The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1920-08-26
A Trick of
Fortune
BY ALvAH J. GARTH

he set his suitcase on chair III Il
very plainly furnished, but scrupulous-
ly neat and clean room, and glanceu
from its open window upon a rare
scene Of sylvan solitude and beauty
He had sought to find some peace
full rural place where he could rest
and read, Wander In the woods ana
take in a supply Of pure country ar
and sunshine. Fate had sent him TO
Leesville and an equally KIND old
fashioned postmaster had directed
him to the home of Mrs. Abigail
Briggs. A pretty modest girl of about
eighteen had greeted him pleasantly
and her mother, stately OLD lady'
evinced a sincerity and dignity that
told Of good breeding.
~ hope the postmaster told you
that we are poor folks and live very
plain" said the widowed mistress OF
the little home. "My husband died
leaving us nothing but this poor old
property but If fresh cream and but
ter ara plenty Of green stuff and Der-
ries and chickens and eggs are what
you like you can have them IN plenty.
"You will find the old lady set IN
her opinions and trifle bitter over
the great disappointment Of her NE
the postmaster had told Merle. "Slle
and her husband had toiled hard TO
earn and save, but when he died there
wasn't a trace even of the securities ne
had told his widow about while liv-
ing. It's n blessing that she has
Lettle, girl all gold. Works like
beaver, and with her school teaching
in season and what they sell OF the
produce of the place she has Kept the
larder full and the Old ramshackly
house out of debt"
"AIother wishes to know # there Is
anything we can do to add - your
comfort" said Lettie half an hour
after NIere's arrival, appearing at
the door of his room.
"Why, / was thinking If had
small stand or table," replied Merle,
at would make things just prime. l
do a good deal Of writing at tines
and he indicated some writing utensils
he had temporarily placed on the bu-
reau.
81 think I know what will suit you"
announced Lettie. "There is o small
table we used TO play games on stored
away in the attic" and five minutes
later she reappeared carrying the OBJ
ject she had described, which Merle
set in a corner of the room. Lettie
went downstairs with the words: "Tea
will be ready in few minutes"
Merle found some difficulty in open
ing the drawer of the stand and
tinkling bell sounded downstairs as
he managed to pull 1t open. He h'Fs-
tied in his loose papers and descend
ed to the lower floor to partake OF
"the finest meal l ever enjoyed" he
afterwards asserted.
Within two days Merle was fully
domestlcated. Before his first week
was passed he had become the conf
dant and sympathlzer of the old lady,
who constantly dilated on their great
and mysterious loss Of fortune.
AS to Lettle she came into the life
of Merle so simple, 20 refreshing
that he sought her companionship
whenever she was at leisure. The post
master had iocularly advised him not
to fall in love with Lettie for she had
broken the hearts Of half dozen
ardent suitors, who had learned that
the faithful daughter had consecrated
her young life to looking solely after
her mother until she had earned
enough to place her in position of
independence.
Merle awoke one morning at the
echo of a vivid scream downstairs and
hurried on his clothes as smoke and
smell of burning wood warned him Of
apparent fire peril. The lower part OF
the house was In flames. He aided
the two terrified women to get out
side in safety, returned to carry out
what he could of their personal be-
longings and, remembering his suit
case in his room, hastened thither,
filed it with his scattered possessions
and dumped in the contents of the
drawer of the little stand.
The house was burned to the
ground. A neighbor offered to house
Lettie and her mother, but the stub
born Mrs. Briggs refused to leave the
only spot on earth she could call her
own. There was small two-room
cottage that had once harbored the
hired help and here the two women
established themselves. Merle put up
at the village hotel.
He did not sleep that night. All
through the lonely silent hours he
thought of Lettie, Of her mother, too.
Love and sympathy led his mind to
fixed decision before morning came.
And then, while he was doubling that
Mrs. Briggs would consent to be de-
pendent even upon willing son-in-
law, or that Lettie would consent to
marry him, Merle made a wonderful
discovery.
Sorting over the papers he had res
cued from the little stand he found
that, unknown TO himself as TO the
mother and daughter. 1t had held sew
eral packages, doubtless hidden there
by John Briggs for safekeeping. They
held securities representing modest
fortune. The missing wealth of the