The Washington times., 1937-09-23

rnonotonous clucking of chickens,
the drone of bees. Old Jud eyed
the large white sign down by the
gate, Tourists Rest. Fresh milk
and home cooking" Perhaps, ne
reflected, some city folks would be
attracted by it, stop in.
They always had money. those
city folks, and seemed glad to pay
double value for whatever they
bought. But then things out here
probably seemed cheap after city
prices. The old man smiled, nod
ding in the sleepy sunlight.
The hum of a motor, the sound
of voices awakened him. A large
sleek sedan came to a stop in the
driveway, its lacquer and chro'
MUM glistening.
Jud scrambled down the porch
steps, made his way across the
lawn. Two people emerged from
the car, a man, heavy-set, rudy,
the banker type, and a slender,
smartly-dressed woman, obviously
his wife.
Eyes, sir?" Jud's leathery face
broke into an eager smile. do
something for you?"
The man nodded.
I'VE saw your sign. thought we'd
like a glass of cold milk" He
mopped his face. Hot driving"
Eyes indeed" The old man led
them to a shaded portion of the
lawn, where several tables and
half a dozen chairs formed an al
fresco dining room. Make your
selves comfortable. I'll be back
with your milk in minute. Any
thing else?"
mo, thanks" William TroW-
bridge shook his head, ponder
ously.
GRAND CAMP
quite a character" Norah
watched the old man shuttle to-
ward the house. And rather a
nice farm, Will, don't you think?
Spend a couple of thousand dol
lars for repairs and it would make
a grand little camp"
Hmm" Her husband nodded,
his eyes on the chair in which ne
was sitting. Suddenly he arose.
stared at it eagerly.
Slender, graceful, the chairs
fine lines were in no way con-
cealed by the heavy coating OF
green paint with which it was
covered. Trowbridge studied the
delicate carving on the Tyre
shaped back, the tracery Of inlay
on the edge Of the seat.
Fascinated. he took out a gold
handled pocket knife and scraped
away some of the paint, exposing
rich. lustrouS wood.
Whatever Is wrong with you,
Will?" Norah chuckled. why. =.
you look all excited"
Excited" he cried. Straighten-
ing up. II ought to be! Do you
know what these are?"
"chairs, I'd say" She laughed.
"And what chairs!" Trow-
bridges florid face was now Grim
son. Eighteenth century! Hep
plewhite! In good condition. too
:. L suppose the coat of paint pre-
served them.
And that old codger leaving
them out here in the open! Beats
me why somebody hasn't snapped
them up long ago!"
"Antiques?" Norah glanced
about. "You mean to say all six
Of these chairs are Hepple'
whites?"
Her husband nodded.
VALUABLE ANTIQUES
"a perfect set" he exclaimed.
"And the old man will probably
be glad to sell 'em for fifty or sixty
dollars!"
But. she hesitated what
are they worth in town."
"a dealer will probably give me
more than a thousand for them"
Trowbridge lit a cigar, grinning.
"what a break we happened to
stop here!
The profit on this deal will help
me pay for that new cabin cruiser
I've been wanting"
will" Norah's eyes we're trou-
bled. You can't do that! It's
its not ethical! This poor old fell
low. ="
ETHICAL" Trowbridge ex-
claimed. But suppose I give him
a hundred for the chairs? That'd
be as much to him as the thousand
would be to us.
And if we don't tell him, he may
never know what they're worth.
Might even break them up for
firewood! Don't you see?"
But think how much the thou
sand would mean to him?" Norah
went on. He could fix up his
farm, put it on paying basis, per-
haps."
And if we don't tip him off
about the chairs, he won't get a
cent. It's our information that
counts.
Besides, with them parked right
here on the front lawn, somebody
else will pick them up for a song.
Why shouldn't it be us?"
Norah sat still for moment
without answering, her eyes on
the thick, rich grass. 1t was hot,
somnolently so; the sound Of cars
passing on the road below seemed
like long-drawn signs.
Suddenly door slammed. She
glanced up in time to see old Jud
step out of the house, totter across
the lawn toward them.