The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-11-21

let eve, ana turning to'yslsta tlle
! wat" he said imperatiyti
tearing ,open tfH t.lEer: "Sin.
have to answer thiB In . hurry
and you'll have 70 copy I'll write
such a poor fist. +"
and your spelling proves
you've been through college,"
Marietta unwisoly tainted.
A muttered oath startled her.
Luke was tearing the notes toI
bits his face liVid with passion.
you will have to answer this
this hussy," he said through set
teeth. I'm going 70 marry you
and show her l wanted her monty
not herself"
"There'll be two words-maybe
more Ito that bargain" Mar;ette
flung back, running away, her
hands locked hard above the hid!
ing place Of her precious letter.
Suppose It had not come-sup-
pose she had not read It unseen
She shiyered at tho thought, but
when she delivered mail 70 Aunt
EN-, she was her usual stol!d self
Aunt EN- buried herself In her
fayorite story paper. saying alb
sently: go on now and help Nam
Dilsey, with the peach preserves
and dinner. Better have It late
Luke said he was goin for oil
day-but I somehow think he'll
be home around o'clock.
Mariette bowed obodlently and
ran away. But not to the preserv.
inB-instead 10 her own hlace.
There she dragged out a suitcase,
crammed the best and least cum
brous OF her clothes inside. put
on her newest shoes, then slipped
out the back way, losing herself
in hazel thickets beyond the orch
ard, through which she won final.
ly unseen by any eyes 10 the road
leading to the railway.
She never quite knew how she
traversed It, how she climbed
A, breathless aboard q train providen.
TALLY late. But she will never for.
get the despair that fell on her
when kindly conductor shook his
head over the check, In spite OF
the letter, but offered to carry her
at his own risk to the stop near.
est Wareham-he knew the place
vol. He waved away the huddlo Of
silver she tried TO force upon him.
saying compassionately:
Keep it-for hard times" To
/ himself he added mentally: won't
be hard times for her, II she's all
right and the check all right. 1
know the Wares" And thus Il
came to pass thut midafternoon
Marietta found herself facing Miss
Alice Ware, white and trembling.
but saying steadily: Indeed, In.
deed! I'm no beggar-if only you'll
help me get a start, ] can mako
my way"
Ware had choked over 1t little,
but her voice answered: II am
sure of that. It happens. though,
We have special neod Of somebody
Tx you to stay and cherish our
dear grandmother. Lindsay and ]
are forced to leave for while and
certainly will not lcaye her alone.
! VIII you tnkc the place.?
Marietta nodded, because size
could not speak. and sank down al!
but helpless, so great was her
relief.
She grew to love Warenhan-I
, 'every stick and stone rs flowery
way, it's lawns and shady hooks,
even before the owners Of 1t caR.o
back. She loved grandma. too--a
| gentlewoman Of the finest. Lhers-
! fore kindly considerable OF cor
! companion.
Tactfully ahe provided proper
/ garments for the girl, rejoicing
to see her bloom into beauty be-
twixt love and an easy mind. G:u-
ealogy was her hobby. She talked
pedigrees and family half tnd
time. Thus she. found out that.
through hur mother. Marietta was
third cousin, once removed.
Which of course. made all the dit
ference in the world.
! Especially after the grandchil-
I dren came home They hardly
, knew this transformed Marietta.
; but quickly realized her charm,
Six weeks later Alice said after
. dinner. as the whole family sat
around the loaplng fire: Eve
are going to test you, Marietta.
VIII you OF your great Kindness
do something that grandmamlGu
and I have set our hearts on?"
Anything IL It means breaking
half the Ten Commandments"
Mariette laughed back. Speak Il
stall 30 donel"
ut is only 10 marry our Lind
say" from Alice.
"What-what does he sayY"
Marietta saspedi flushing beauti-
fully.
Lindsay took her hand in both
| his own, answering: Hes Is moro
than willing to make 1t unani-
NOUS"
Copyright. 1920