him In conversation.
"YOu handle team like you were
born to It," he said. "Where did you
get the knackf"
swell. l came up on a ranch" said
Dave. "Tve lived with horses ever
since I could remember"
"YOu're q rancher, chr" queried the
older man. "Well, there's nothing like
the range and the open country. II
could handle horses like you there
isn't anything would hold me In town."
"Oh. I don't know" Dave answered.
"YOu might get sick of IT,"
did you get sick Of itf"
Eden shot a keen glance at him.
The conversation was becoming per-
sOnal. Yet there was In Mr.. Duncans
manner certain kindness, a certain
appeal Of sincere personality. that dis
armed suspicion.
eyes. I got sick Of It," he said. 81
lived on that ranch eighteen years
and never was inside school or church.
Wouldn't that make you sick? u.
SO I beat 1t for town."
"And / suppose you are attending
church regularly now, and night
school, t00?"
Dawes quick temper fired up In re-
sentiment. but again the kindness of
the mans manner disarmed him. He
was silent for moment, and then he
said:
mo. amt. That's what makes me
sick now. ! came In here intendin' 10
get an education, an I've never got
even q start at II, exceE' for some
things perhaps wasn't worth the
money. There always seems to be
s0methin' else--in ahead"
"There always will be-" said Mr..
Duncan, until you start"
"But how's It to be done?" Dave
questioned with returning interest.
SCHOOLS an books cost money, an l
never save dollar"
"And never WILL" said Mr.. Duncan,
until you start. But think see a
plan that might help and II 1t appeals
to you 1t will also be great conven-
fence to me. My wife likes to 60 driv.
Ing Sundays. and sometimes on q
weekday evening, but l have so many
things on hand l find 1t hard to get
out with her. My daughter used tC
drive. but these new-fangled automo
biles are turning the world upside
down-and many buggy with 1t
Well-as I saw you driving in here
said to myself, There's the man fol
that job Of mine. IL ! can get him
but I'm not rich and l couldn't pa!
you regular wages. Bur II l coul,
square the account by helping will
your studies couple of nights
week. used to teach school ant
haven't altogether forgotten - why
that would be just what l want. VIVA
do you say?"
II never saw anything on four fee
/ couldn't drive" said Dave, IAN |
you're willing to take a chance | an
When do we startW
First lesson tonight. Second les
son Thursday night. First drive SUI
day." Mr.. Duncan did not eXplai
that he wanted to know the boy bette
before the drives commenced. and h
felt that two nights together woul
satisfy him whether he had found III
right man.
Dave hurried back to the coalyar
and completed the days work In hig
spirits. 1t seemed he was at la
started on road that might lea
somewhere. After supper he su
prised his fellow laborers by changr
to his Sunday clothes and startil
down q street leading into the reside
tial part of the town. There we
speculations that he had 'seen
skirt"
MIR. Duncan met him at the door al
showed him into the living ROOF
Mrs. Duncan, plump, motherly, 10
able In the mature womanliness
forty. greeted him cordially. She w
sorry Edith was out; Edith had te
uis engagement. She vas apparent