Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-08-18

slim, warm hand to ner motner,
"have you been worrying about met"
Mrs. Johnston stopped and kissed
her. "You are all have in the world.
so you're rather precious to me.
You're not to get up. I've had my
dinner, and yours Is on the tray
ready to bring up"
"Motherl" Mary lay still and won
dered. "You get a dinnerl Why
never even dreamed you knew howl!
there's lots Of undiscovered coun-
try about mother, though you've
known her all your life, Mary. You'll
find 1t out some day."
Mary finished her dinner and when
she relinquished the tray, said:
Mother, couldn't we sort ever the
jewelry tonight?"
Mrs. Johnston agreed and went from
the room with the tray. Mary lay
back on the pillows and contemplated
the ceiling, little frown between her
brows. If 1t was not having to sell
the jewelry and being poor, what was
it that was worrying mother? Surely
she was not worrying about this-this
Mr.. Carter?
At the same moment Claude Dabbs
still at his desk, also frowning, looked
up from his writing as Ned came into
the room.
&C. M, aren't you rather jumping
at conclusions? Johnston is far from
being an uncommon, name, and Mary
with Polly for short, is far from be-
ing uncommon either; therefore the
combination really tells you nothing"
Claude nodded. 81 told myself that.
too, at first, but"
Gall the same" Ned continued re-
luctantly, 81 will tell you something
I've noticed about Mrs. Johnston.
She has q little black mole on the
lobe Of her ear. Rather fetching, like
the dark stone Of an earring. And
behind the same ear she has single
lock of pure white hair"
"a bit like a thumb-mark and just
behind the carr"
Eyes"
Claude rose, excitedly, then sat
down suddenly. "Polly-or I'm
Dutchman! Do you suppose she's got
her suspicious about me, and came
here to verify 'em?" demanded Claude.
"Never heard her mention your
name," Ned declared. Certainly
never asked me any questions"
Gall the same, don't like the way
things look" Claude said doggedly.
There's something behind it. I'm
going to be on the safe side:"'
Ned looked at him curiously, and
little intentionally. What safe side
could there be for man in @. Ms
position, If his utterly absurd deduc-
ton that lovely Mrs. Johnston was
his "Polly" had any foundation in
fact.
'Tm going to send her back the
money" declared Dabbs. "Going to
send her back her cursed five hun
dred and feel that my souPs my
own. I scraped and saved that money
the first year I was clear of debt, and
I've held it all this time just for
Just for this chance"
He opened a small drawer in his
with a rubber band about them, wrote
a few words on a sheet Of paper,
sealed it with the money in an en-
velope, directed 1t, then went to the
store door.
Although the store was closed and
suffered, there was light in its dim
recesses. Young John Slater, an as
sistant, was there.
"John," called Claude, take this let
ter up to the White House. You can
take the car. I don't care how late
you come back, If there's no answer"
Young John grunted assent and dis
appeared with the note, whistling at
the thought of having the car to him
self as late as he wished.
On Mary's bed lay two empty jewel
cases. Mary sat propped up against
the pillows and her mother sat at the
foot of the bed. Between them was
heap Of glittering things. If Mary
said: Bother that old ring. You
don't want to keep that" her mother
would say: "Mary, you gave me that
ring when you were only twelve. How
can I part with it?"
In the middle Of an animated dis
cussion about an old jade bracelet
the doorbell rang. Mrs. Johnston
after waiting for some one to answer
it, suddenly realized that she was the
only some one available, and went
down stairs.
Young John Slater stood waiting
impatiently. "Mr. Dabbs, he asked
me to give this note into your hands,
and If they was any answer to wait"
Mrs. Johnston managed to indicate
that he might wait In the hall, and
went swiftly into the library, shut the
door and held the letter as though II
was a deadly explosive. Presently she
opened the letter. Five one hundred
dollar bills fell out. Mrs. Johnston
picked them up, together with the
note which had been folded around
the bills. The note began without
preamble.
eff you are the Polly Johnston who
married me in New Brunswick, some