The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-03-08

est A..u s..v.. .....~.~... .~~As..s rieceS
Of lemon meringue pie that Ned had
ever seem Amt Lyddy placed BE-
fore them the remainder OF the pie.
q pitcher Of cold milk, and q large
wedse Of cheese. With hearty.
ENJOY yourselves, boys while I
fix Ned's room," she left them.>
Presently Ned could hear her, a.
she tramped about the next room
ia mine" presumably fixing It." BY
that time he had tasted Aunt Lyd.
dy's pie. Though she trod like an
elephant, yea, even though she
snored. he knew now that no would
always love her.
"Good. Amt II, Ned?" Mr.. Dabbs
asked. a. Ned took second help
ing. Ned nodded, mentally noting
that whatever he might have to
suNeri from country table manners
in sths.s, Mr.. Dabbs would never
orient
Aunt Lyddy likes you Or shed
never put out the whole pie" Dabbs
offered.
"How can you tellf You practi.
cally hurled me down her throat"
"Down Aunt Lyddy's throat! You
don't know her. Why. l couldn't
make that woman give you any
more than q measly little bit OF pie
II she didn't cotton to you. Aunt
Lyddy's a fine woman. but a terror
for having her way. She isn't my
own aunt. She's an old friend OF
nv mothers and when Nom died
Aunt Lyddy made up her mind that
I needed looking after and JUST
came along and took possession. l
couldn't get along without ner
now"
Aunt Lyddy returned, announc.
ihR that the room was ready ana
advised Ned to "turn In early" He
followed her along the hall. The
room next mine was q big. airy
room, overlooking the garden ut the
side Of the house and far removed
from the noises Of the shop. Its
deep-seated windows Indicated the
are Of the house. The furniture was
really old, consequently good and
unobtrusive, and the wall paper was
q deep cream, with . little border
Of yellow roses.
The old four-poster looked invit-
Ing. Aunt. Lyddy padded heavily
away and Ned leaned out Of the
window, conscious Of the soft.
sweet. damp smell Of q springtime
| garden. -
AS he left the window he was
conscious OF voices near him. But
the room was empty. 80 was the
hall outside his door. After q mo-
ment he concluded that the voices
came through an old-fashioned hot
air register In the floor Of his room.
He heard Aunt Lyddy say:
Claude Dabbs, I'm 4 dear lover
Of truth. and the truth I'll have
out Of you II II takes me all night.
MY usual hour for bed Is 8 80 sharp.
and here II Is nearly ten, and gifts
Of amethyst broochesA though pref
ty and tastefully chosen I must say.
won't blind me to my duty. I've
ever been a kinda garden for your
home since your Nom died. Who's
this young manf
"Why, he's q young fellow I met
up with In New York. He's been in
the army - just discharged. The
very name of Peace Valley sort of
hypnotiyed him He can't settle down
to anything yet. 80 l asked him
down here to look around and"
"Suffering Saints" Aunt Lyddy's
voice rose to a sort Of wall, then
sank again. "Where'd you meet
hint"
"Well-I was walking on River.
side drive and
"You picked him up! A bum A
park bum!" Aunt Lyddy exclaimed
with conviction. XoN probably
treated him to that there swell
} suit"
Ned, his hand on the register
waiting a fitting opportunity ia
close 1t unheard, noted that she r.
fused to listen to Claude's protests
II know you," Aunt Lyddy an
l1ounced, land nothing you do ought
t. surprise me now, but / declare
by Peter and Paul 1t does at times
! Well, don't say no more. nor fix mr.
any pleasant kinda half-lies for me
You don't know nothing about him
and there were some awful baf
characters got In the army. We're
lucky II our threats amt slit BY
morning. I'll lock my room and boil
It, tonight - go. 80
Feeling that he had heard enough
Ned closed the register quietly, SURE
that the sound would be unnoticeG
40 Aunt Lyddy trod heavily out In
to the hail.
GRO BE CONTINUED.)