Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-12-25

DAVID stood perfectly stln. staring al
u. Slmeone, quite recently, had given
the scarlet tunic a fresh coat Of paint;
Z vas that conspicuous bit Of color
tina. had caught his eye 10 yards off
Anc someone had repainted the face
ao0lng an unfamiliar muStache that
burned up. whereas the one that had
oeeN 50 black SO years ago used to turn
down Fifty years. 1T must ha' been
q good bit Of wood" thought Glyn-
David And so It was; he could remem-
Der even now the struggle he had had
70 carve his initials deep into the
hare grain
i Glyn-David leaned across the fence
unit he could see the scarlet back.
The new paint had not dried smoothly
but showed two curving grooves.
They formed the rough outlines OF
a @ and D.
! The owner Of the cottage came so
4 quietly down the path that. until she
! spoke, Glyn-David was not aware Of
/ her presence. Then he looked around
and saw & thin, middle-Rged woman
1 with a lady's carriage and a lady s
! pleasant, unselfconScious smile.
/ Are you looking at my sentry?" she
! repeated, for she felt quite certain that
this odd stranger, who stared at the
IgAAAI4 Lac - Wy 0EAlIE q 10y olA0R
window, had not taken in the sense
OF her words.
Yes" said Glyn-David. Yes, am.
I Where did you get him7"
up there. I found him in a tin box.
pushed into q Granny between two
rocks. I left him there about q year,
because I thought some child might
have hidden him, and would come back ,aS.s.
But no one ever did, so brought him
down here for company. It does sound
foolish doesn't it?"
NO" said Glyn-David stolidly; that
is a very good piece Of wood. Then
the fear Of giving himself away, the
instinct not to praise anything he
coveted made him hastily seek a
change OF subject. Turning his attention
from the soldier, he fixed It on the
cottage; and at once remembered-a
fact automatically registered by the
business side of his brain-that he had
not passed q single tea shop since leav-
ing Penrhynduedraeth. "Dyou get many
visitors here?" he asked casually. ITS
q pretty place"
Isn't it?" agreed Miss Jones eagerly.
MY dear father, who was an artist,
called it the home Of the True Pictlr-
eSque. That's why he came to live here.
In summer we have motor cars going /
through nearly every day-and no
wonders just look at the sweep OF
But Glyn-David was still looking at |
the cottage. In imagination he had /
frightened 1t with awnings, set tables /
and chairs, hung out a sign
I'D like to buy it and turn II into /
q tea shop" he said. AS usual he spoke /
literally: by would like" meaning
simply II would enjoy" and not Il
intend if possible" but Miss Jones
flushed Indignantly.
"a tea shopl" she repeated, actually
retreating as though IN horror from
the idea. "A tea shop-where my father
used to paint his picturesl There's
CAN right" said Glyn-Davtd. 1t was
only an idea" And q very sensible one
too, he added mentally; since the artist
was evidently dead and since Miss Jones
herself was obviously as poor as
church mouse But that was no
business Of his, and he turned back to
the soldier. There's what I've taken
much do you want Tor III"
I'm afraid he's not for sale, said
Miss Jones stiffly.
G1yn-David hesitated. If he told her
the whole history, she would naturally
put the price up; on the other hand,
Z he did not tell her, she might simply 1
urn stubborn. He pondered this di-
Cftt1liA 1DI n vi WV AAACA IVA
he first time in his life decided TO
Jay for whim.
CAS- a matter of fact" he said, at
lsed to belong to me. played with It
Is a kid. I don't know about proving
possession, after 40 years, but II you
ook on the back you'll see my initials.
They're @. D."
Half unwillingly, Miss Jones looked.
Then her expression changed, and her
ace, when she raised it again TO Glyn-
)av1d's was soft with emotion.
$50 you have come backi" she said
luietly. How strangel And Of course,
ou must have him"
How much?" asked Glyn-David.
How much? Why for nothing, OF
oursei"
For q moment he CAPPED at her, I'M
elfishly aghast at such neglect OF a
BUSINESS opportunity.
'But-you must put price to i'll"
How can I, when 1t hasn't any
aIue?"
"But it hasi" persisted Glyn-D David,
ute carried away. ''It has q sentiment
al value TO me and I'm wealthy
comparatively wealthy-man. How II
1uch do you want?"
But the extraordinary woman still
TODD there smiling at him, while he
attracted his pocket book and slowly H
pened 1t. Then she reached out and
18th a strong jerk pulled the soldier
ON his post and flung him into Glyn-
'avid's hands.