The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1931-02-06

speaker and drove home very happy
In the secondhand coupe.
At parting that night Elmer
Clarke kissed Nellie Cathcart for the
first time since he had known her
and he had known her since her
twelfth year. Nellie offered no Sc
rious objection. However, with
maidenly repression, she did. not in
vite a shower of OSCILLATION, and
when Elmer seemed about to I'M
load the secret he had reserved
for unloading until he could afford
to offer Nellie worldly comforts far
in excess of those she at present
enjoyed, she reminded him that he
was not to make any plans until
the morrow.
Elmer laughed. "Well, kiss me
once MORE" he pleaded. "Unless a
fellow can take a sporting chance
he might as well be dead, so I'll
take one sporting chance, and tell
you that I love you, Nellie. I'm
crazy about you, and | have been
for years. IL"
"Tve suspected this. Elmer" Nell
lies face was uplifted to him
again. "And l don't see any reason
why you've kept it a secret from
me when everybody else in town
knew it! You old dear! Pm so
happy about you l could cry-and I
will If you don't let me 60"
He let her go-but not until he
had heard from her sweet lips an
admission that she loved him better
than anything or anybody in the
whole wide world.
Long after Elmer Clarke, despite
the strain and excitement of that
momentous day, had fallen into his
customary gentle slumber Nellie
Cathcart sat before her dressing
table, mechanically brushing her
hair and thinking. For Nellie could
think. Although beautiful she was
brainv-the type Of woman whom
the Creator occasionally fashions
seemingly for the express purpose
Of demonstrating 70 egotiStic nan
that the hand that rocks the cradle
rules the world.
Just now Nellie vas thinking
that, although nobody. not even FL
mer would ever know it unless she
would t~ell-which she would not do
she. Nellie Cath"art. was really
responsible for Elmer Clarke's
legacy.
When the First National Bank Of
Muscatine, Iowa. had written for a
report on Elmer Clarke, and old
Ansel with a grin had handed her
the letter with the suggestion that
she had better answer it since she
knew more about Elmer Clarke
than amy girl in town. Nellie had
thrilled Mt the opportunity to write
a report calculated to present Ell
mer in a light which could not
possibly fail to impress the valued
customer of the Muscatine bank
who sought the information.
Old Ansel hadn't the slightest sus.
picion that this customer was FL
mer's queer uncle. but Nellie, who
had learned from Elmer all that
the latter knew about his Grabbed
relative, was convinced instantly
that Uncle Hiram was about to de-
velop a lo~ng-delayed interest in his
nephew. With the adroitness of
clever woman she resolved in
to foster that budding In
terest by forwarding n renort cal
to anneal particularly to
the sort OF man she believed Uncle
Rutterworth to be.
That she had succeeded beyond
her widest expectations she now
realized; wherefore. hers was now
he quiet joy which comes of a CON
;ciOusness of a worth while task
,ut through to a happy and profit.
ible conclusion.
II do hope it doesn't. spoil Ell
ner," Nellie soliloquiZed. There's
much that's fine in Elmer and
little that isn't all man. Still,
he receipt Of a million dollars by
young man who has never known
Inything but hard work and sacri-
Ice is apt to cause q mental reflex.
)h. dear, if Elmer should prove
lilly my heart would break. But
lell mott ! know he'll not
Wouldn't it he awful IL l ruined El.
ner?"
She resolved to marry him as
as possible, because she
owed him tenderly and it was her
.uty. to protect him from the pit
alls which she could see but which
did not even suspect. Like all
gomen who devotedly love 9 man,
he regarded Elmer as a paficular-
helpless. innocent, lovable hoy,
ut little removed from the stage
wherein he might reasonably be
suspected of a tendency to neglect
washing his neck and ears.
Continued next week.