The herald., 1920-07-22
THE
"EAGLE EYE"
By AlVAH J. GARTH.

Reuben Cleland walked to the door
of his office and stared out at the wei
and muddy street, then at the pools
where the sidewalk Sagged. He tool
a sniff of the air in a consequential
eXpertlike way.
Hin" he observed, at will prob
ably keep on raining for twenty-fOuT
hours. Winds right, and notice how
the falling drops form bubbles-sure
sign"
Silas Deane, seated comfortably in
side, shifted also, but secretly, and
with a certain degree of contempt.
THE sure-thing wiSeacre!" he NUT
tered. "Of course there's bubbles
where the awning dripS."
seen my new manager, DcaneT'
inquired Cleland
~ haven't" rather snappily retort-
ed Deane Seems to me for old
friendships sake YOU might have given
Norman try at the job"
"YOur son is too young and mex
perienccd for such an important posi-
/ ton" observed Cleland. Isn't he
doing we'll enough? He is making a
good record and money on the road
and he's adapted TO it. Besides, Deane,
To tell you the truth he and Ellice
were getting pretty friendly. | have
my ideas about the kind of husband
she needs-Some one a little older
than herself. | think I've found my
man in Ward Robinson, my new mana
ger"
"So?" and Deane purSed his lips
sOurly. "When's he cOming?"
Tomorrow. ! engaged him in the
city last week. Tell you, Deane, I'm
man of intuition. Just as | have
won the record of being a weather
prophet, so l can read men. When l
do business with one | study his eyes.
/ did 1t with Robinson. He's got an
eye like an eagle. You know that the
first thing an eagle does when it gets
its young is to lift them in turn high
up over its nest. Ii holds them in
turn facing the sun. If any one Of
them blinkS. then down 1t goes among
the rocks. Robinson has got the right
kind of eyes. Looks you straight in
the face and never a CULVER"
isn't a hawk that way, toO?"
queried Deane, a slight touch of sar-
caSm in his tone. Il say, though"
and he chuckled, "if you don't hit the
eagle eye business any surer than you
do t. weather, better shut up shop.
Good-by." for a glow of bright sun
shine told Of clearing skies.
Silas Deane was glad to give Reu-
ben Cleland dig. They had been old
friends for nearly half century and
Cleland had shown real neighbOrli-
hess in taking Norman Deane into his
Employ. For one thing, however,
Deane could not forgive him. AS soon
hs Cleland discovered that his daugh-
her. Ellice, and Norman naturally ter
minated boy and girl cOmpaniOnship
bin the real love of maturer years, he
made 1t point to keep Norman on
THE road most of the time, and when
Norman paid flying visit home the
|watchful and polite father kept his
own eagle eye" closely upon him.
The new manager appeared next
day and on the surface presented all
the earmarks Of the kind OF man
after Reuben Clelands own heart. He
suggested discipline in every Inca
ment of his cold, unsympathetic face.
His eagle eye" was his stronghold
With its noncOmpassionate glitter he
transfxed the work shirker and
cowed down the victim whose wages
he Tad elected 10 cut 1nro sort OF
resigned despair. He was a neat,
not altogether an unhand-
some man, but the first time she met
him Ellice secretly shuddered.
Her father was proud of this eff
cheney ornament of his business and
went, invited him to the home and at
the end of two months intimated to
Ellice that Robinson had fallen deep
" in love with her, had asked his con-
sent as to telling her so, and plainly
declared that he did not think he
could find a more acceptable son-in-
law.
"Oh, papa" exclaimed Ellice, 81
have never dreamed of this. 1t dis
fresses-it overcomes me. Please let |
|ne go and visit Cousin Ruth Gordon
IN Brocton and think 1t over before ! |
live an answer"
That's all right" nodded her IA
|her, reserving from his daughter his |
Intention of writing their relative to |
Encourage the match in every way.
But self-contained, autOcratic Reu- |
ben Cleland knew gentle, sympathetic
Ruth Gordon's heart as little as he |
Understood that of Ellice. He little |
Eealized how daring the latter could /
be when her life's happiness was at |
take. At the end of a week Ellice |
returned home, but not until Norman
Deane had been summoned for fleet /
ing hour to Brocton to consummate a !,
plan formed by Ellice and her cousin. !
The evening she returned home her
father called her into the library.
Ward Robinson was also an occupant. |
my DEAR" spoke Cleland. there
isn't any need of circumlOcution or
delay. You have known Mr.. Robin !
con for some time Won are aware