The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1920-05-07
A LITTLE DOGS
DAY
By H. LOUIS RAYBoLD

tiny village tucked away among
green hills late one afternoon a big.
high-powsred car came hOnkinE along
the smooth state road. its sole Occu,
pant an elderly nan who had evil.
IDENTIFY walked with prosperity all his
life.
This must he The place" he decid-
"a AS his glance fell upon u tidy, COM
Portable looking farmhouse under the
trees.
AlightinR al the gate he made his
way TO thS front porch where sat an
Old man In his shirt-sleeves.
I'm a NeN York lumber dealer. I
came up 10 look oVer some wOOd-lOts
10 the neighbOrhO0d." he explained.
Expect to he here two or three days.
! a told hack yOnder that maybe
yon would take care OF me, now that
the only hotel In the place Is closed
for repairs"
Farmer Grimes got to his feet with
many rheumatic grunts.
Guess We nsn put you up for that
long" he replied. "Tn see what Betty
says"
He disappeared for a moment with
In the house. then called out from the
doorway; You lest drive Jour car
round To the barn"
Colonel Burton Oheyed with q feel.
Ing OF extreme satisfaction. There
was a sweet, Wholesome atmosphere
about the place that made II far pre-
ferable to any country hotel he had
ever known.
When he entered the house, Betty.
a pretty. slender girl IN blue Bingham.
met him with a shy and charming
smile. She had Eyes biuer than her
pretty gOwn-thp trustful look Of one
nhacdna lnted with guile. The city
man thought he had never seen a girl
so innocent and sweet.
Presently. az a firm step crossed the
Kitchen floor, she turned quickly, her
whole face transformed by the ex.
preston that went over 1t. Interest
ed and curious. Colonel Burton
glanced through the half-open door
barely Sitting an exclamation as he
did so. II was no stranger upon whom
his startled gaze rested-this broad
%shouldered Young man a%pproac ching
with q confident tread.
How strangely things come about :
So this was where Tom Dudley had
been hiding for a year and a half.
The c0lonel's brow darkened and his
hands clInched. All these months he
had hoped for r meeting like this.
The fellows status I'm the household
was easily guessed-the hired man !
Ruttof Nurse these good people had
no suspicion that they were harhor.
ing a thief! "0t all houses In this
village. II Is curious that I should
have been directed to this One," the
colonel thought glOatingly.
Meanwhile Tom Dudley had come
10 q sudden halt just across the
threshold. His face went paper-white
under his tan, and he reached out both
hands %grOpingly AK II seeking some
support.
Toni Toni What IL ~" cried
Betty IN alarm. you are mr."
Her very tOnn was a caress. II told
Colonel Burton that she had given the
n.ioalo~- traoaueo nR he. - a.
graceless young scamp. There was
something In her expression. as she
sprang forward. that went to the
worldly mans heart. For q moment
he ~hesltated; then he did a most sur.
prislng thing. Instead OF denounclng
the rascal, he pushed forward a chair.
"Better sit down. young man, until
you get over it,
Pouring a glass NJ water he held II
TO Toms lips, wondering at himself
SIS he did so The latter drank gulp-
ingly, looked M wildly and heseech.
ingly into the stern face bending e
him.
at was hot In the field" he NUT
tered after u moment. Guess I'd bet.
ter 60 and lie down"
Eyes. do" said BETTY. giving him
her strong young shoulder to lean
upon.
The colonies hrOws knitted as he
gazed after them. Something In the
attitude OF the Two brIdged a gulf Of
forty years. His hard face sOftened
a little as lie met the lmplOrlng look
with which the young man disap-
peared.
81 am gettlng chlcken-hearted." he
muttered. u couldn't make IN my
mind to speak before that glrl. There's
something beautiful In such trusting
lave. The old man will have to hear
the tale"
Aloud he said:
"Thal young fellow was taken very
suddenly Ill.,"
III never happened afore," returneC
the unsuspectlng farmer. "Tom Il
strong as IN OK. Does the work O. two
men about the place
"YOu seen fond Of him"
u cOuldn' XII along without Tom
I'm all doubled Up With rheumatic
YOU zee. an since the war good hell
cant he mad for love or money. Bu
Tom looks arter everythlug-keep
the place udy and s%h'pshape. tie cal
outdO me when u comes to ralsir