Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-03-22

Il Ill dITdlu, MT. OTclSulOu, IL nave
trouble cashing this-and it would put
you in such funny light, giving five
thousand dollars to such danger
ously alluring girl as am apparently |!
If you've the real money about you"
He had been wondering whether she
would prove so sophisticated as to
realize that. He had no intention,
really, Of letting her leave the room
with that check.
"You are indeed experienced Miss
Schwenckton, for one so yOung!" he
said ironically as he took back the
check and gave her roll Of bills-ten
five-hundred-dollar notes.
And it was at the very moment of
her receiving these that again the
sound of car stopping outside inter-
rupted them.
Hes come back again." said Mr..
Creighton bitterly, 'in the hope that
by this time I'd be gone! You have
played your game well !"
"And this time" she answered
blithely, her head bent to listen,
though your car is still there, he
doesn't seem to be driving away
again."
Little did they dream that the first
car that had stopped and then driven
on had carried away Mrs. Creighton.
who, the moment she had recognized
her husbands car parked nearby. had
been startlingly convinced that Mar
wins fantastic suspicious of plot
between his father and Lady Sylvia
st. CroiX was not after all fantastic!
For what else in the world could bring
her husband to the schoolhouse?
She had decided. after moments
debating with herself. not to intrude
upon their conference. She would let
Marvin know, when she saw him on
Thursday. what she had discovered.
1t was so evident that he was deeply
interested in the girl-was his interest
too deep to be turned to aversion by
the fact that she was Lady Sylvia st.
Croix and in league with his father to
intrigue him into marrying her?-as
he had declared such a fact would dis.
gust him!
half hour after she had driven
away. Marvin, driving out toward Alb
salon PuntZ', felt, as he drew near
William Penn schoolhouse, that that
spot was fast becoming to him the
pivot on which his whole universe
turned!
AS he came nearer, the sight Of a
car standing before the little building
made his heart sink like lead in his
breast. Was Miss Schwenckton hav.
ing a rendezvous again with ST. Croix?
AS soon, however. as he was near
enough to recognize the car, he saw. to
his startled surprise, that it was not
st. Croix', but his fathers! Instantly
ne was convinced, just as his mother
had been, that his suspicion Of col.
fusion between "Miss Schwenckton"
and his father. to entrap him into q
marriage, had been well founded.
He did not, with his mothers deli
cacy, decide not to intrude upon them.
On the contrary, he lost not moment
in parking, alighting, and striding
straight into the schoolhouse to con.
front them-his heart and brain In
q whirl.
At the sound Of his approaching
step they had stepped down from the
platform. Mr. Creighton's face stern
as the Judgment day, Miss Schwenck.
tons as interested as If she were in
a theater seeing a play, as they stood
looking expectantly toward the door.
Marvin's long stride halted at sight
of them.
"Well?" his father peremptorily in
quired. "What are you doing here?"
"My duty as the county superintend
ent. Earning my salary"
"An easy. pleasant way to earn it
calling after work on your young
teachers!"
"Pm here much oftener during
school hours" answered Marvin. Won
dering whether this tone of displeas.
ure were assumed and why.
''You wished to see me about some.
thing, Mr.. Creighton" Miss Schwenck.
ton addressed Marvin composedly-
the elder Creighton recalling that she
had spoken of him as Marvin"
"Only to investigate" replied Mar.
vim, "why, at this hour. your school
Is still open"
"You needn't try to bluff me. Mar.
VIM" his father frowned 81 know
all about it! You've come here to
keep an appointment with this young
woman!"
81 was not aware Of It'll"
81 tell you" his father Indignantly
insisted, "you needn't try to humbug
me! I caught her in the very act of
waiting for your
Marvin looked perpleXed. swell
If you did, why on earth should you
apparently be blaming me for that?"
"When I show you what have
here" But as his father snatched
from his breast pocket a folded paper
Nicely broke in:
"Now that you are here, Mr. Mar
vim, will you be so kind as to drive
me to the nearest telegraph office?
I've got to wire some money to my
needy parents and it's pressing"
UI,,,, ~ x,n,,r Mor,,;p IooI,