The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-08-14
The Ministerial
Beau
81
By S. B. HACKLE

any one such maf1clOuSIy diSagreeable
names !"
Eve Mckay, the crumpIed figure on
the library davenport, sobbed plain
lively. Across the room Chase Ken
DIAL: sat up very straight, his red
head held high.
81 merely remarked" he proffered,
that 1 thought any old unmarried
woman who would exact a promise
from her niece never to leave her,
thereby preventing her marriage to
to proper fellow who wants to take
her with him when Uncle Sam sends
him engineering in South America.
was a selfish old mean a selfish
creature :"
''But Aunt Efie didn't exact any
promise from me. 1 told her volun-
tarily I'd never leave her. She hasn't
anybody but me, and she'd be afraid
to stay by herself. She'd be miser-
able if she knew you wanted me to
go to South America with you"
Kendall crossed the room hastily.
Listen, kitten, If that old poke,
Humphrey Wilburn, were to marry
Miss Euphemia and take her to his
body to stay with herr
Eve dimpled. ooh, Chase, If he only
would! They were sweethearts long
ago. 1 don't know why they didn't
marry, but I believe he'd want her
again if he thought somebody else
did As it is, he'll just keep on MAX
ing his twice-a-year calls, and sending
his dry Christmas and birthday re-
membranes to the end of time! Aunt
Effie's going down to Georgia next
week to the church convention.
wish"
"Don't you weep another weep, EVE
darling" Chase broke out; "Fve got
an idea boiling and boiling strong :"
Shortly after little Miss Euphemia
Mckay returned from Georgia, DR..
Humphrey Wilburn, returning to his
car from a professional call on old
Miss Della Lavender Zone of his Oc-
casional patients), picked up an I'M
folded sheet of note paper just be-
side his car According to his habit
he looked at it carefully.
Lakeland, Fla it read-'My dear
Miss Mckay am delighted to have
your note, granting me permission to
stop by. I shall be very happy to call
Thursday afternoon, and will be
charmed to stay over a day, as you
suggest, but shall have to leave on
the late evenings train. You will per-
NIT me to say again that never since
l have been a minister have 1 met a
lady whose graces of mind and face
so appealed to me. 1t will be joy
to my lonely heart to talk with you
again. Faithfully yours,
Hugh Blair Compton"
The doctor put it with slow care in
his pocket His meditative blue eyes
were troubled.
81 wonder" he said to himself, AZ
do wOnder!"
Thursday afternoon he took pains to
drive out Grantland avenue way short
ly after the train came in, and was
rewarded with the sight of a tall, fine
looking man with silvery gray curling
hair and a short beard of Vandyke
cut, jauntiIy ascending the Mckay
steps.
The town was a busy one. The ell
derby man who called at the Mckay
house might have been an agent Of
some kind for aught anybody but DR..
WiIburn cared. It was a misting April
day, cold and damp, but that gentle
man drove TO the river, and sat fish
ing on the moist bank until the sun
went down, unmindfuI of the fact
that the fish were bitingI
And at the Mckay house Miss Eu-
phemia, playing hymns in the par
lor, smiled in sympathy with the merry
laughter from Ewes little sitting room
upstairs.
'Mavis Kendall must be with Eve,
and perhaps her brother" she said to
herself.
Miss Euphemia was popular with
the townsfolk, and on her birthday,
the following Monday, she received a
number of pretty remembrances. The
handsomest gift of all, beautiful
brooch Of gold, with single diamond
in the center of the bar, came through
the mail. There was an unsigned
card with if, bearing Miss Euphemia's
name, and the words, "a happy birth
day"
Here's DR.. WiIburn coming with
his present, auntie," Eve announced
as Miss Euphemia, her delicate cheeks
softly pink above the dainty lavender
crepe de chine frock Eve had made
her put on, was unwrapping the
brooch ST wonder what's got into
the dear man? He usually mails his
presents"
When DR.. Wilburn's modest gift, a
japanese tatting basket, had been adj
mired, Eve called his attention to the
brooch at her aunt's throat ''And
to think she doesn't know who sent
itI'' she exclaimed. holding up the
card.
DR.. WiIburn looked at the super
scription. He had seen the same bold
writing in letter signed Hugh Blair
Compton !"
His healthy, rudy face grew a
shade less rudy.
Maybe she can guess!" he haz-
arded, his voice a bit husky.
81 am so sorry DR.. Wilburn wouldn't
stay to lunch. Eve" sighed Miss, Eu-
phemia, a little later. "Caroline's ice
cream is the best she ever made, and