Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1934-04-25
Home to Stay
By IRENE E
g. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service

tion-the slim, brown, graceful girl
he had good reason to remember
and with regret.
AS she came forward, she smiled
a friendly GREETING that betrayed a
dimple In each rosy cheek. Hello,
Mr.. Lawrence. | wonder If you will
drive me to the village? | have come
on a happy errand, and | am in a
hurry to get there" she said gaily.
He nodded. II member you, Miss
Olive, all right-don't often forget
folks who come this way. Yes, I'll
take you up or anywheres you
want to CO." he answered, suspi-
cious Immediately as to what her
errand might be.
He could see that she was bub.
bling owe with some inner happi-
ness as she chatted beside him. His
thoughts went back, however, to the
preceding year when she had come
to visit the young fellow, John Blu
ford, whom he and the whole val.
ley loved, who had returned from
the World war battered and broken,
but with his old courage and his
old kindness and frmness of heart
and mind unlmpaired. This girl
beside him who had won his heart
and finally turned him down, and
then had left him to go on her
years wandering In Europe.
"She ought to be punished, and
she will be-" the old man thought
to himself. He turned to her;
"Jest where do you want to 60, Miss
Oliver"
"Where?" she asked, her brown
eyes flashing with happiness. why.
to Johns place, Of counsel Can't
you guess why | have come back?
I've come back to tell him that I'm
going to stay and never 60 again.
It's going to be a surprise l really
tried to forget him-didn't write
but couldn't forget; 10 I am going
to tell himl"
"Tll take you up thar" he said
briefly.
The rheumatic a ratified along
over the familiar road, through the
long forest aisles, along the brook,
up V the wooded ridge.
The girl was O little silent now as
If into her thoughts had come men,
cries not altogether pleasant or
thoughts of unhappy things that
might have happened. The mood
passed, however, and she turned to
him.
Il am sure he-he loves me
enough to want me now" she said
softly half to herself. perhaps
wasn't kind enough to him a year
ago. but then-it was different"
The old man nodded. "We're a-glt.
tin thar" he said shortly as he
whirled the car off the main road
down a long inviting side-road.
Eyes, | remember this road" the
girl said quietly.
They swung into the open through
the trees, and before them lay a
wide. rambling old house, Hospitality
still In Its air of brooding honey
ness, but the weeds high In the
yard and the grass had covered the
paths; and or the porch was a white
sign with the words--"for SALE"
She gave a little cry of consterna-
tion and stared at the sign. Then she
whirled breathlessly upon him.
"What does this mean, Mr.. Law
renee? What has happened? Why
did you bring me here? Is John
oh, 1t can't be? 1t can't bel" She
looked at him with brown eyes full
of terrible fear.
lie looked at her with cold eyes.
John was In a bad shape from his
war wounds when you was here
an then to lose you. ! didn't blame
you so m~uch--yet | did--you
shouldn't hev come an then left
him In the lurch," he said bluntly.
"You gals with yer playin' with a
mainland John was a man we all
liked since he was O kid"
"'Was-you say was I"-she cried.
and then with a shivering tremor
she crumpled against him. Hes
dead-Oh, II can't bel"
He whirled the car again and at
a rapid pace sent 1t rolling back.
At the main road, he turned to the
ripht, and, keeping the same rapid
pace, went on.
The girl at his shoulder was sob
bling quietly, and the iron In his
heart began to soften. Guess she
really meant It," he told himself.
Under the tires woodland and
meadow passed and the road eer
ing sharply led along a winding drive
and into the front Of a white
painted CHEEKY place that was
an up-to-date farmers home. He
stopped the car.
He put his hand on her shoulder.
Little girl, | kinda hated you for
last year, so i thought I'D give you
a lesson. | feel mean about 1t now,
cause | kin see you really love the
boy. This is Johns new place
and"
A tall bronzed figure appeared
near the house, stared, and then