Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-11-19
Love and Law
@0
By MIRIAM LEE DALLAS
Copyright, 1919. by the Western News.
paper Union.)

Copyright, 1919. by the Western News.
paper Union.)
81 don't like it. not one bit!" eX-
claimed Reuben Hall, in worried
way.
"What is the trouble now. Reuben?"
inquired his wife.
"verda. She's on <&y mind and It
makes me suspicious and uneasy"
suspicious Of what? Uneasy
why?" demanded Mrs. Hall, 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 q
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 dull, way-back
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! Verda is simply
enjoying the heydey of her beautiful
youth. Do you want to shut her up
Ike @ prisoner in nunnery?"
II DON'T" dissented Reuben, "but
Il owe 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, "and don't go, like
the meddling simpleton you are, and
interfere with her innocent pleasures"
1t was coincidental and suggestive
quite that at the general store that
evening the usual indolent, gossiping
group making their headquarters there
should be discussing new legal meas
,ure, "the search and seizure law"
Now Reuben did not very deeply take
in the merits of the proposition and
Ihugged the delusion to his narrow
mind that he had discovered way out
!of his troubles. "---'--
Search aIl seizure" he meditated,
ion his way home. '"That strikes me
right = must mean that when 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; she'd only encour-
hge Verda under all circumstances.
owe it to my br9Eher and t9 my con
science TO Keep close eye on the
Igirl and I'm going to do it,"
verda went away with some girl ac-
quaintances the next day and Mrs.
Hall had occasion to visit the town
istores. As soon as he was alone Reu-
ben locked himself in the house, 50 as
Ito be sure there would be no Interrupt
ton, and went upstairs to the room
,apportioned to Verda.
81 like the GIRL" he soliloquized,
Hand I'm no prying spy. It's for her
own good and my duty to Brother
Luke" and he went to the bureau in
ione corner of the room and opened its
top drawer. There was ring with q
dainty bit of ribbon tied around it, and
"a faded rose and little packet of let
tiers. The first Of these began with,
"Dear Miss Hail." the next three or
four with "Dear Verda," and the last.
ardent, full of love and expressed de-
votion, bore such words as darling"
and dearest" They were signed with
an initial only-it was "R."
"Who is 'R?'" ruminated Reuben,
"and wonder what Martha would say
to all that gushy trash? Why, the fell
low writes as if he owned Verda! En-
gagged? Oh, I must advise her father,
or get the girl back home at once"
, Reuben sat down under tree in the
tgarden and cogitated deeply over the
subject in hand. Then the hayrack
wagon came up and Verda went up to
her room, but came down again almost
Immediately and, with an expression
lof palpable anxiety and excitement
clouding her face, discovered Reuben
and ran up to him.
"Oh, Uncle Reuben!" she exclaimed
|breathlessly. "some one has been ram
sacking my bureau and they have
taken some-some things I wouldn't
lose for the world. Maybe some bur-
giar has visited the house"
"Was it some letters you have
missed?" questioned her uncle.
"Why, yes, uncle-how did you
know?"
"Sit down, Verda. have something
Ito say to you," and forthwith he ex-
planned the merits Of the case, while
his niece, open-eyed and astonished,
Istared at him as though he were a
professional robber.
"Oh, uncle! How could you?" she ut
tered poignantly.
"And who is 'R,?'" he challenged.
"He is the only man / shall ever