The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1920-08-26
Good Morning!
By VICTOR REDcLIFFE

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Copyright. 1920. Western Newspaper Union
It had been pleasant day and eve
ming for Muriel Delevan, and she was
content to li1ger upon the porch and
dream over the various events that had
made her nineteenth birthday red
letter event in her life. There had
been tennis all the afternoon and mu-
sic and dancing until eleven O'clock
and now, nearing the mystic hour Of
midnight, the last guest had departed.
Old Abel Strong, the gardener and
general major domo, had retired after
d final survey of the grounds. Mrs
Walters, the housekeeper, was going
upstairs to her room when Rose, the
younger sister, came out AID sat down
In Muriel's lap and put her arms low
ingly about her neck.
''"Tired, DEAR" she cooed In gentle.
soothing tones. Z
mo, just lost In happy dreams"
came the low murmured reply. II think
I shall never forget this great, lovely
day of my life"
y "Do you think Rodney Blair will,
either?" mischievously inquired Rose.
''Oh, I don't know" replied Muriel
in an ecstasy Of emotion, but he was so
kind and thoughtful and almost senti-
mental" - s
"And he stole away from the others
in your stroll about the grounds. Why,
you palpitating, ecstatic little humbug,
you are in love with him and afraid
to think 1t"
'Now, Rose" 49,
"No, now Muriel!" disputed Rose,
you are to come to bed at once. You
know we promised papa early hours
while he was away and here it Is 60
ing towards one o'clock. Come, dear"
and Rose led her sister into the house
and they went up stairs. s54ss
Rose was yawning and sleepy, but she
INDUCED her sister In not hurrying
her from a final survey Of the numer-
GUS gifts she had received. There was
diamond ring. from her father and
handsome wrist watch from her Aunt
Dorothy. There We're minor articles
of jewelry from her girl friends and
there was bouquet from Rodney
Blair which she had placed upon the
little stand at the head of the bed.
Muriel stole glance at Rose who had
already retired, noticed that she was
asleep, selected bud from the bOu-
Quet and turned out the light and tip
fn xryln do
pressed the cherished flower to her
lips and looked out upon the garden.
Life seemed still and sweet, the
zephyrs blew gently down vale of
bloom. There seemed to be rare
magic where the moon, shining
through the trees, Illuminated dells Of
fairy light. She was lost in maiden
reverie until wavy glow of light
showed, disappeared, moving about
from spot to spot beyond a long row
Of stately lilies. IA 7se.Ss
Instantly Muriel thought of some
lurking marauder. She recalled that
her absent father always kept money
and securities in the library safes
Then, too, sudden inestimable value
to her cherished present was present.
ed to her active mind. She swept the
jewelry from the stand into a drawer
and quietly left the room. Abel Strong,
the gardener slept in an attic over
the kitchen. She reached its door and
tapped. ..
"What is it?" at length sounded &
sleepy voice. -, $50 Ss
''Please get up at once" answered
Muriel. '''Some one is providing about
the garden-some~ one with flash
light" e.. ss@ vs. $50
Abel came out in few moments
pistol in either coat pocket. Muriel.
related what she. had seen. 1 -
''You stay on the porch here, Miss.
spoke Abel finally. II will leave one Of
the pistols and if the light comes near.
the house fire it off as signal to me-,
1t was an exciting and suspenseful'
five minutes for Muriel. The flashes
Of light had ceased, there was an In
term of silence and then approac ching
voices sounded and the gardener and
another came into shadowy view.
Muriel stepped to the door, reached In
and turned on the porch light.
She stood spellbound as the illum-
ination revealed the gardener and
Rodney Blair. The latter held a flash
light in one hand, in the other long,
dat wallet.
If you please, Miss spoke the
gardener, 'the gentleman says he will
explain to you about his being here"
and with slight smile on his face
went away around the house.
"Why, won't you be seated?" bewil-
deredly uttered Muriel
II must be an unwelcome intruder.
causing you such an unwarranted
ALARM" said Blair, equally confused.
"When we-that is, in the stroll about
the garden last evening must have
dropped letter from my pocket. Il
was one I had written to my mother
and, Miss Delaya-, let me make full