The Coolidge examiner., 1933-05-12

HE Dareheaded young man who
= stopped before the Barkley Jones
house did not look undernourished
or weak. He was tall and thin.
He glanced at the front door. then
at a slip of paper in his hand. Then
he rather stealthily made his wav
from the front of the house to the
back door.
He asked the maid who answered
his rapping if there was something
to be done about the place. "Just
anything" he said rather patheti-
cally. Just anything you can give
me to do"
Sure" she said. Just sit down
on the steps and I'll ask. She was
a pretty girl, and the man smiled at
her thankfully. Her eyes filed with
tears as she turned away from him.
She hurried off to her mistress.
This lady, Overplump, over-en-
dowed with this worlds goods, sat
idly before the living room fire. 81
must say, Elsie" she said irritably
to young girl who was playing
solitaire, that you're about as un-
pleasant guest as | can imagine.
Why can't you suggest something to
do"
"Oh," said the girl contritely, I'm
awfully sorry, Aunt Bess, but
came to visit you just to get away
from seeing people, especially men.
| just love to sit here safely"
ITS safe enough" snorted Aunt
Bess-otherwise Mrs. Barkley Jones.
But I'm bored" Then catching
sight of Annie at the door, "Well,
now what?" she added Grossly.
Annie told her story.
"A poor young feller," she said.
las nice looking as you please. And
he doesn't look as if he'd eaten for
week. Just anything he'll do, he
says"
"Oh, well" Mrs Jones consid.
cred. why, of course. You
couldn't turn him away. Tell him
he can clean the cellar. And make
him some coffee and sandwiches, If
you want. You might bring US a
trayful, too, Annie"
II WISH" Elsie thought, that
hadn't been such fool. But it was
his fault, too. He was too brutal
to leave me without a chance of
explanation. l wish I'd sent him
that letter. 1t would be better to
have him know l haven't a speck
of pride than not to have him at
ALL"
In the cellar the young man
MY names Pete" he told Annie
was looking in troubled perplexity
at the neat tray the maid had just
brought him. A small pot Of coffee,
cream and sugar, a pile of bread
and butter, sliced chicken and ham
and Swiss cheese.
"More food" he thought. "What'll
I do with 1t? | can't hurt the girls
feelings. Oh, WE'LL" he thought, 81
might as well try it."
Then. fortified by his lunch, he
began to clean up the cellar.
1t wasn't until he was almost
through that Annie was frightened
Then she realized what he probably
was-a burglar.
Annie couldn't stand keeping her
suspicious to herself. Here" she
said. you empty these trash bas-
kets into the barrel there" And she
went upstairs. carefully locking the
door at the top of the kitchen side.
so that the man couldn't follow her.
She burst in upon Mrs. Jones and
Elsie.
"Oh, Mrs. JONES'" she cried. "It's
my fault, ! suppose-but that young
feller down there-he'S been ask
ing me questions. and Pm afraid
I've told him lot about the house
and the family! Such nice young
man he seemed, too. at first. But
he's a burglar!" And Annie began
to cry.
But he can't be burglar, Aunt
Bess," said Elsie reasonably. "He
was too obvious. pumping Annie
like that. III go and see." And
she started cellarward, the shaken
and still fearful Annie close behind
her.
In the cellar, when Elsie got
there, bending over the trash barrel
with a rapt and ecstatic expression.
was the young man.
"Why, Peter Walesi" cried Elsie.
How on earth did you get hereT'
"Motored over this morning.
Found out at your house where
you'd gone. knew you wouldn't
see me. so l tried this way of get
ting in with some old clothes" He
smiled at the bewildered Annie.
Then he walked over to Elsie and
took her firmly in his arms. Nov
listen to me, Elsie" he said. "We'll
have no more fooling. You'll marry
me-now. AS soon as we can get a
license. You and / both made a
mistake with our silly quarrel"
"Oh, Peter" said Elsie-'T can't
But how did you know?"
Here !" Peter held her with one