Show HEND THE GALL CALL crusty old bachelor who said lie he would never marry surrenders at last BY JOANNA SINGLE copyright by tho the mcclure mcclura news vapor syndicate and tiow how I 1 suppose bo be gotkin getkin married bordle ford looked up from hla his paper pipe in mouth and scowled at tho old gis sip elp mrs airs peters camo came in from the tha neighborhood an hour or two dally daily to do the work in tho the little house now that ills his mother was dead then lie ho was ashamed of tho the bacow scowl nud aud nn an patiently im 21 not ot a tool fool ill leave her when the lease la is out and board and make inake something of myself ive had all tho the cure care and glad to have it of mother for ten years since I 1 waa fifteen ive nothing but my trade ard 0 and have just kept even with bills nothing youre a right good worker fondle and always with plenty to do said bald the old woman and getting married dont talce much money nor any sense either from what I 1 I 1 notice nothing divided by two OT or moro more go far the people about hero dont think they live from hand to mouth they dont look ahead they marry when UP tho fancy strikes them and then its poverty and worry im going to pet get out of the treadmill tread trend mill I 1 havo have the faco face to ask a girl to share nothing with me to work hard for her board and clothes and those none too good id rather lot her earn her living alone hard as it la Is its more fair the woman now at the door gave et a parting shot ashes tho the sort get sho might as well marry the one sho she wants her tone was significant but lie he did not question her 1 I mean evlo jordan she ahe nent lived two year beside you without seeta you ford was glad she had the sense to go after that the old gossipy kut in hla his heart ho he heard the call ho he had been trying to ignore heart calling to heart man to mald maid all spring with life renewing itself about him it had been comin coming g and now it was waa hard to still for though ford hud sons gons boyhood had a mans responsibilities bili ties he was yet only twenty alve and nd evlo evie was very sweet ills his mind could not keep from byte and lie he missed her running in and out to aa she had done during ills his mothers long illness she was a gallant bright eyed girl all courage and reserve she grew upright like a young tre tree and never had she shown him a look beyond more mere neighborly friendliness she sold gloves at bentone bentons ben hen tons she bhe came home and washed the dehen at ai night and helped popsy her little sister with her lessons and made solid friends ford thought ot of frank darker barker who came occasionally to see her he was older than ford without incumbrances and owned a little place in the edge of town ha could care for tho the girl AT marrying prank frank a good enough fellow she would not need to think about rent worry over a doctors bill or any extras ford was almost morbid about the dally struggle for bread ho he had been brought up tip in his sister much older had married very young and was R P faded anxious petty woman her husband was discouraged their behil dren had no particular chance would marriage turn evie into a woman like that if so he be at least would not be responsible ile ho dusl disliked aked most married women they were thin and and selfish or a little too tat fat and a bit slovenly they lacked tone the upstanding standing up quality ot of say eay evie with her poise and stamina no ford decided he would stand alone ile he had bad always believed a man could overcome any feeling even love it if he was not ready tor for it ile he would work up to something like comfort and dignity in the community ho wanted to study a little he felt hla lack of broo than common schooling ile ho himself had no especial parentage no training but that of experience no backing ile he would not found a family until he could give it a better to foothold for an upward climb than he had had if he waited say until he be was thirty tour four or five ten years it might be decent to ask a woman to marry him meantime Ale antime lie he would simply suffer it out and keep away from evie jordan ford had only himself to watch eato went her own way sho she did her work arl ant sometimes from his yard zo at tt t a window he would watch her she bhe was never nervous but strong ealm there was a quiet restful look in her dark eyes even her plain way of wearing g her bair rested him ile he himself was fair and of quick temper she seined lemed always serene always sentimental ti even when frank darker barker began coming oftener and sat about in the yard with popsy her little slater alster ever present it was queer ford thought that the man never took her anywhere he ask her or she go occasionally she eho went to some amusement with a man friend but never darker she stuck to her work at home and downtown one night having reached home from his work ahead of her he was in his yard when she came dimply tripping up the sidewalk it was waa hot and he knew she hail had worked hard she bhe had been five years in that one store she saw him and beckoned gayly and he came glad he could not re cetulio tuLio sho she called her bor people tho the front door oil oh joyl sho she said al 11 hear ear the tha nowal news I 1 I 1 been working for nothing im head ol 01 04 tho the glove do part mont if you pleasa eighteen a week tor for two months and utter after that give us a kiss copsy I 1 everybody y rejoiced properly but somehow ford felt elt sober bober she did not nood need hini or anybody any boily sho earnol earned ahrn 01 nearly ns much as aa lie ho it pave gave him a sense benso of failure ills hla courage foil fell it t would have hal helped cd to talk the thing 0 out ut but that was not ford hudsons Hud sons way it accounted for lita hla half morbid ideas about marriage and othor other things in a day or two a really breathless think thing happened lial bened and recklessly over the froit pago page of tho evening paper now a hiang ilig very scarce under romantic circumstances an om old relative u iff 0 I darkers had left him a ainu brioney a grent great deal of money tor for a i coulig moro than would ho he good for most men ot of his hie makeup make mako up ford saw the paper d downtown and was generously glad of the other arn luck and thon then lie ho remembered 11 alo of 0 course now would marry marcy evic ho he could give her everything word ord tried to be glad gladnor gl adfor for evlo evie but lie walked home slowly and nd entered ills his own gate a bit quiet and de depressed presseL up tho the walk to the aho joroan jordan cottage prank frank darker was vas springing with i a joyful step atop ford heard aylea valco welcoming him at the door and wont went into ills hla empty house lion ho sat alone until it grow grew quite dark and then went early to bed it atvas was saturday and he bo could sloop sleep as late as an he pleased ile he awakened late sunday morning andro and joao so listlessly lie ho was ashamed of his weakness weak nesa lie ile had determined on a courso course and must take ll it without regret De besides sides evon even if lie ho had wooed avie with all ills hla will probably she eho would not have had him it was gainly too lato late now frank barbern Dar kera very step tho the night before had bad toll told him that ford got his own breakfast put tho the dishes aside for foi mra peters petera and went out into ills his bit of flower garden which tie ho kept up because it had been his mothers pride and because he liked it himself he was glad the house was between him and evies home borne ile ho pulled a tow weeds from the pansy bed considered the grass grasa which needed cutting ting and then sat down under the one koaple treo tree on the bench banchi unthinkingly ho be stooped over ills his elbows on an his knees hla his face resting in ills his hands ile he did not see popsy jordans jordan ia saucy faco face look round the corner and them thea disappear what Is it it was evies voice and lie he jumped to ills his feet to see BOO her before him in her little blue blu e cotton cotten house dress ile he stared a moment then reached out his hand shi laughed what tor for 7 A wont you let me wish you happl j noss ness evio she gave him a queer sober bober almost pitying look out of her sweet dark eyes of course but just why anet and achy why now popsy said you were sick or sorry or something and I 1 am camo came to td so if then ford bald when he ha meant not to say eay 1 I to be sorry borry to have yott marry frank only 1 I 1 I lovo love jour byoir myself and I 1 simply cant stand it for you she laughed a little ui steady laugh and held out both her hands bands then you maydish may wish me happiness but not with frank frank is very nice but he ile he waited for her to finish holding her hand very close she finished with her bravely meeting his frank ignot youl you then ht b kloa it ass ed her without delay and without shame and popsy saw him she pointed a brown forefinger at them ill tell mother on you laughed happily and snatched the little littie girl by one band no you boil wont im going to belv mother myself my evie looked at him blissfully ans aneo he asked her ft question will you wait for me me considered si her eyes aglow 1 ill wait a year band and work I 1 wait I 1 wont wait ten year and grow old and lonely while you slave clays to grow stupid and wellon well on off J can call earn money to f a little in a year you can buy a loi jol and build something in a year I 1 dont caro care what so its with you popsy biopsy looked at the them her wise wis a little h head e a f on one one side sho she began to r jance about clinging to fords hand oh I 1 know I 1 knowl know you arago ing to get married frank barker camo came up just in time to hear the child ills his face set a little ho be looked inquiringly at ford thea ha bet hold held his hand out manfully uly 1 I belleve believe Pop right anoker ed the happy lover the other aa was watching byte find and said slowly you were always perfectly fair with me eafe you said I 1 had ua tia chance but I 1 never once thought ol of this you never it evie replied ted soberly something like tears in her eydie of course not nat had I 1 been to show it she ran away into the tha house and left ford to follow her |