Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1922-12-28

drew very close to the little teacher.
He laid two hands on her slight arms
and for a moment stopped and rested
his head YEARLY on the little Shout
der, then he turned and kissed the
cheek.
"You shouldn't do that scolded the
teacher, and Harold was prompt in
his rather lame apology.
II am sorry, but 1 suppose it is be-
cause I'm SO lonely here in Staple
ton. 1 just couldn't help it."
At 9 Harold Shipway, feeling much
less lonely than he had felt earlier
in the day, was taking his departure.
1t was as he parted that Mildred
offered her wager.
Really there's no reason why Sta
pleton shouldn't open its doors to you.
1 am going to make a wager that
within a week you'll have been in
vited to dinner at one Of the big
houses-the Lotions or the Hold
ridges or the Palmers-some of the
really prominent people,"
I'D rather be invited to the
Browns" protested Harold. "But I'll
take you up. What shall it be-a five
pound box of chocolates to-"
"An invitation to dinner" suggested
Mildred.
So the wager was made.
What Mildred did the next day and
the next day she excused herself for
on the ground that she was doing a
kind act to some one who needed it
very much. When she went to the
Lotions to give little Helene her music
lesson she CHANGED to see Mrs. Lotion.
Quite adroitly she spoke about her va
rious pupils, mentioned Mr.. Shipway
and said: "It's rather odd that any
one with the prospects he had should
choose to live off here among strang-
ers." Mrs. Lotion was interested.
"Prospects?' she queried and Mildred
murmured something about a great
uncle worth 81, 100000 who had made
Harold his sole heir.
At the Palmers she repeated the
same falsehood. 1t was Mildred's first
deliberate lie, but she felt justified. '1t
will get them interested" she said to
herself. when they know him they'll
like him so much they won't care.
whether he has money or not. And
they'll only blame me, and l can say
/ heard it indirectly don't care
what they think of me, anyway.
A week later Harold came for his
music lesson. He brought with him
the box Of candy. 81 lose," he said.
~"Stapleton has begun to be friendly.
1.-THE Lotions asked me to dinner
and so did the Palmers. l went to the
Lotions, but had to decline the Pal
mers because their invitation was for
tonight, and / told them I had a pre-
vious invitation. You will let me stay
to supper again, won't you. I~leaSe?'
Funny thing is" Harold went on,
when they had gone into the little
parlor, "that now those people have
begun to be friendly / don't seem to
care about it. The fact is, I don't in
tend to stay here much longer. | am
very anxious to be married-if I do
I shall want to take my bride home
with me. She doesn't like Stapleton.
If I don't marry-then the farther /
am from Stapleton the better"
"How how interesting" said poor
Mildred. MAY I meet herT
Foolish little girl" said Harold.
"You know her already. You are the
only girl l ever wanted to marry-but
before I really ask you I must make
a confession"
II have a confession, too" said Mil
dred, very much embarrassed.
I'm Harold Shipway C%ayendish.
Dads John Cavendish Of the General
Oil company. You see-well, hang it
all, it will mean that you'll have to
marry a man hedged in by a few mil
lions. I took this job incog. because ]
wanted to prove that I could make
good on my own. These people didn't
know who I was, of course. Don't
bother about your confession-Mil.
dred, will you have mel"
81 guess / haven't anything to con.
fess," said Mildred. And then Harold
Shipman C%avendish took the slight
little music teacher in his arms ant
kissed the cheek that he had neg
lected the week before.
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