The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1922-11-23

drew very close to the little teacher.
He laid two hands on her slight arms
and for q moment stopped and rested
his head wearily on the little shoul-
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 | suppose 1t is be-
cause I'm 50 lonely here In Staple
ton. Just couldn't help IT,"
At o Harold Shlpway, feeling much
less lonely than he had felt earlier
in the day, was taking his departure.
II was as he parted that Mildred
offered her wager.
Really there's no reason why Sta
pleton shouldn't open It's doors to you.
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"
"Td rather be Invited 10 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 II
very much. When she went to the
Lotions to give little Helene her music
lesson she chanced TO see Mrs. Lotion.
Quite adroitly she spoke about her va
rious pupils, mentioned Mr.. Shipway
and said: Its rather odd thet any
one with the prospects he had should
choose TO live of here among strang-
ers." Mrs. Lotion was interested.
"Prospectsf' she Queried and Mildred
murmured something about a great
uncle worth 100000 who had made
Harold his sole heir.
At the Palmers she repeated the
same falsehood. II was Mildred's first
deliberate lie. but she felt justified. TT
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
l heard II 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. II lose" he said.
"Stapleton has begun TO be friendly.
THE Lotions asked me 10 dinner
and so did the Palmers. went to the
Lotions, but had to decline the Pal
mers because their invitation was for
tonight, and told them | had a pre-
vious invitation. You will let me stay
TO supper again, won't you, IleaseT'
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 II. The fact is, don't in
tend to stay here much longer | am
very anxious TO be married-if I do
/ shall want to take my bride home
with me. She doesn't like Stapleton.
II / don't marry-then the farther !
am from Stapleton the better"
How how interesting" said poor
Mildred. "May meet herr"
Foolish little girl" said Harold.
you know her already. You are the
only girl l ever wanted TO marry-but
before really ask you must make
a confession"
II have a confession, too" said MIL
dred, very much embarrassed.
'I'm Harold Shipway Cavendish.
Dads John Cavendish OF the General
OIL company. You see-well. hang IL
all, II will mean that you'll have to
marry a man hedged in by few mil
lions. / took this job incog because l
wanted TO prove that / could make
good on my own. These people didn't
know who l was, of course. Don't
bother about your cOnfessiOn-MIl-
dred, will you have meT"
IL guess | haven't anything 10 con-
fess," said Mildred. And then Harold
Shipman Cavendish took the slight
little music teacher in his arms and
kissed the cheek that he had neg
lected the week before.