Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-18
Copyright by Peter b. Kyne.
CHAPTER TX.

John Cardigan entered no further
! objection. and the following day the
agreement was entered into with the
| bank. Bryce closed by wire for the
extra logging equipment and immedi-
! ately set about rounding up crew
| TOR the woods and for the night shin
| in the mill.
For a month Bryce was as busy as
| the proverbial one-armed paper
hanger with the itch, and during all
that time he did not see Shirley
Sumner or hear OF her, directly OIL
Indirectly.
MORA McTavish. in the meantime
had come down from the woods ana
entered upon her duties In the null
office. The change from her dull
crab life, giving her. as 1t did, an OPP
portunity for Companionship win
people of greater mentality and re-
fnement than she had been used TO-
quickly brought about swift trans
ition In the girls nature. With the
passing of the coarse shoes and call
co dresses and the substitution OF
the KIM vi tlOliii5 OIL
Moira's instructive refinement ana
natural beauty long for, the girl De-
came cheerful, animated, and imbued
with the optimism OF her years.
Mora worked in the general ofhce'
and except upon occasions wheh
sTycs desired &c leSk 81 the hooks or
MORA brought some document into
the private office for his perusai'
there were days during which MS
n,easant Coed morning, Mora" con-
stituted the extent Of their conversa-
ton.
BRYCE had been absent In San
Francisco for ten days. He had plan
ned 10 stay three weeks. but nndins
his business consummated in less
time, he returned to Sequola uneA-
pectedly. Mora was standing al the
toll bookkeeping desk, her beautifui
dark head bent over the ledger, wneh
he entered the office and set his SUIT
case in the corner.
as that you, Mr.. Bryce" she quer-
led.
1.-THE Identical individual, MORA
How did you guess it was Il"
she looked up at him then. and her
wonderful dark eyes lighted with
flame Bryce had not seen In the"
heretofore. 81 knew you were COIN
Ing" she replied simply.
"yop had a bunch, MORA Do you
get those telepathis messages very
orten? He was crossing the Office &c
shake her hand.
eve never noticed particularly
that is. until I came to work mere
! Rut 7 always know when you are re-
turning after a considerable absence.
She gave him her hand. I'm so glao
you're back"
Why" he demanded bluntiy. :.
She flushed. Il really don
know. Mr.. Bryce"
"Well. then" he persisted. what
do you think makes you gladE
az had been thinking how nice II
would be to have you back, MI
Bryce. When you enter the office, it's
like a breeze rustlins the tops OF the
redwoods. And your father misses
YOU SO: he talks to me a great dea
about you. Why. Of course, we miss
YOU: anyhodr would"
AS he held her hand, he glanced
down at it and noted how greatly II
had changed during the past Few
months. From her hand his glance
roved over the girl, noting the I'M
provements in her dress, and thu
way the thick, wavy black hair was
piled on top of her shapely head.
at hadn't occurred to me before
MORA" he said with a bright i'm
personal smile that robbed his re-
mark of all suggestion Of masculine
flattery, but 1t seems 10 me I'm un'
usually glad to see you. also. You've
been fixing your hair different Is thi.
new style the latest in hairdressint
in Sequoia?
II think so, Mr.. Bryce. copied 4
from Colonel Pennington's niece
Miss Sumner"
oh he replied briefly. you've
met her. have you? I didn't know sh'
was in Sequoia still"
She's been away. but she CAM
back last week. l went to the Vale,
| VI lllS sIdl ulu oilOA
noon"
Bryce interrupted. You didn't tel
my father about the tree that wa
cut. did your he demanded sharply
NO"
Good girl! He mustn't know. G.
on, MORA. What was she doing II
c-- timber"
.SShe told me that once, when sh'
was a little girl, you had taken he
for a ride on your pony up to you
mothers grave And it seems sh
had great curiosity to see the spo
again.
I've met Miss Sumner three O
four times. That was when she frs
came to Sequoia. She's a STUNNING
girl. isn't she?"
Perfectly. Mr.. Bryce She's tn
first lady I've ever met. She's diff
] ferent.'
NO doubt! Her kind are not i,
product of homely little communi
ties Ike SeGuoia. And Tor that mat
ter. neither is her wolf OF an uncle
4 What did Miss Sumner have to sa.
to you, Moira?"
"She told me all about herself
and she said lot OF nice thing
about you, Mr.. Bryce, after told he
| I worked for you. And she insisted
LI should walk home with her. SO
did-and the butler served US witt
tea and toast and marmalade. The,
she showed me al her wonderful
things-and gave me some of them
Oh, Mr.. Bryce, she's so sweet"
II can see that you and Miss Sum
ner evidently hit 1t or just RICH
with each other. Are you going t
i cal ON her agafn?'
''Oh, yes! She begged me to. Sh'
4 says she's lonesome"