The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1921-12-16
BY
LYNDE
Copyright BY CHARLES soriSnsrs sons

mouth neither too large nor too small
upheld by firm, round chin, and the
chin upheld by an extra firm little jaw.
AS she had admitted, her eyes were
blue--the blue that shades into violet
land they we're well-set; wide apart
and perfectly fearless; the kind of
eyes fit to match the straight-llned
brows that usually go with them.
sat before the cheerful blaze,
chnckling quietly to myself over the
mad adventures OF the day and their
highly romantic, not TO say miraculous
outcome. Beyond all manner of doubt
had stumbled upon the three tails
mans Of Cousin Percy's cryptic letter.
BY the most marvellous of accidents
had discovered the girl. the horse
and the dog and, If the remainder of
Percy's letter were to be taken at
its face value, should now be In
touch with my legacy.
As to the character of that legacy,
there could be no further question.
Grandfather Jasper had left me
mine; and | was fully prepared to
find 1t the drowned mine Of Bullerton's
story. What might be able to make
of 1t was matter which could we'll
be postponed to another day. Just as
| reached this postponing conclusion,
the girls father came In, drew up a
chair on the opposite side of the
hearth, and began to make me well
come In mild-mannered way, saying
that they didn't have much company,
and were always master" glad to see
new face. He did not ask me any
troublesome questions; and beyond
telling me his name, which was Hiram
Twombly, did not volunteer any in
formation about himself or his daugh-
| ter nor did he explain how they came
to be living in so much comparative
comfort In such an out-of-the-way
place.
A little later the girl returned to
| set the table, and presently we had
supper. 1t was an amazingly good
meal; crisp bacon, fried potatoes, hot
biscuits and honey, and coffee that
| was most delicious In spite of the
condensed milk which was made to
| serve as cream.
After we left the table the blue
eyed maiden got housewifely busy, and
the old man and l sat before the fire
| and smoked. / don't remember lust
how 1t was that we finally drifted
around to automobiles and motor boats
and such things wi we did, and may
be may ha' eyed bit about
having driven i tinkered pretty
nearly all the breeds of go-cart on land
and water-as / really had.
Know about machinery, do your
said my hearth-mate; and then, with
a humorous CLINT in his mild eyes :
Shouldn't wonder If you could be
sort of a Godsend to me. If you want
ed to. To-morruh, If you amt in too
big hurry to be leavin' us, I'll get
you to show me few things that
don't know. long them lines, maybe"
i OF course, / acquiesced, cheerfully
BY and by the girl came In and sat
down to knit, just as her grandmother
might have done, and at that her faith.
er got up, and, lighting lantern
went out. was fairly perishing by
this time to know vast number OF
things, but hardly knew how to begin
asking about them. So, as the old man
clapped on his hat and left the cabin
/ blew out the first foolish remark
that came uppermost. =
"All dressed up. and nowhere to go
& | n oh ff,in IL FSx
two up on this mountain"
/ Meaning Daddy, and now, particu
larly2" she said, smiling across at me
HE has gone to make his regular
round of the mine buildings and cab
ms. Not that there is the slightest ust
Of 1t; only he likes to feel that he /.
at least pretending to earn his pay
'The miner" / queried
Eyes; this is the old Cinnabar, yo,
know; and Daddy Is the-weIl, I sup
pose you might call us the caretakers
though there isn't much to take car,
of. The mine has been shut down
for a year and more"
is 1t a gold mine?"
sit was"
why the past tenseT
water" she said, briefly. ''It's
drowned mine. That is why 1t wa
shut down."
OF course, this was exactly what
was expecting to hear, and yet thi
plain unvarnished confirmation @
things gave me a damp and soggy fee
Ing of dependency. Percy had wfreC
you remember, that his letter was n
joke; but it seemed that 1t really wa
one, and that the .joke--which wa
mighty grim one---was on me.
.'Can't the water be pumped out
| asked.
. 1T seems not. understand tn
company spent thousands of dollar
trying to pump 1t out. lists rattle
k pitiful."
e 'You mean the company's loss?"