Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1921-12-29


back, smiling down at her to say:
ave are going to-the house over
yonder--to make sure of my guests"
Lettice stepped in front of him.
spread her skirt, stamped her foot,
ana said 'Shoo sshoo-ow energetical
ly, waving him back, but he o.ly
laughed and walked outside, waiting
for her however, upon the lowest
step. A. she joined him she began 10
run saying breathessly: "Babs is
blowing arrival-Id know our horn
among million. | must be there
when they come"
family Of degree clambered down
from the big touring car-Madam
Hale, hubble Of grandchildren of as
sorted sizes. and their nurse, the pat
tern of family retainer Babs In
khaki. al the wheel, called plaintvely:
shelter and food. Lead us TO them
This way" Graham answered,
shaking hands right and left. In Il
wink he fad marshaled the Hales
compactly-with' Lettuce shepherding
behind 1t was no trick to have them
seated at luncheon five minutes later,
all talking at once, exclaiming joyous
ly over the wonderful hill country.
Formal presentations were unthought
of--how was he to know that Babs,
who was only less adorable than Let
tice was officially Miss Barbara Sci
lers his house-mate's sometime
tanceef
Joe Built stopped dead at sight of
the feeding family, rubbed his eyes,
muttered, Am seeing thingsf then
tried to slip away. In vain-he was
captured ingloriously, dragged back,
and made to understand that Old
George expected every man to do his
duty. Worse still, room was made for
him at Barbara's elbow, but Lettice
opposite helped out In her role OF
comic relief Their cross-fire of jests
made Graham fairly murderous. but
ne was saved from breaking out by
Madam's artleSs catechism, which
ranged from the water and milk sup
ply to town politics, the minister's
age, and Judge Hamblin's pedigree.
What with talk and eating, the lin
gering locksmth finally surprised
them. Il said a dead lambs tail,
he excused himself naively to Let
tce. as all hands trooped across the
road Graham, on the other hand,
wished he had fingered longer-it
would have given further chance to
add supper to luncheon. Only he
grinned deriSiOn of Joe, struggling
along glum and sour, between the
twin grandsons right behind Bahs.
who gave baby Eileen her undivided
attention. Lettice was excuse enough
for anything, Graham decided-still.
after all ones rawlings against the in
constant fair, he had no business to
be thus swiftly consoled. Ii served
him quite right that in the procession
10 the mokehouse-w where true
enough. the key was found, hung to q,
nail insde-he was struck With
Babs, and the TWO Jagged SO far be-
hind il was plainly intentional.
Followed much merry moving and
Encouragement of cases. boxes, inrs
barrels, even jugs, in the rejuvenated
pantry and Kitchen. Lettice ordered
unerringly. and was implicitly obeyed
With the last thing in place she drew
long, happy breath, saying TO Gra-
ham: I'm so grateful tony absent
n ind. II | had remembered properly
none OF this would have happened.
We might have wasted half the sum-
mer getting to know our neighbors-"
81 mean to trust you with another
key Graham began significantly She
flashed away from him, flushing beau
tIfully. Smiling, he followed her to
the sagging garden gate. 1t had been
opened recently Inside, under honey
sucklsS I'm full flower, they saw Joe
and Babs, with locked hands and eyes
of ecstasy. "Why-I do believe he's
the man" Lettuce breathed rather than
said.
"And | know she's the woman,
Graham supplemented. "They have
found the key they lost-the key to
happiness"