Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1921-09-15
CHAPTER xiv.
a Letter and a Proposal.

uis rougn buildings were completed
In record time. There had been nc
further manifestations Of interference
from the Balls and Torreys, and Hen.
derson Goff had been nowhere in EVIL
dence since the night of Bill Dale's
ironclad verbal ultimatum. Work on
the little railroad was progressing like
wildfire. and everybody was in high
/ spirits.
by Heck had Just arrived with the
mail. He stalked with an air of great
Importance into Dale's Office, and
threw the mail down on the new roll
top desk then he stepped backward,
dropped into straight-back chair and
began to nurse his rifle tenderly on
his knees. There was a puzzled look
on his leathery face. Dale had re-
ceived half dozen letters, and BY
Heck was at loss to figure out the
why OF such an overwhelming amount
Of mail.
Dale finished his figuring, leaned
back In his swivel chair and took up
letter that Seemed altogether too
bulky for q business letter. More
over, its address was In pencil, and
somewhat scrawItl, though chirog-
raphy expert would have said that
the handwriting showed strength of
character.
Il wonder who 1t u.s." Dale muttered,
that mistakes Us for a newspaper
office and Is senGng us copy?"
Jest what I was a-thinkin',"
drawled BY HeckSIhrough his Niagara
Falls mustache. "Open her up, Bill;
mebbe It's money. by Jake!"
Dale saw the postmark then, and
his brows drew with interest. It was
the postmark Of his old home city.
From Babe" he told hlmself-and |
1t was.
He opened 1t and read 1t. She had |
spelled most Of her words correctly.
but the only punctuation she used was
Q period and her capitals were few.
For q wonder. she had put it into
paragraphs:
Mr.. bill Dale.
cartersyille.
Kind friend.
seat myself with pen in hand to drap
you few lines to let you know am
well hoping You the same. we'll bill
have some news to tell you about
what happened when got hack hear
and since got J1ck. and hear 1t is.
the first person | seen when / got
to the railrode stashun was jimmy
Jayne and he was dressed up like
nillionair and reckon he is one. he
.o0k me In his moter car up to pats
lone. patrisha you know. pat she
rugged me and Jimmy left rite away
tut said he would be back. asked
rat had she heard about yore trubble
iii and she answered no what. then
told her bout you and the lowdown
lack adam ball bill and she said pore
Id bill he had such a high temper no
ody could ever understand 1t hut II
ant be are you serious elizabeth.
{ well said yes imean 1t. pat shook
Ter head sOrrowfle and said tell me
il about 1t elizabeth deer. when
ad told her the hole story about 1t
We went up stares. pat went to a
loset and got butifle dress my size.
ordered this the day before you left
$ pat said but 1t mite half to be al
cred. vile you are dressing pat said
will speak to Mrs. Dale over the
telephone. pat said yore mother has
oftened tord her son and promised
tell her any news ! had conserving
i'm. said all rite.
pat was gone down ..stares talking
yer the telephone for long time and
hen she returned to me ] was dressed
nd we went down stares together
nd the new dress diddent half to he
tered. after dinner was over me and
at went to swing at the end If a
randa which had dim lite ON It.
at spoke all of a student and said
Inc how would you like to 20 to
We with Mrs. Dale bills mother.
haddent liked yore moth
bill cause of what she said about
e and got about half mad don't
,u want me to live hear with you
1t ] asked. !
OF course pat said. ide be glad to
ave you but Mrs. Dale wants you
p pat said. her treatment of her
m which is you bill has most broke
II hart pat said. pat said the only
old Mrs. Dale has on her son is
rough you elizabeth and she Isl a y
I'd and remorsefie woman. then 8
It to thinking bill mite be the cause
bringing peece between you and
ire parents and SO told pat would g
and ! did. ime glad said pat but
le sorry to lose you but 1t is the best
nv and we can gao nach other affau q