The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1923-04-27

dufSS gOu CdQ Ste luAo ID u etTlOus
matter with me, Mr.. Wopple. And
you're dead right thinking l hain't got
any man to lean on. Uncle Jerry
amt round 'nough to be counted on
steady, and as longs you'd noticed
yourself that l need a mans help.
thought mebbe you'd be that man"
MIR. Wopple coughed. "Wby-er-o'
course
That's the idea" she encouraged.
you could do It so easy. you know,
living so near and knowing Lettie al
ready-and e%v'rything. You could
1 O. praise her when she's doing
well, and make a little suggestion
now and then that'd start her In the
right direction"
Apparently Mr.. Wopple's shoulders
grew half an inch broader.
"She's sure toe much for you. Mig
Penfield," he admitted, "and as longs
you stand up for her through thick
and thin. blamed II 1t don't make me
mad. But now't you're come down
from your high horse. l don't mind
helpin' out what 1 can"
"Oh. thank you." she acknowledged
with feeling.
IS all right" he disclaimed. with
a magnanimous wave of his hand.
We're neighbors. All is. 1 didn't
quite understand what a hole you
was in"
But i knew you would" put In
Mrs. Penfield gratefully, "if I could
only explain It to you right. l can't
tell you how much l appreciate It."
With a sunny smile she went back
to her W steps. For several min
utes she had had an eye on Dick
Chase. who had come around the
house and was patiently waiting for
he ~colloquy to be over.
Mrs Penzie," he began directly,
I'm In the devil of q fix"
Are your Her tone was sympa-
thetic. but there was In 1t no tincture
Of surprise. She was accustomed to
crises. Life in The Custard Cup pro-
duced them In abundance.
Come right on in." she invited
cordially. "and wen talk 1t over"
mo, I can't sit down. Pm supposed
TO be on my job, but I dropped in for
a minute. because Lorene wouldn't be
around. 1 didn't want her to hear
of It," Dick Chase paused. as If
hardly knowing where to begin on the
perplexity that had brought him to
Number Al. Mrs. Penfield waited In
silence.
Presently the young mans gravity
was broken by a whimsical smile.
SAY, Mrs. Penzie, you're willing 1
should marry Lorene, aren't your"
MY dear boy" she smiled back,
ing. l believe you1l make Lorene
happy; and If you don't, I'll be bout
the first Teller on your trail"
you bet I'm going to try to save
you that trouble" he said, with re-
turning seriousness. "But the ques-
tion is. VIII l ever get Lorene?"
my goodness, o don't mean
you've quarreled?'
Thunder, no. That might be sim
pier. There'd be a chance that we
might get out here under the pepper
tree and make 1t up. No, it's Mrs.
Percy"
But, surely" she expostulated,
you aren't taking a nervous,
oma so seriously. Hasn't
she an income of her own?"
Eyes, but it's small. Unless she
earns something herself, she can't
live the way she's been living. Lo-
rene has denied herself to give her
stepmother comfort and lazlness-
idea Of obligation to her fathers
memory, l suppose. And So"
Good land, Mrs. Percy'u get used
TO 1t. 1t may be a wrench at first,
)ut-"
Mrs. Penzie, you don't understand
The point Is that she's getting Lo-
'ene. Working on her sympathy and
conscience. Why, at this very minute
we're further from being married
han we were two months ago-con-
'ound It'll"
Tell me about It."
He laughed. 1T is a reasonable re-
luest. / was rather figuring that
take one word and make ten
nut of it. Well, you know, Mrs. Per
US thought up various silly schemes
O make 1t unpleasant. And now it's
Ier right side. She says she's par
tally lost the use Of It," He broke
If, staring gloomily at the wal. Mrs.
enfield watched him, but said moth
ng.
you can see what that MEANS" he
ontinued. Constant care, and she
ant afford a nurse or companion.
,nly a stony-hearted girl would leave
err; only a brute would ask the
tony-hearted girl to do 1t, either.
ears; ~upbraiding; general chaosI"