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


call on Mrs. Johnston while the daugh-
ter was not at home.
Mary had been gone about five min
utes when Mrs. Johnston awoke and
read the note. She yawned, rose, put
on a most becoming house gown and
went down to the library, where she
stared at the telephone fixedly. She
placed her hand on the receiver, drew
back, pulled letter out of the desk
drawer and read II, frowning.
1t was a short, businesslike letter,
stating that the directors of certain
company had decided to pass over the
half-yearly dividend on the preferred
and common stock, owing to adverse
financial conditions. 1t seemed all
very simple and plausible as they
worded it, but 1t puckered the beauti-
full Mrs. Johnston's brows.
She drew the telephone nearer and
called New York number. It was
the bank president who answered.
Her pleasantly worded sentence was
as pleasantly but decidedly answered
After that the president evidently
sought for further conversation with
Mrs. Johnston, who mutmured that OF
course they would love to see him, any
Friday to Monday. If he would tele-
phone, his train would be met
When she rang off, Mrs. Johnston
sprang to her feet and began walking
up and down, thinking.
Dorothy came up the driveway.
With her hand on the bell, Miss Sell
den paused. What, exactly, was she
going to do in this house? DOrOth,
decided that 1t would depend on Mr.
Johnston.
There was something about a first
glimpse Of Mrs. Johnston that took
ones breath away. She looked like a
goddess come to earth, but on second
look, she smiled, she was very human
indeed. Dorothy was at first little
dazzled and awed. When Mrs. Johns
ton saw it was girl, and probably
someone who wanted to make friends
with Mary, she became so friendly
that Dorothy followed her into the
library, completely under the woman's
spell.
$50 sorry, Miss Selden," the smooth
voice was saying, that my daughter
is out, and out buying groceries, too.
I've telephoned for servants, and the
agency promises them down here to-
morrow, but now we're quite on, our
own. Isn't 1t a nuisance?"
"Come home with me-" urged Doro-
thy impulsively. "Mrs. Mannheim will
be delighted to put you up until you
get help"
That's wonderfully sweet of you,
but I've no intention Of making my
entrance on the scene in the role of a
food pest. Mary and get along splen-
didly by ourselves, and today we have
Mrs.-Mrs. Pulsifer with us.
ooh! You have one of them in the
housed"
Them" questioned Mrs. Johnston.
'The Peace Valleyers. Oh, they're
noted for their honesty. Wouldn't
touch a thing. But mentally we find
them so unresponsive."
ACol LhC 1HCJ oSCH hiSCS VIGIL
meaning, honest people. My daughter
Is enthusiastic about them. Finds
them wonderfully kind and helpful
especially the grocer"
If Dorothy Selden had not been
thinking so hard about the impression
she was making on Mrs. Johnston, she
might have noticed that the sleepy
brown eyes were keen. Mrs. Johnston
intended to find out something when
she put the apparently innocent ques-
ton: "Is there more than one grocer
here?'
Dorothy took this as the direct lead
ing Of providence. Here was an open.
ing to the subject nearest her heart.
There's only one. A man called
Dabbs. He's quite all right, I think,
in his place-as a grocerw
Again, If Dorothy had been alert
she might have seen an odd flicker OF
the eyelids, little quirk at the end OF
the pleasant mouth which asked gent.
ly: "Then what Is it, Miss Selden
that is Objectionable about him
There's something, I'm sure"
"His nephew" Dorothy's mind was