Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-04-08

II /.
| tourney In his car. Then we recalled
! having met as children and presently
I gathered from his conversation ina.
he and his John partner as ne cahsu
you were very dear to each otaer !
was witness to your meeting that
night saw him take you IN MS Dig
arms and hold you tight because
you'd-gone blind while he was away
having a good time And you hadn't
told him! I thought that was brave
OF you; and later. when Bryce anu
| MORA McTavish told me about you
how kind you were, how you felt your
responsibility toward your employees
and the community-well, just
couldn't help a leaning toward John-
partner and John partners boy, be-
cause the boy was so fine and true 10
his fathers ideals
| All. he's a man. He is, indeed, ola
John Cardigan murmured proudly. Il
dare say you'll never get to know him
intimately, but IL you should
IT know him intimately" she cor
rected him. HE saved my life the
day the log train ran away. And that
was another reason. l owed him a
debt. and so did my uncle: but Uncle
wouldn't pay his share, and l had 10
pay for him." Eisgr o. E.RG vsht Il.
Wonderful" murmured John Car
digan. wonderful! But still you
haven't told me why you paid nun
dred thousand dollars for the Giants
when you could have bought them
for fifty thousand You had wom-
ans reason. I dare say, and women
always reason from the heart, never
the head. However, If you do not
care to tell me, shall not insist
Perhaps have appeared unduly in
quisitive."
II would rather not tell YOU" she
answered.
A gentle, president smile fringed
his old mouth; he wagged his leon
inc head as if to say: why should
ask, when l know" Fell again a
restful silence. Then:
Am / allowed one guess. Miss
Shirley Sumner
Yes. but you would never guess
the reason"
| Il am a very wise old man. When
one sits in the dark. one sees much
that was hidden from him in the full
glare of the light. My son is proud,
manly, Independent, and the soul OF
honor. He needed hundred thou
sand dollars; you knew it. You want
ed to loan him some money. but
you couldn't. You feared to offend
him by proffering it; had you prof
fered it, he would have declined it.
So you bought my Valley of the Gil
ants at a preposterous price and kept
your action secret And he pat
ted her hand gently, as If to silence
any denial. while far down the skid
road a voice-a half-trained baritone
l-floated family to them thru the
forest. Somebody was singing-or
rather chanting-%a singularly tune
less refrain, wild and barbaric.
What is that?" Shirley cried.
THAT is my son. coming to fetch
ibis old daddy home" replied John
Cardigan. THAT thing he's bowling
is an Indian war-song or paean of
misunderstanding his nurse taught
him when he wore pinafores. If
you'll excuse me, Miss Shirley Sum-
ner. I'll leave you now. l generally
contrive to meet him on the trail"
He babe her goodbye and started
down the trail, his stick tapping
against the old logging cable
stretched from tree to tree beside the
trail and marking 1t.
Shirley wac tremendously relieved.
She did not wish to meet Bryce Car
digan today, and she was distinctly
grateful to John Cardigan for his
nice consideration in sparing her an
interview. She seated herself in the
lumber jacks easy chair so lately
vacated, and chin in hand gave her
self up to meditation on this extra
ordinary old man and his extraordi-
nary son.
A couple of hundred yards down
the trail Bryce met his father. Hello
John Cardigan" he called. What dc
you mean by skallyhooting thru these
woods without pilot? Eth? Explain
your reckless conduct"
! you great overgrown duffer" his
fother retorted affectionately 20
| thought you'd never come" He reach
led into hts pocket for his handker-
chief but failed to find it and searched
4 thru another pocket and still an.
other. 'By gravy, son." he remarked
presently. II do believe I left my silR
'handkerchief-the one MORA gave me
for my last birthday-up yonder.
wouldn't lose that handkerchief for a
farm. Skip along. and find it for me
son. I'll wait for you here. DOM
hurry"
''rll be back in a pigs whisper
his son replied and started briskly II,
the. trail. while his father leaned
against madrone tree and smiled his
president little smile.
Bryce's brisk step on the carpet Of
withered brown twigs aroused Shirley
from her reverie. When she looked ur
he was standing in the center of the
little amphitheater gazing at her.
|. .'You-you!" she stammered ant
rose as If to flee from him.
'"The governor sent me back to lool
for his handkerchief Shirley" he ex.
planned. He didn't tell me you were
here. Guess he didn't hear you" He
advanced smilingly toward her. "I'r
tremendously glad to see you today
Shirley" he said. and paused beside
i her. Fate has been singularly kline
1 to me. Indeed I've been pondering al
/ day as to just how was to arrange q
private and confidential little cha1
with Won. without ceiling upon vo,, nj
your uncle's house"
! IT don't feel like chatting today"
she answered q little. drearily-ant
then he noted her wet lhshes. In.
stantly he was on one knee beside
her: with the amazing confidence thai
had always distinguished him in hel
eyes his big left arm went around
her, and when her hands went to hel