The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-10-01
Loving
Plotters
By GENEVIEVE ULMAR

| upon his StenOgrapner, Irene BlanuOn,
with some wonderment. The latter, a
handkerchief to her eyes and sobbing
low, had not noticed Ter appearance.
The sheet of paper on her typewriter
bore evidence of tears.
"Why, Miss Blandon" spoke the Wis
itor gently, whatever Is the trouble?
You are crying"
Irene lifted a woeful face to the
lady. 81 couldn't help it," she spoke.
"You must know how things are here
and am so sorry for Mr.. Dale"
perhaps / do not entirely know
how things are here, dear" said Mrs.
Dale. "Of course Morton has told me
of his misfortune in trusting client
with half his capital and the man In
vesting it unfortunately and no chance
of recovering it. But Morton is young.
bright and honorable, the world Is all
before him and it has greatly distress
ed me to see how hard he has taken
| it,"
Mr. Dale was under severe strain
before that came" announced Irene.
"He put through very creditable deal
and counted on expanding his bust
ness when this loss came along. Oh,
Mrs. Dale! can you not induce him to
seek and find what alone can save
| him-an entire abandonment of busi-
ness cares for Il spell? He is not Ill,
but mentally depressed. He has lost
his nerve, as the men on Change say,
| and he gets gloOmier and more dis
cOuraged every day. Perhaps you won
der at my feeling over him, but l came
to the city knowing nobody and If
were his own sister he could not have
been more kind and helpful to me.
| Every time l write to TIE family ut
home, am sure they bless him for the
interest he has taken in me and the
good position he has given me-"
"You are a sweet, dear GIRL" said
Mrs. Dale, her own eyes dimming.
"Tell me what you think we had ought
to do to win him from his apathy and
| gloom"
"He must give up business for
! time, that is sure" answered sensible.
practical Irene. He las u fine, sensi-
tive nature and he is getting thin and
tired all of the time. He needs build
ing up, and oh if he would only con-
sent to do down to Waltham, where l
came from, and let mother and the
| folks look after him and think of moth
ing but rest and recreation, he would
surely come back with renewed health
and courage"
The sincerity and earnestness of the
young girl Charmed the anxious moth
err. From the suggestion Irene made
grew definite plans. Morton Dale
agreed to them, though with little in
terest in them, it seemed, and one day
| left for months vacation at Holly
wood farm. 1t was not until he got
away from the turmoil and CRIME of
the city and the train glided along
| past fresh vernal scenes and the flow
er perfumed air came in revivingly at
the open car window, that his perturb-
ed mind began to calm down. In a
gentle, polite way those two loving
| plotters had spent a week in winning
him to their suggestion. Now, feeling
how reliably Irene would attend to his
interests and recalling that she was
| sacrificing her own vacation visit to
| the folks at home for his sake, q ten
der gratitude expanded his soul, tenn
porarily clouded by his own selfish and
exaggerated worries.
"She is like my mOther-all gOld!"
Morton told himself and when he ar
rived at Waltham he soon decided that
| there were others, too, Of the home
spun, but heartsome Blandon family
| who were eligibles to be quoted in the
same precious metal category.
Irene's two sisters were in evidence
occupying seat In the roOmy old
sitting room, pictures of health and
| holiness. The brother, big-hearted
fellow, always joking and laughing,
| hailed Morton as a bosom friend.
When they reached the pleasant old
| fashioned farmhouse Mrs. BlandOn
welcomed their guest as an own son.
The guest partook of the most enjoy
able meal of weeks and slept with n
smile on his lips, as through his
dreaming fancies ran shadowy echoes
of some joke Wilfred Blandon mar
rated, or a fugitive thought of the
brave little helper he lad left in
charge of his business craft came to
his mind.
Bluff, hearty Wilfred put himself
out to bring more cheerful state Of
feeling to the invalid, and was abet-
ted by trusty accomplices. He even
had the scale at the general store man.
ipulated, so that whenever Morton
came in to get weighed he was found
to be gaining nearly pound daily!
One day some rufiians attacked
farmer on his way home with consid
cradle money. Morton dispersed them
in a way that won from the rescued
victim admiring commentator for his
spryness and strength.
At the end or Il month, completely
renovated, Morton Dale came home,
the picture of jolly good health. He
listened with glowing eyes as his moth
er recited how Irene had not only
cared for the old business, but had