The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-03-03

different from a romp round the pas
ture-feld. so I said was afraid not.
'Arthurs is coming down with the
blackboard remarked the other man.
I passed him on the trail as 1 came
in
''Sure enough, a little later Arthurs
himself drew up at the hotel. I
wouldn't have known him, but one of
the young men pointed him ou1. and
it would have done you good to see
how he received me. And you are
Jack and Mary's daughter he said.
taking both my hands in his and
holding me at arms length for mo
ment. Then. before I knew il, he had
drawn me up and kissed me. But I
didn't care. All of a sudden it
seemed to me that 1 had found real
father. 1t seems hard to say il, but
that is how I felt.
"Well, he just couldn't keep away
from me all evening. He shOwered
me with questions about you and ia
Their. which I answered as we'll as I
could, but I soon found 1 couldn't
keep my secret, so just up and told
him all. He was very grave, but not
cross. You need time TO think things
over, and to get a right perspective
he said, and our home will be yours
until you do
I'VE drove home the next day, up a
wonderful river valley, deep into the
heart OF the foothills, with the blue
mountains always reckoning and re-
ceding before us. Mrs. Arthurs was
as surprised and delighted as he had
been, and 1 won't try to tell you all
the things she said to me. She cried
a little, too, and I'm afraid 1 came
near helping her bit You know the
Arthurs lost their little girl before
they left Manitoba. and they have had
no other children. They both seemed
just hungry.
There's nothing so very fine about
their home, except the spirit that's in
side it. l can't describe it, but it's
there a-certain leisurely way of do
ing things. a sense that they have
made work their servant instead of
their MASTER And still they're GER
tainly not lazy, and they've accom-
pliShed more than we have When
they left Manitoba in the early days,
discouraged with successive frosts,
they came right out here into the foot
hills with their few head of stock.
Now their cattle are numbered in
thousands, and they have about a
township of land. And still they seem
to live for the pure happiness they
find in life. and only to think of their
property as a secondary cOnsidera-
ton
"NOw 1 really must close. Mrs. Ar
thurs sends a note, and I'm quite sure
it's an invitation. Oh, mother, what
could be loveIier, Now, don't say you
can't Father has plenty of money
let him hire a housekeeper for a
while. The change will do him good
Love to you. dearest. and to Allan.
if he still thinks of me.
"BEULAH
Up. 81 forgot to mention that Jim
Trnvers left Plainville on the same
train as 1 did. He could hardly be
lfeve his eyes when he saw me there.
I told him I was going west on
visit. but I don't know how much he
guessed. Said he was going west him
self TO take up land. but he wanted 70
call on some friends first. and he got
off few stations from Plainville. Be
tween you and me. 1 believe he
his plan so that the incident
our being on the train together, you
know-cOuld not be misunderstood If
the neighbOrs got to know of it. II
would he just like Jim to do that"
With Beulah's letter was a short hut
earnest note from Lillian Arthurs, as
surfing the mother of her daughters
welfare. and pressing an invitation to
spend the autumn in the glorious
scenery and weather of the fOothiIl
country. Mary Harris read both let
tiers over again, with frequent rub
bling of her glasses. Love for her
daughter, desire to see her old friend
once more. and growing disSatisfac-
ton with conditions at home. all COM
bined TO give weight TO the invitation
so earnestly extended. IF ynIy
COULD But it would cost so much"
CTO BE CONTINUED