Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1920-07-08
A LOYAL
GUARDIAN
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(CeDyrtght, 1920. Western NeMspaper unic
By EVELYN LEE


Copyright. 1920 Western Newspaper Union.
Life seemed good all afternoon tt
Egbert MarStOn, with the strife OF
the morning over-stately trees to b,
under. soft turf to repose on. Ths
last load of hay was in loft or stack
Marston lazily stretched himself an(
rest seemed sweet. Then he arost
and advanced toward the broad opet
doorway of the barn. attracted b,
the flutter of a dress and the echo OF
silvery laughing tones.
There hung near an unused stall,
double yoke. Robert Burton had fash
toned 1t himself nearly half centur,
previous, but oxen had given place tt
less clumsy and slow going stock, ant
the old yoke remained in view as re
hinder and relic. Madge Burton raj
toward 1t and poked her sunny face
and head through it.
"Boo!" she cried out, playfully tt
her adopted father, who was filling g
measure with corn for the chickens.
"You need mate to make the pic
ture complete" declared Burton
Reckon I'll have to find you one;'
and the girl flushed, embarrassed as
Egbert came nearer.
"a yoke fellow?" he rallied. "Whs
wouldn't be glad to the task" he was
going to say, for they all worked or
the farm, Madge as well as the rest
and he supplemented the word priv,
ilege," and then added, with an ad
mirlng glance at NIadge, "and honor
Robert Burton left the twain to
themselves with a chucl1le as a sud.
den idea flashed into his mind 81
wonder now" he soliloquized, "if !
needn't worry any more about Madge
being left alone In the world after !
am gomez"
Meantime the couple he discussed
came out into the yard, strolled in o
desultory way and carried on n casual
conversation under some restraint
That flash Of admiration from Egbert's
eyes as she made a pretty picture
framed by the yoke had instantaneous
ly enlightened Madge. The responsive
glow In her face had, too, enlightened
him. Egbert did not keep up his
strain of gentle bantering, however
It was just a month later that
Robert Burton died. He had adopted
Madge, little girl, when his wife
died, and an own daughter could not
have been more loving, grateful and
loyal. She had indeed been to him a
helpful, cheerful "yoke fellow" To her
work had become pleasure and she
never shirked the severest toll.
It was the dead mans lawyer who
unfolded the contents Of will recent
ly made by the decedent. 1t was brief
simple and plain. Jointly all that Bur
ton had to leave was to be inherited
by Madge and Egbert, provided they
married. Otherwise the main part OF
1t was to go to charity.
"He would have 1t thus, Madge,"
spoke Egbert. "Am I to go away, or
are we to be the yoke fellows your
father hoped we would be?"
Madge said, "Stay," and there was
fluttering Joy in her tones as she did
so. They had quiet wedding, set
tied down readily and naturally into
the new life, and happiness seemed
assured.
At the end Of month Madge began
to change. 1t puzzled and then
grieved Egbert to note that her entire
character seemed to undergo a de-
velopment that he could not analyze.
She was as kindly as ever and as to
work bore more than her full share
Of 1t. She did not encourage the Wis
Its of neighbors, especially of her own
sex. She rid the house of liquor, of
which Mr.. Burton had always carried
q stock for harvest use and sickness.
Egbert never went to town but she
begged to go with him. She became
economical to the point of penurious-
ness, and on an occasion when she
and her husband visited the circus. in
sudden and almost frenzied manner
hurried Egbert away from stand
where games Of chance We're going on.
Egbert Marston felt an invisible, but
oppressive yoke restraining all the free
and varied workings of his mind. He
could not account for Madges ever
present watchfulness and her attempts
to shut him out from the most ordi-
nary independence of action.
One day Madge had gone over to
nurse sick neighbor for the after
noon and Egbert, ransacling the room
for razor he had mislaid, Glanced to
open the drawer of a desk TINT had
always been Madge's own property,
He did not locate the sought-for arti-
Gle, but CHANGED to come across some
loose papers which he discerned Mt a
glance had belonged to Mr.. Burton.
One showed crumpled soled con-
dition, as If it had been read a great
many times. 1t was in Mr.. Burton's
own handwriting and it told Of an in
vestigatlon he had made. Its subject
was person he had thought of en-
ploylng, but the reports he had re-
celved made out the applicant as a
drinker. gamester and undesirable
generally.
"I've solved It'll" almost shouted Egg
bert in transport of glad enlighten-
ment, and so satisfied was he that he
had discovered clew to Madge's
strange action that he at once went
over to the neighbors to see her
"A1adge," he spoke when she Joined
him outside, "has that paper anything
to do with the way you have acted?'
"Yes, everything" came the truthful
reply. "My hearts one thought has
been to keep you from becoming what
YOU once WERE"