The Era-leader., 1921-07-28
BILL JONES
BY JACK LAWTCN.


Man, he said, "I'll move on. It's i'm
possible to read or even to think in
your uneasy presence. BY all that's
reasonable, what is the matter with
yOuw
Nan caught up a porch pillow and
aimed it at her brother
"Iou are the matter,' she replied ;
you and the rest of our aimleSs
crowd. | am 50 tired Of motoring with
silly Claud Barnett, and you had no
right to promise William Launceot a
meeting with me this afternoon. His
name shows what he would be like
| don't want to know him."
Bob regarded his sister.
"YOur real trouble he said frankly
"is too much good fortune. If YOU
had to get out and work like some
girls it would be better for y9U.'
Nan merely nodded her pretty head
~ think so too" she said-~"and the
same to Yourself"
w" her brother lazily remarked
"am contented with things ns they
are, The rule does not apply. How
ever" he laughed as he opened his
book, IF ambition overWhelms you get
out On the farm and help Cy with the
grapes"
"t'll do It," she said: ut will he diff.
ferent. Pm going to put on q gingham
dress and start for the vineyard now
I will apply incognito-N Nancy Tucker
from Tuckersville; don't you dare
breathe a word"
Bob grlnned.
"Yes-you-will," he jeered, bu'
Nan was gone. Her pink glnghan
dress was appropriately faded, and
she tucked her hair under a common
garden hat and steered her little cal
farmWard. She found a convenient
parking place in a wooded spot, and
walked on in a CHEEKY sense Of adj
venture. The pickers were variously
assembled and the spreading vine
yards made an inviting picture.
The man called Cy was not pleas
ing, as she had hoped to find him
Nan was really a bit disappointed
perhaps in all this picturesqueness she
had also hoped to find divertingly
picturesque personality. Cy was mat
ter of fact to brusqueness.
"Get busy If you want the job," he
answered her tlmid application, and
pointed out the way.
Nan approached the loaded vines
hesitatingly, then smiled and began
her task. The morning was extremely
hot; to the end Of the orderly row
seemed "long, long trail" indeed
But presently as she hummed ant
conscientiously picked, a man came
down the long trail with a basket.
"Good day for picking" he pleasant
ly remarked.
Nan nodded. She was not acQuaiht
ed with the etiquette Of the vine
yard, but as the young man inter
spersed soft whistled tunes with cas-
ual conversation, she forgot about eti
quette and answered him in good
natured camaraderie.
"NIy name Is plain Bill Jones'" hi
told her; "easy to remember. Pm mo-
working here regularly~~just filling In
And yOu-T
Nan turned down the brim of The
garden hat to hide her confusion. "lr
just filling in, too," she said.
"Where are you going to eat YOU
lunch?' Bill Jones asked in the friend
ly manner which was not in the leas
presumptuous.
"1 am going to eat mine back in
shady spot near the fence. Aunt TIL
" fixed a generous packet of sand
wlches for me, and doughnuts. 70,
will have to have one of those. Aun
TITLES doughnuts were made to b
shared"
"Thanks," said Nan; II will"
But the shrewd dark eyes read ne
subterfuge as she attempted to sli
away.
"You haven't brought lunch wit
you." accused Bill Jones. "Please sta
and share mine"
And some WAY or other the appea
ing "please" was impossible to n
sist. Two soiled and weary picker
promptly made their way to certai
shady place near the fence, and con
muned as they ate their meal.
81 think" said Nan at last in a sma
voice, that III just work an hou
more, then 60. It does make one
back ache, doesn't it1'
Bill Jones was at once sympathe
ic. "Stop right where you are, If 70
feel that way" he advised.
Nan went slowly and regretfull
down the road to woodsy spot whe'
she had parked her car; it seemed
pity to have to run away from II
only really happy day Of ones vis1
it1st because convention made that so
of happiness forbidden. Whatev'
would the Wilkins and her. own feml
think of her enjoyment in such chan'
acouaintanceship? She gazed rueful
at her stained gingham dress.