The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-04-15

h listening girl began to see. She
was going to be asked to act as nurse
perhaps attendant and guardian. 10
this morbid Invalid with the injured
mind and body.
But how would / be any better for
him than Il regular trained nurse?"
she wondered. And they said he had
an attendant"
She looked ~questioningly at the
pair.
Where does my part come in?"
she asked with 4 certain sweet di-
rectness which was sometimes hers.
wouldn't / be a hireling too Tiff |
had anything to do with it,"
No, said Mrs. De Guenther grave
ly. you would 0 You would
have to be his wife"
The Liberty Teacher, in her sober
best suit, sat down in her entirely
commonplace chair in the quiet old
parlor, and looked unbelieyingly at
the sedate elderly couple who had
made her this wild proposition. She
caught her breath. But catching her
breath did not seem to affect any
thing that had been said. Mr.. De
Guenther took up the explanation
again, a little d~eprecatingly, she
thought,
You see now why | requested you
to investigate our reputability?" ne
said. Such a proposition as this, es-
pecially to a young lady who has no
parent or guardian, requires a con
siderable guarantee of good faith and
honesty of motive"
about it?" she asked quietly. She
did not feel now as if it were any
thing which had especially to do with
her. 1t seemed more like an inter
esting story she was u%nravelling sen
tence by sentence. The long, softly
lighted old room, with it's Stuarts and
Sullys, and its gracious, gray haired
host and hostess. seemed only a pic
turesque part OF it. = . . Her hostess
caught up the tale again.
Angela has been nearly distract
ed she said. And the idea has
come to her that il she could find
some conscientious woman, a lady,
and a person to whom what she could
offer would be a consideration, who
would take charge of poor Allan, that
she could die in peace"
But why did you think of asking
me?" the girl asked breathlessly.
"And why does she want me married
to him? And how could you or she
be sure that | would not be as much
Of q hireling as any nurse she may
have now?'
Mrs. De Guenther answered the
last two questions together.
~ Mrs. HaFrinEions idea is, and l
think rightly. that q conscientious
woman would feel the marriage tie,
however nominal, a bond that would
obligate her to a certain duty toward
her husband. As to why we selected
you, my dear. my husband and l have
had an interest in you for some years,
as you know. We have spoken Of
you as a girl whom We should like
for a relative
why, isn't that stranger" cried
Phyllis, dimpling. That's Just what
I've thought about you'll"
Mrs. De Guenther flushed. with a
delicate old shyness.
THANK you. dear child" she said.
7 was about to add that we have not
seen you at your work all these
years without knowing you to have
the kind heart and sense Of honor
requisite to poor Angela's plan. We
feel sure YOU could be trusted to take
the place. Mr.. De Guenther has asked
his friend Mr.. Johnston, the head OF
the library, such things as We needed
to supplement- our personal knowl-
edge Of you. You have everything
that could be asked, even to a certain
cheerfulness OF outlook which poor
Angela. naturally, lacks in a meas
ure."
"Bat-but what about meg' asked
Phyllis Braithwaite a little piteously,
IN answer to all this.
They seemed so certain she was
what they wanted-was there any
thing in this wild scheme that would
make her life better than it was as
the tired. i'll paid, light hearted keep
q Of a roomful Of turbulent little
foreigners?
Unless you are thinking Of mar
ssasseH=a = ri h ,riiiiiis shook her head
you would have at least a much
easier life than you have now. Mrs.
Harrington would settle a liberal in.
come on you, contingent. Of course. Of
your faithful wardershtp over Allan.