The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-03-21
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
A Recluse and Queer.
nv q "a HAckLEY
BY S, 3. 7AGNIE!.
Downright 1918, by the Mcclure News
(paper Syndicste.)

Copyright isis, by the Mcclure News
(paper syndicste.)
y,oW would it do to invite Nathan
II Craft over to see Miss Aiber
i n. Mamie?" Jim LoVerance,
in the saddle, looked inquiringly up at
his wife who had just left her newly
arrived guest.
mercy Jim! Bert would marry
him right out of hand! Dora's enter
tanning her at IL o'clock lunch tomor'
row and she doesn't want him to drop
IN and meet Bert and the other girls
she's invited. Can't you get him oil
10 town tomorrow afternoon on some
pretext"
~ guess 1 can get MIN to drive in
ana get that piece of freight we order
ed together but, say, Mamie don't
you think you girls are exceedlngs
,eur right?"
"oh, hush, Jimmy boy!" Mamie crl-
ed tightly, I'VE are safeguarding little
Nathc's interests"
Jini's snort was not complimentary
to their sense Of Justice. They, ois
wife and all his wife's peopic--siuce
Dora, the youngest hunter gil, had
married Burrell Craft, the younger 81
the. two bachelor brothers WAC, to-
sether, owned thousand acres Ut the
richest land in the Blue Grass, and
raised, Hooded horses and cav4'o for the
market-seemed assessed with the
fear Of Nathan marrying.
When the Hunters, newcomers, dis
covered the two bashful bachelors
pretty Dora had annexed Burrel skill
fully. There had been no otner daugh
ter for Nathan, and after the advent o!
Dora's little boy, the family, seeing
possibility OF the child's being some
time heir u his uncle's share OF the
farm, had determined nobody else S
daughter should capture Nathan.
When Burrell married NGtcan very
sensibly took his cases of inGerts aud
moved into big comfortable log
house on the back of the farm, and
gave the big, red brick house up to
his newest sister-in-law-a most pleas
ing arrangement to the Hunter fam
lily. Nathan living alone in his
own house, but isolated could be kept
from meeting their unmarr'ci siiouds.
NAMES dear, and Dot1 good
to BuFrell," Leverance muse as lie
rode off. 81 call It rotten theY don't
want to see cd Nathe the most atfec-
tomato fellow in the world. happy with
woman, to, They have even filled
BulT's head with the advisaoiiity OF
keeping Nathe single. That--ti.e:s
getting within mans rights. Well
I've promised to send off tea miles
tomorrow, but darn it, feel mean"
The Eext day, Nathan Craft, at the
station, stepped into the danger zone
Jim wished him to enter. An erect
elderly lady with very white hair and
very black eyes spoke to him. Did he
know OF 2 small cottage in the country
and somewhat isolated from the ROAD
she could rent until September. Her
daushtef, Miss Hager McNaught, a
teacher had b0sn Ill, and was ordered
to the country.
WhenS she introduced the daughter
agTacetul girl with particularly beau
tiful black eyes, Nathan felt that fate
could hold nothing better IN store fol-
him than TO ALLOW him to take this
Wtnsonie creature in his arms and
carry her through life.
Yes, he knew Of such a place, a
small stone cottage on the river cliff.
Nobody was living in 1t, but 1t was in
coed repair. This house (Which in
fact be did not mention) was on the
tive miles distant cliff which he spent
every Sunday afternoon in summer
with his butterfly net. A man had com
lttea suicide there some years be,