Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-06-30
CHAPTER v


Revolution. His forbears, the Dur
hams, the Parks, the Elliotts and the
Dabbs, had probably called them
selves English-when they were not
| ScOts-and that fact accounted for
much. Claude himself was essentially
and uncompromisingly American, and
his shop had that distinction.
While 1t was scrupulously clean, and
| the cleanliness was, in true American
| fashion, accepted and taken for grant
| ed, there was also what Ben Johnston
| styled "a sweet disorder" about the
place, which accentuated the charm
Of it to the oldest customers and to
| G. M. Dabbs, himself.
Mary Johnston felt the charm as
she entered the shop and was intro
| duced by Ned to it's owner. While her
order was being put up, Mary went
to the post Office, promising Ned to
return In time to be taken home with
the order. Ned stood watching her for
moment, unconscious that Claude
was observing him with interest.
When Ned turned and came into
the shop, Claude was apparently alb
sorbed in the order book and Ned
went his rather uncertain way about,
trying to assemble the White house
order without help.
Ned, whistling softly to himself,
| thought that this was indeed Peace
Valley. The drive down had been
| perfect. Since he had told Mary
everything about himself-except a
few essentials like his real name, who
his father was and how he had met
Uncle Claude"-it might we'll seem
so to him.
Then he caught sight of Mary
Johnston coming back from the post
| Office. He busted himself in getting
the order box on the rear seat of the
car, so that Mary would occupy the
seat at his side.
Claude glanced at the girl and won
| dered of whom she family reminded
him.
The car started toward Glover Hol-
low. Claude stared after it, and not
until it was well out of sight did he
wake up and heed the plaintive wall
Of Sim.
"What's the matter now, Sim"
Dabbs asked.
you've let Ned off without the
Mannheim order, and the other Glover
Hollow stuff" replied Sim, dejectedly.
81 KEEP atrying to tell you"
"Don't worry. Throw it into the
Ford and I'll tend to it soon as come
back from the barber's," and Claude
| took his way down to Ike Newman's.
Ike was shaving the customers in
regular order, and with no more than
the usual disregard of modern SAM
tary precautions. Claude always
shaved himself, and did not patronize
Ike, save as regards tobacco and
cigars; but visited him often enough
to be neighborly and to hear whatever
gossip his own customers had. missed.
Presently, just as Claude had hoped,
the talk drifted around to them
Glover followers" 1t was, just as
| Claude we'll knew, an ineXhaustible
subject. Dick Hanna had been up at
the Mannheims, working on the COM
munity garden, and he had some coun-
| try witticisms to offer at Dorothy
Selden's expense. To Claude's aston
ishment, however, though Dick had
been working there all week, he had
evidently heard nothing about Ned's
| real name.
Claude breathed more freely, much
relieved, yet wondered how long Miss
Selden would keep this to herself. He
decided that he would not speak to
Ned until it became necessary, or
Miss Selden made it public property.
Having learned what he came for,
Claude was preparing to go when he
heard the name Johnston" spoken
by some one in the group nearest the
door.
Dick Hanna was still holding forth:
'Yeh, but that Selden girl amt in it
with the new one that has come to
the White house. l mean that Miss
Johnston. You saw. her driving with
Ned Carter. Wish't l had his chance.
I'd be driving with one hand all right.
And even she amt in it with her
mother. Gollies! I wouldn't believe
1t was her mother"
"Stepma, mebbe, but they don't act
like it. They're awful close and fond
of each other, them two. The moth
er's laundering fine figger of wom-
an. She's a wilder with money, be-
lieve. She kin have me for her Sec
ond whenever she names the day!"
Laughter filed the shop. Claude de-
cided to go. Dick Hanna always made
him feel around for handy club.
"An' while you was achipping
around moles, Ike, called to mind
that lone of hers" Dick continued.
Its right on the tip of her ear, brown
and fiat, and lays against it like one
Of them drop earrings. Say, I'd
like"
The door banged so loudly they all
looked up.
"Guess Claude's remembered he's
forgot somebody's orders