The Adair County news., 1921-04-20

pet OF redwood twigs close TO his
chair.
$50 you came up here to do lit
tie clear thinking" he continued In
his deliberate, amiabie tones. "Do
you come here oftenr
''This is the third time in ten years."
she answered. 81 feel that have
no business to intrude here This is
yOnr shrine, and strangers should not
profane it."
II think should have resented the
presence of any other person, Miss
Sumner. l resented you-until you
spoke"
'Tm glad you said that, Mr.. Cardi-
gan. 1t sets me at ease"
81 hadn't been up here for nearly
two years until recently. You see
Il don't own the Valley Of the Giants
any more"
'Tndeed. To whom have you sold
itf"
81 do not know, Miss Sumner. had
to sell; there was no other way out
of the jam Bryce and 1 were in; so
1 sacrificed my sentiment for my boy.
However, the new owner has been
wonderfully kind and thoughtful. She
recognized that old skid-road so even
an old blind duffer like me can find
| his way In and out without getting
lost-and she had this easy-chair made
for me. have told Judge Moore, who
represents the unknown owner, TO ex-
tend my thanks to his client. But
words are so empty, Shirley Sumner.
II that new owner could only under
stand how grateful aE--how pro-
fouEdly her courtesy touches me"
"Her eOurtesy% Shirley echoed.
did a woman buy the Giants?"
He smiled down at her. ''Why,
certainly. Who but woman-aHd a
dear, kind, thoughtful woman-would
have thought to have this chair made
and brought up here for me?"
Fell a long silence between them;
then John Cardigan's trembling hand
went cropping out toward the girls.
"Why, how stupid of me not to have
guessed 1t immediately" he said.
"You are the new owner. My dear
child, if the silent prayers of a very
| unhappy old man will bring Gods
blessing on you-there, there, girl I
didn't intend to make you weep. What
a tender heart 1t is, to be sure!'
She took his great toil-worn hand,
and her hot tears fell on it, for his
gentleness. his benignancy. had touch
ed her deeply. "Oh, you must not tell
anybody! You mustn't" she cried.
He put his hand on her shoulder as
she knelt before him. "Good land of
love, girl, what made you do it? Why
should a girl like you give hundred
thousand for my Valley Of the Giants?
Were you"-hesitatingly-"your un-
cle's agentT"
"No. 1 bought 1t myself-with my
own money. My uncle doesn't know
am the new owner. You see, he want
ed it-for nothing"
"Ah, yes. l suspected as much a
long time ago. Your uncle is the
modern type of business man. Not
very much of an idealist, I'm afraid.
But tell me why you decided to thwart
the plans of your relative"
81 knew it hurt you terribly to sell
your Giants; they were dear to you
for Sentimental reasons. understood
also, why you were forced to sell so
well, decided the Giants would be
safer in my possession than in my
uncle's. In all probability he would
have logged this valley for the sake
Of the clear straightforward boards
he could get from these trees"
"That does not explain satisfactor-
lily, to me, why you took sides with a
stranger against your own KIM" John
Cardigan persisted. There must be
deeper and more potent reason,
Miss Shirley Sumner"
WELL" Shirley made answer, glad
he could not see the flush of confusion
and embarrassment that crimsoned
her cheek, when / came to Sequoia
last May, your son and / met, quite
accidentally The stage to Sequoia
had already gone, and he was gracious
enough to invite me to make the Jour-
ney in his car. Then we recalled hav-
ing met as children, and presently /
gathered from his conversation that he
and his John-partner, as he called you,
were very dear to each other I was
witness to your meeting that night
saw him take you in his big arms
and hold you tight because you'd
gone blind while he was away having
good time. And you hadn't told
himl I thought that was brave of
you; and later, when Bryce and MORA
McTavish told me about you-how
kind you were, how you felt your
responsibility toward your employees
and the communicated, just
couldn't help leaning toward john
partner and John-partner's boy, be-
cause the boy was so fine and true to
his fathers ideals"
"Ah, he's man. He is indeed" old