Gilpin observer., 1920-05-20
4 TIMELY GIFT.
BY EVELYN LEE.

Copyright. 1920. Western Newspaper Union.)
"Now, then, David, tomorrow is your
birthday. and have a present for
you that l may as well give you now"
Not neckties, or sport shirt. or a
stlckpin?" inquired David WOOlson
suspiciously.
Not likely, seeing that you make
knotted strings Of the ties in week.
never would wear anything but cali.
co shirts and lost the pin gave you
the second day. No, David, I'm going
to give you watch"
"Why! you gave me one once"
Il did, on the anniversary of our sill
yer wedding, and you let it drop on
the floor and put 1t out of commission"
NO use burdening a man with jew
elry who is too busy with farming to
pay attention to fal-lals!" pronounced
David.
well. watch is something that
every man should carry.
Il declare! 1t makes a fellow feel
sort Of dressed up to carry watch,
eh, Martha? And you're dear, whole
souled woman to think that much of
hard-headed, clumsy old fellow like
myself"
David delivered a resounding smack
squarely on Martha's lips, and she
fluttered and flushed like some school
girl. She had to scold mildly and in
struct in detail to get the watch placed
In the right pocket and the chain bar
in the correct button-hOle.
Martha smiled an extra welcome
when, on the stroke of six, David came
into the house from the field, rather
boyishly compared his watch with the
kitchen clock. and announced:
you've had good time-keeper
made of the old wreck of a watch,
Martha. It's right to the minute"
Arthur Moore called that evening.
He was keeping company with the eld-
est daughter, Hazel, and was gen.
eral favOrite with the family. The
smaller children had considerable fun
repeatedly asking father what time
1t was, while Hazel declared the watch
must be fast when her father OBJ
served that 1t was ten o'clock. which
was the usual hour of departure of
her lover.
1t was two days later when David
walked over to Brownsville on some
business. The distance was only five
miles, and he did not care about spar
ing horse from harvest work. 1t was
at Brownsville that young Moore lived
with his stepfather, Hugh Griscom
Those two had not been very con.
genial, and Arthur had told Hazel that
the sooner they were married, the bet
ter pleased he would be, as Griscom
had grown into gruff, unsociable COM
panion. 1t seemed that the latter was
second husband Of Arthur's mother,
who had left quite an estate. The
stepfather was to have life income
from the property, but after his death
1t was to revert to Arthur.
1t was about three miles from
Brownsville that David paused on the
path lining the river, to gaze in aston.
.shment at two persons cOnversing an.
imatedly under some trees. One was
handsome young woman David had
never seen before. The other was Ar
thur Moore.
The woman seemed under a strain
Of intense emotion. Her gestures were
animated and her familiar manner
with Arthur aroused deep suspicion
in David's mind. As she clung plead.
ingly to his arm Davids face dark
ened. Why was this prospective SON.
in-law meeting woman clandestinely?
She acted as though she was pleading
with Arthur as only woman stirred
by love or some kindred emotion was
likely to do.
For over half an hour David watched
the pair. He resolved to seek an ex.
PLANTATION of the apparently recreant
love. Finally the twain parted. The
woman went away weeping. Arthur
came up the river path, his face seri-
Gus and troubled. He acted startled as
David sternly confronted him.
II have been here some time," spoke
David. "What does this mean, your
meeting woman secretly?"
"If I tell you in confidence will you
regard 1t as pledged secret?" In
quired Arthur.
"Yes."
"Very well; came to meet that
woman. the deserted wife of a close
friend. to see II cannot bring about
reconciliation"
"Oh by the way, what is the time ?"
half jocularly inquired Arthur as he
turned where their paths parted.
'Half-past four" reported David.
"Coming over tonight?"
"Oh, surely!"
Arthur Moore did not go to the
Woolson home that night. Before dusk
telephone message announced to the
startled David that Arthur had been
arrested. charged with the murder OF