The Adair County news., 1921-04-27
Copyright by Peter B. Kyne

Bryce's brisk step on the carpet of
withered brown twigs aroused Shirley
from her reverie. When she looked up
he was standing in the center of the
little amphitheater gazing at her.
~You-you! she stammered, and
rose as if to flee from him.
''The governor sent me back to look
for his handkerchief, Shirley" he ex-
planned. HE didn't tell me you were
here. Guess he didn't hear you" He
advanced smiIingly toward her. I'm
tremendously glad to see you today,
Shirley" he said, and paused beside
her. Fate has been singularly kind
to me. Indeed I've been bordering all
day as to just how was to arrange a
private and confidential little chat
with you, without calling upon you at
your uncle's house"
Il don't feel like chatting today"
she answered a little drearily-and
then he noted her wet lashes. In
Stantly he was on one knee beside her /;
with the amazing confidence that had
always distinguished him in her eyes
his big left arm went around her, and
when her hands went to her face he
drew them gently away.
1--WE waited too long, sweetheart"
he murmured. Thank God, can tell
you at last all the things that have
been accommodating in my heart. love
you, Shirley. I've loved you from that
first day we met at the station, and
all these months Of strife and repres-
sion have merely served to make me
love you the more. Perhaps you have
been all the dearer to me because you
seemed so hopelessly unattainable."
, He drew her head down on his
breast; his great hand patted her hot
cheek; his honest brown eyes gazed
earnestly, wistfully into hers. 81 love
you," he whispered. "An that have
all that I ANAL that hope for-I
offer to you, Shirley Sumner; and in
the shrine of my heart shall hold you
sacred while life shall last. You are
not Indifferent to me, dear. I know
you're not; but tell me-answer me-"
Her violet eyes were uplifted to his,
and in them he read the answer to his
cry. "Ah, may II" he murmured. and
kissed her.
"Oh, my dear, impulsive, gentle big
sweetheart" she whispered-an then
her arms went around his neck, and
the fullness of her happiness found
vent in tears he did not seek to have
her repress. In the safe haven of
his arms she rested; and there, quite
without effort or distress, she managed
to convey to him something more than
an inkling Of the thoughts that were
wont to come TO her whenever they
met.
ooh, my lover he cried happily. 81
hadn't dared dream of such happiness
until today. You were so unattain-
able-the obstacles between us were
so many and so great"
"Why today, Bryce?" she interrupt
ed him.
He took her adorable little nose in
his great thumb and forefinger and
tweaked it gently. THE light began
to dawn yesterday, my dear little en-
ClAss lOAlO"lliS hail
hour which put in with his honor the
mayor. Acting upon suspicion only,
/ told PoundstOne I was prepared to
send him to the rock pile If he didn't
behave himself in the matter of my
permanent franchise for the N. 9. o.
and the oily old invertebrate wept and
promised me anything if l wouldn't
disgrace him. So promised wouldn't
do anything until the franchise mat
ter should be definitely settled-after
which returned to my Office, to find
awaiting me there no less a person
than the right-of-way man for the
Northwestern Pacific. He was a per-
fectly delightful young fellow. and he
had a proposition to unfold. 1t seems
the Northwestern Pacific has decided
to build up from Willis, and all that
powwow and publicity of Buck Ogil-
yy's about the N. G. o. was in all
probability the very thing that spurred
them to action. They figured the
@. NJ. & st. P. was back of the N. c. o.
that It was to be the first link in a
chain Of coast roads to be connected
ultimately with the terminus of the
c. NJ & st. p. on Gray's Harbor, Wash
tngton. And if the n. c. o. should be
built it meant that a rival road would
get the edge on them in the matter
OF every stick of Humboldt and Del
Norte redwOod-and they'd be left
holding the sack"
"Why did they think that, dear?'
THAT amazing rascal, Buck Ogilvy,
used to be c. NJ. & st. P. man; they
thought they traced an analogy. dare
say. Perhaps Buck fibbed to them. At
any rate this right-of-way man was
mighty anxious to know whether or
not the n. G. o. had purchased from
the Cardigan Redwood Lumber COM
pany q site for a terminus on tide
water 1--WE control all the deep-water
frontage on the bay), and when told
him the deal had not yet been closed
he started to close one with me-"
did yor closer