Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-12-02
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A
Square Deal
BY MARTHA McWILLlAMS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
20 by Mcclure Newspaper syndieats)

her long thin neck.
Next door to right here Here!
Here" gay young voice chanted, the
while u very handsome leg and pref
Is foot became visible below tho
spreading branches of the apple tree
In the Miller yard. You know waste
Is wicked" IL kept on. Haven't you
told Inc 50 ever since you came here
making me eat things | hated because
there wasn't pig. And these streaky
Junes just cry out to be eaten. l had
to come over and help them. See
what beauty basket I'm bringing
( homer" she cried. swinging down deft-
~ in spite of her buruen.
Take your pick of 'em--then you
can't say I'm stenllng--you know re-
ceivers IRE as bud us thieves" step
ping lithely through gap Ia the di-
vision fence.
( Mrs. Reed sighed acidly. ITO think
your dear father was II minister" she
said primly.
"He was-I'm the reaction from his
painful plety." the girl flung back. $50
/ gulleless he never saw through peo-
ple-not even YOU"
She merely thought the postulate.
Since she must stay while longer In
the house with this insufferable saint.
she would keep at least gloze VI
decency over the association. She had
not always been so wise-earlier.
there had been years of battle-it was
a. inrs
of Torment, which she had stopped re-
senting when her father died. He had
gone from life clinging to her hand,
and murmuring softly: "Daddy's CON-
fort" SO low other ears did not hear.
She had understood In face OF
death he was rendering her the JUS
tice love for her had withheld In life.
He had not wished to sharpen the
edged antngonlsm already existent
betwixt his child and the misfit new
wife. Needs must they live together
till Dare was one and twenty-then.
coming into her grandmother's money,
she could do as she liked. But she
was not quite sixteen-Ella for all her
castiron hardness would keep her In
safe comfort. She was rigidly just,
according TO her own lights, which new
/ er took account Of the mad distor-
tions of jealousy.
"Ain't none of the new apples can
match old streaked Junes," Mrs. Reed
mumbed, her mouth cramful, survey.
Ing as he spoke deeply bitten core.
Dare nodded, then sprang up. saying
brIskly: by your leave or without II
apple dumplings. feel In my bones
they tit the stuation-not quite sure
though just what IL Is"
who'll make EN-? won't-you
can't" Mrs. Reed shifted. Dare
laughed softly saying over her shoul'
der, you watch me. Or rather
don't. Walt til you see results. In
deed play company-lll get the whole
dinner. Supper we ought to call 1t. TO
save scandalIzlng the nelghbors-"
I'm 'fraid you'll need a pig worsen
ever one needed" Mrs. Reed inter.
rupted. Dare out In the passage
laughed provoklngly. then banged the
kitchen door and bOlted II fast.
Three hours luter-they had been
strenuous ones indeed-she called
from the cool dining room. Dinner Is
served. ma'am' And nj just that In.
slant came an intrepid knock on the
front door, undervolced by the impa-
| tient rat-tat of small high heels. Next
half minute Mrs. Reed ushered In
tall young fellow and II small. very
!
all but fell upon rush-bott0med chair,
saying petulantly. I'm here to get
whatever II is that smells so good.
Motoring always makes me woltish-"
I'VE have had blowout-here half
way to our dinner" the man explained
while the repair man is coming could
| you, would you. be good enough 10
save me from being eaten alivef This
/ young person." nodding nj his cOmpan-
Ion, "has been threatening II for half
an hour"
/ IF | can feed you. too" Mrs. Reed
said with wide hospltable smile.
Just MS soon as you wash the dust
off I'll promise to find you smack"
| For the very first time she felt dis
! tinctly proud of Torment. who stood
unruilled, family flushed and beamlng
proudly over brolled chicken. baked
cold ham. several manners of vege-
tables and relishcs, hot blscuiSs. brown
bread. wafer thin. fresh butter and
crisp radlshes set out in the best china
upon spotless linen. with the real old
silver cleaning In the low sunlight.
How had the girl done Il? Mrs. Reed
had never suspected any such capacity
In her young antagonist. But she was
glnd beyond words for this sudden de-
velopment OF II. She had placed the
strangers young Thomas Clair and
the rich Miss Murray he was due TO
marry shortly. Clair had given names
no more-ears attentive 10 gossip
had done the rest. Years back Mrs.
Reed-then Miss Green. high school
teacher-had had ten nj Clairston, aud
shaken hands with It's owners. Mighty
fine, II had been but nothing 10 com
...ma a., sha .uaetar Of Food urifh ktsbat