Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-06-09
THE STORY

ter, Claude MelnOtte DabbS returns
at Peace Valley, Pa. To Aunt Lyddy,"
his housekeeper, he explains that Car
ter Is chance acquaintance, veteran
of the World war, whom he had met
and taken a liking to.
Continued from last weekly
Horse, dog and girl seemed as one
in the cloud of dust that enveloped
them.
AS Dabbs pulled at the reins, Ned
jumped over the side of the wagon
and landed at the girls feet.
"Peter!" she shrieked. my pre-
cious dog! My Peter! You've killed
him"
"D~m Peter!" Ned muttered sui
lenly. "What are you doing here
Dorothy?"
The girl looked at him amazed, then
at the wagon and Mr.. Dabbs, who had
kept his seat and regained control
over the horse. Peter, who had not
been killed, doubled back and was
now covering against the girl, grOwl
ing
Dabbs quietly descended and took
the box containing the Mannheim Or
der from the back of the wagon. Ned
turned abruptly, went toward the
wagon and climbed to the seat.
"Ill deliver the order at the next
house, Uncle Claude, and come back
for you," he announced, and was gone
before Claude could protest.
The girl, her attractive face painted
like bisque doll, stood staring at the
rapidly disappearing wagon. Claude,
wisely concluding that he had nothing
to keep him, shouldered the box and
went toward the house.
When he returned, a few minutes
later, the girl was still standing there,
holding the dog and blocking his exit.
Dabbs could see at once that he was
not to escape easily.
mice boy, Ned" Dabbs remarked
warily.
Uncle Oaude!" the girl exclaimed
accusingly. "Are you the late Mrs.
Rangeley's brother?"
MRS. Rangeley" Dabbs echoed.
Mean Mrs. Carter, don't you Miss
Selden?"
"No, 1 mean Ned Carter Rangeley's
mother"
Med Carter Rangeleyw Dabbs re-
peated. "You mean my boy Ned"
"Then you aren't his real uncle"
HE has always called me uncle
though the relationship isn't quite 80
close"
Dorothy Selden looked at him
shrewdly. "I'm willing to bet every
penny in my purse" and she tangled
the little costly beaded article and
dropped it back into the deep trouser
pocket of her expensive farmerette
costume, that you don't know who
Loren Lorimer Rangeley is"
Dabbs could not help his jaw drop
ping a little. Il do, though" he an
swered quietly enough. HE is a big
New York banker, one Of the meanest
men God ever let live"
knowing that" snapped the girl,
land knowing that Ned is his only son,
why this silly pretense that his name
is Carter onlyY'
'Ned has his reasons" he told her
coldly, land Rangeley deserves to be
kept in the dark"
BY the look In the girls eyes, he
knew that he had said the right thing.
She apparently forgot Dabbs' exist
ence as she stood there turning the
situation over in her mind.
"Quarreled with papa and down
here leading the simple life with
poor relation" she unused. what a
situation for the high and mighty
Ned! 1 congratulate you, Mr.. Dabbs
1t is evident that Ned has seen the
light and come over to u.s."
"'UsY l don't think 1 understand
Joined the workers, the Intelligen-
STA, the Bolsheviki of America"
mot if l know Ned!"
Miss Selden looked at him, as one
looks at the poor Of understanding.
Plainly she felt that any really up-to-
date information would be lost upon
Dabbs. She searched her mind for
some expression used in the dark
ages before the war.
Don't you understand" she began
condescendingly, "Pm what Is called
q radical What you would probably
call q Socialist"
Dabbs said nothing.
Disconnected, Dorothy, unused to
planting seed in ground totally uncul-
tivated, began again: "A radical is
well-a radical Is one who believes all
men should be equal"
"They are not" Dabbs interrupted,
"and they can't be. Men aren't born
equal. no matter what the Declare
ton says. Nor If you start them equal,
do they stay so. Girl, the very best
one can do is to try and give every
body an equal chance, and then watch
the holes they land In"
Trodo IN uOur homo TOWN.