The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1922-01-05

be no clause that might b used AZ
lever to GUST the young stOrekeepe
who had started business in the doc
tors ONCE. E
| Lester Clark had 50 definitely mad,
up his mind on starting In In hi
fathers old Office that this informa
ton seemed to leave him at sea. HI
had figured in his mind Just how hi
would bring the old office wing into I
thoroughly 'up-to-date doctors suite
1t was on Testers third call tina,
first day, after they had read through
the lease with the greatest scrutiny
that Mr.. Quick seemed to see q way
out
"Of course" he said with a mild
smile on his face, lit isn't likely that
Susan Jane will remain in business
as 1t overwhelmingly"
isn't she making 1t go?"
"That isn't 1t. She really seems to
be doing very we'll. The point is that
Miss Jane Is more than commonly at.
tractive. know Of two--I might say
three-young men who would marry
her tomorrow if she consented. l dare
say there are more. She is not of a
yielding nature. You might know that
from the way she stuck out about va
eating. It wouldn't be easy to per-
suade her. Still"
"Are you still bachelor, Mr..
Qulck?'
Mr.. Quick's confusion as he admitted
that he was led Lester to surmlse that
he was one of the three he had men
toned moment before.
"Well, 60 to it," laughed the young
doctor. "I'll give yeu case Of silver
for wedding present-only you must
not be many months about It,"
1t was just as Dr. Clark was about
to leave the office that Quick called
him back. He was stroking his bald
head rehectively. ~ was only going
to ask you" he said. whether you
were not also single. It might be, you
know. that Miss Jane would prefer
medicine to real estate-thirty years
to forty-fve."
Lester laughed. Storekeepers were
not in his line. but he did not want to
give Quick offense by saying so.
He had a distinct anticipatory image
Of this Susan Jane person-aggressive,
calculating, possibly pretty; just the
kind Of woman that would appeal to
Quick. with a horizon that stretched
only from one business deal to another.
Still 1t was preposterous. Even II
she did have the lease. what was
lenSe compared to the fact that this
was his office, that the memories and
associations of old DR.. Clark were all
connected with this little building?
Lester decided that he would try to
appeal to the sentiment of this I'M
yielding Susan Jane person IF Re could
He might intimidate her; he might
suggest that when the people of
Sprucehurst learned Of ile stand she
had taken they might not be 80 well
disposed toward her little business ven.
ture as they would II she opened up
her shop in some other nearby quarter.
Susan Jane proved disarming. There
was nothing the least aggressive or
stubborn in her appearance. She stood
before him as he explained. her
shadowless blue eyes opened round
looking straight into his. They were
disconcerting, those eyes, and as Susan
Jane stood there the picture Of trust
full innocence he did not know whether
the real Susan Jane beneath was
laughing at him: whether she was
about to yield to his request. or
whether she was really flirting with
him Just a little. The effect was that
Lester Clark didn't carry out his er-
rand just as lie had planned it. When
he had finished his explanation Susan
Jane laughed, spontaneous, easy
laugh. like that Of child. and Lester
found that he was laughing with her.
He felt somehow guilty when Gus
toner came in to buy some knitting
yarn and a painted lampshade. He
could have felt no more guilty had that
customer found him actually kissing
Susan Jane Really he had Just been
looking very deep into those round blue
eyes trying to find some revelation Of
Susan James real thoughts. but they
revealed nothing.
When he left he shook hands. and
with holiness unlike him held the
hand and drew Susan Jane step
nearer to him as he looked again into
the blue eyes. BE a good girl. now.
and give up the lease" he said.
"When are you coming again. she
asked
Tomorrow" he said, and they both
laughed. He was almost out the door
and turned back. II have heard that
you may have to give up. anyway" he
said. "Mr. Quick says you will prob
ably get married.
il, ''Perhaps l SHALL" said Susan Jane
as she closed the door after him.
DR.. Clark's courtship was A quick
one. His days were spent in pursuit
of Susan Jane. fathoming those eyes
and waiting for the intoxication Of her
laugh, and at night after he was away