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Show pack ti THE light. HERALD-JOURNA- LOGAN, L. UTAH, SATURDAY, NOVUM HER 22, SERIAL STORY 0 LADY BY REQUEST 1 Hi: SIOIHt Tm hnmlwomr Hciihni i url, fnmoiiH nrllcr mill romiucntiilor, nlhi'il In otl ruiidr-fcffin-a d llinmi Tucker iimidi nliv he fnllnttlHUher wlinir of i hr loft he attire Irllmir her fornrr nhr e, Klrliiint 'I tuirpr, in I tirlw t e to the JeHl v.lty lie MMkrd her to dinner. nriw luirr-e- t lifiM the lrtn nplurfil h girl. henntifiil. Ilert, rt ittnrtill nlte lit inirremed In him. from her rt luoimtoo to (ton nnide reinrn to her ilnnlnle form home, her hope Hint he eim Hod Dor t art nnoitur job in the eit. her Itiion, he oniMlrrN, Hint tom iMirliin mid 'I Itorpe hnd refilled from her reniKlntit e to flirtntioUK Kit hiird 'Ihorpe'M lr Jlf w nrn-enr- STRANGE PROPOSAL CHAPTER IV J'JIANA sat up straightcr. Cuit was going to ofiir Jicr a job as she had hoped, but lie was going about it oddly. As her eyes searched his face he began to speak ery slowly as if choosing his waids caiefully so as to not be misunderstood. "My father died several years ego, leaving me a veiy respectable though eccentnc stepmother who loves me and whom I love veiy much. My own mother couldnt have taken moie tender care of my sister, Adela, and me. But shes willful and domineciing a legular termagant she glows worse as she grows older and unhappily my father left his en-tfmtune for lie. to administer. My father's will had scveial clauses. "But what, Diana was thinking, "has all this to do with me? Im the one whos sicking a job I should be giving the lcfer-snee- s, Ilovv strange that Stephen Cuit should think I ought to know th.s! Stephen Cuit went on. Knowing my proclivity to baoheloihood my father made Ins will to read that if I have not mained by the time I am 35, lus entne foitunc, except for a bequest to Adela, will go to certain charities instead of to me. My stepmother's one puipose m Jife is to see that I don't try to break that clause. She has the devils own stubbornness and he drew a deep bieath my 35th birthday is appioaeliing rapidly. In fact by this time next menth, it will have come and g' ne. Dianas gray eyes were w ide open with astonishment. She was staring at Stephen Curt. I mean that theic is at the nw-'e- nt no one whom I care to wife literally. Neither I re'ish the idea of losing au- Sto-ph- L. . 1 41 COPYRIGHT. NEA SERVICE. INC. WOODWARD BY HELEN R. cn suicly your stepmother doesn't pioximalrly two million dollars though I shall eutamly earn want you to marry just anyone! He smiled. Decidedly not motirh doling my lifetime. lie p med and Diana waited, shell have to pass judgment on un tlili to pe ik. you, but Im suie she'll approve. You have no way of knowing I was impiocd by you as a of the sort. "When went on. Besides, ne in it, anything gilof I i. .me down ill the elevator, I theie must be someone you know was hoping 1 might overtake well someone you care for you. Stephen spoke gravely, as if He i cached m his poiket and saying the words cost him a great du v out .1 'null icweleis box, ellort. There is n j one. You see, the woman I love is married to to; mg v dh it for a moment. I vi bun (ariyiiig this about, another man. hoping 1 might find a solution to iny piublnn," he continued. irkH! So that was it! He had Smie you need employment, I not used the past tense, am otbi mg you a job as my wife either. He had said the woman lor a ii tamable length of time He was carrying a torch I love. until all conditions of the will for someone someone who had luvi lain complied with, and a loved another more than he. be ai lunged say six dnoiie I can be safe with a man like He smiled mi nths .it the mo-- t. that, Diana was thinking, until bin fly. "You s"0, my father failed I get my bearings. Really estabto stipulate that theie should not lish myself here. Its not selfish be a chvoico. I a'jine you it is to think of my future hes maka job which will place no i equipThen ing all the suggestions. ments on you m any way, except after a few months 10 thousand house m with dollars a little dress shop of my vour picsince my inc end inv si ti r, Adda. And of own perhaps. Security I could 11 be fiec to come and always live here be independent. eoui.-you go us you like. Its honorable, too his loving someone makes it all very safe WITH a quick twitch of his and sure. finger, he openrd the lid of Well, what do you say?" the box and thiust it into Dianas I I dont know. When would hand. Her amazed eyes beheld it have to be? two rings one a huge, squaie-rWithin the month, naturally. diamond, and the other a Come, my dear, Ill see that you done-iiilisted wedding ring have a very pleasant time. "1 hope you wont think. Im Yes, I can see that." She faeed utt'-ilout of my mind, he said him squarely. When would you vutn a i uef ul smile, "but if you want your stepmother to to pass wid wear those lings for a short judgment on me? time and ht Ip me out of this diffiWhy not now tonight? Again she hri that culty I will pay you $10,000 at Tonight! the com lusion of our contract! breathless feeling of runmn ; to Ten thousand dollars! It was keep i p vith him. Life wi s certhe mod amazing thing she had tainly filing her today. Vo lose one joj and ones temper, to ; icet ever hcuid. a fascinatingly bnliant man and "But su.cly you're joking! I was never more serious in have him propose marriage be my life, he said. "Take a mo- offered a contract calling for ) ment get used to the idea. of $10,000 any one of t' e o There's really nothing alarming events would have made an evit-in- g about it. A purely business propday. But to have them all osition. Weie both civilized prod- crowded into one! Having the ucts of the 20th century liked eccentnc old woman who He smiled. each other on sight. the Curt fortune pass judgment on her would perhaps pio-vi- de "Or didnt you?" the climax of the series. "Oh, yes. Veiy well, she said steadily. If I had offered you a job as my secretary, youd have accepted Lets go. He looked ruefully at her : eagerly, wouldnt you? You were so food. Yes, of course. This will be nothing more, anxious to dine at the Savola i n J ically. If it will make you feel here Ive made you lose your ru better. I'll even let you type notes petite. I was a chump not to wait until youd finished. Never mind, for me. Please, said Diana, trembling. well come again. Stop talking! They waited in the foyer while He sat quietly then, looking at Stephens car was brought around. her, while the dinner cooled be- Then they weie on their way to Ellen Curts apartment. tween them. Finally Diana said slowly, "But i: Tim ? i long my Inhrr llnnr of SAOHMMK do not if marry hy the Hmr I am 3.V .n handaonif iriikra i art, fnniou and commentator, to IHnna vrllrr Taeker nhoe beauty and no he told her enitloer Itlehard I horpe to so to the dei il. hni raptured hia fnnry. ill ) marry me for nit mouth and It 0,000 r he coins on lo ex i plain that the noiuun he married to another mail. Diana I amnied. finally ronalder his otter a a business proposition that will soDe the problem of a Job so that she will not finding hne to re turn to her downstate farm home, urt asks her to route with Him to meet his stepmother, Kllen f art, who must pass Judgment on her impui-ftHenr- ak, lon 4 r- 0 0 A CHALLENGE tl. ? ' ! i ii ( C i i. , j J i 2. r CHAPTER V i ,1.. h ; TO ELLEN VTIIEN Stephen Curt ushered her into his stepmother's This pie'enee Di.ina thought, isnt leal. Its a play. Old ladies like that are only on the seieen. Its make-u- p that causes her to look like that! But when Ellen Curt spoke tlieie was no mistaking her genuineness. So, Stephen, youve come to your senses at 1 ist! I didnt think youd let the money get away from you. Sit down, both of you, and tell me Millie you found this guh" Diana sank into a small, ancient, ovcrstufTed chair, but Stephen strode restlessly about. Mis d Cuit sat on a sti sofa as if she scorned an) thing soft and yielding. She was small and f,.t, but theie was an aleitness about her that centered in her little twinkling black eyes. Her hair was gray and curled neatly. Her gow n was gray, too, of a stiff, rustling material, and on her tiny feet weie pearl gray satin slipjicrs. Well, begin, Stephen! Tucker, you say the girls name is who is she and wheie did she come night-backe- ;! :Jj :;i ill hi !i' 1 1 ; j from?" , j ed gieat man. "Of couise he's a great man, Cuit repeated, tapping hei lntle gray slipper. Today I met hun for the fn t time. o - WSTvSTiOV A.NO i'Urf b'cOOWO ,V)TSSOOT is VZKltW) TWkT VSS fLD Mrs. Curt gapped. Could the girl have suspected that it was she, heiself, who had persuaded her late husband to insert that lapse in the w ill Anything, he thought, was better than having him fall piev to some adventuress. Many biillinnt men did, especially when the woman they loved had mamed .someone else, and had their caiee(S nulled tivieby. Stephen would be saved She meant to choose his that. wife herself. But this gul whom he had Li ought for appioval was something quite outside her expe-- l lenie. "Its nothing to you, oung lady, whether what I do is fair or not. It may not have occuried to vuu tli.it I have a very good leason m wanting to setuie Stephens His father was con-s- e. happiness. ntd only with his vvelf.ue Hut didnt think enough of his ludgnii lit to allow him to choose i v'lfe fir lmnsclf! Th.itb enough. youve agned to the pioposition. oi ion wouldn't have come heie." "Not ,.t all, Diana answcicd coollv. ".Stephen said you wanted to look un over, and ceitainly clam the simp piiviloge. I have not made a decision one way or the ot (it i Stephens eves weie d.uicing di iighkilly. Not in yens, Ik hi iw, baa ..nyot.e spoken to Ellen Cuit in ,unt 'lull a vv.iy lie i.ithei u pt'c.td that old t il n vvas en-i.ng the tilt, too. Horn the wav hei eves uip,itii. fmm the v.hv Itic giav s.i.m s! pper tappe d the t.ooi. Hi., I suppose then voud have to nail iv e of me Ci it.iinly. You wouhl.it want someone ,n the f.,m ly who wouldnt ke Vuu, would uu." "Humph Well, ti, on what do you think of me" Suddenly Duma smiled. She had seen htne dh the foi bidding cxleiioi. "I tluu:, s .id, "you c Evidently o) 1 1 rPHi 1 t talked together for a long people and the farm and Ellen nodded wisely, Good, plain stock, she muttered, and at last she said. Youll do. You must marry Stephen at once! But Diana answered quickly, Im soiry, but I'll have to talk to my father about it fiist. Very well, Stephen said, when can you leave for home? Tomonow. Thats Sunday. How long would you want to stay? Until about Wednesday, I think. "All right. Give me insti uetions as to now to get theie and Ill drive down for you on Wednesday. I can get back for my bi oad-ca- st Wednesday night. Yes, Id like that. We could talk to my father together. And so it was arranged and old Ellen Curt sat on her straight ofu and watched them go. Her little black ees were alight with inteicst. Nobodys fool, that gnl-Nci mging before her, either, for favor. Struightforwaid, honest. Alieady Stephen was at-- ti acted to her going down for her on Wednesday. Old Ellen was milling as she went to her room for the night. Stephen drove Diana back to the looming house and it had never looked so shabby before, lie Held her hand warmly at the door. Youre a good sport, Diana ruikri, lor even considering it, e said giavely. I shall see to it that youte not soiry. Thank ou and goodby until Wednesday. When be had gone she went 'lowly up to her little room and bi pan to put some of her tilings into a suitcase. Then she called lici landlady. Im leaving tomonow," she I don't think Ill be back. said. But will you keep my tiuuk until old -- o call foi it? said that? she Why had wondered. Had she aheady mule up her mind (To Be ContlnuriD I MARTIN W)0xo SUKsa &VOXSiS4,t3OWtC0Vq YONoUil WxtjSiT Vsb ttCWtf DtV? , She thought the black eyes could be rather a darling if youd let youisclf. Old Ellen Curt actually looked embarrassed. It had been so very many years since anyone had called her a darling! She did not see a great many young people and Diana Tucker was like a breath of springtime. Pretty, the old woman thought, and like Stephen she recognized the strength of character m ti- - girls face. Stephen hnd been a fool for picking a girl at random like this blit sui pn.smgly, it was going to be all right. opened wider, and for a moment she expected an outbuist of indignation, but after a short pause the old woman said imperiously, "Go on. Mr. Curt was in the office where I woikcd when I lost my job. I think he must have felt sorry for me. And so he exolained the teims of his inheritance to me. He asked me to marry him. Thats all. I see you're greatly surprised, but I dont see why you should be. After all, lie's being foiced into a mamage that means nothing to him. Do you think that's fan? s'-- J &V.MC6T Th AtfcOTH "&OC3t COPYRIGHT. 1t4 NCA SERVICE. INC 1 Disconcetting, being discussed as if )ou weiont present. Diana didnt like that. She sat forwald on her chair. Youll let me tell you, wont you? Diana glanced at Stephen, saw him stop lus pacing to watch hu face. She hoped she wouldn t say too much, but she couldn't he to this cleai-evold woman. Eve followed your sti prop's woik for a long time." s! e s.ud s'ovvly. Both I and the membcis of my family have admired him gicntly. We think lies a veiy By EDGAR cou-tiol'- ed BY HELEN R. WOODWARD tt BOOTS AND HER BUDDIES HARMAN nt LADY BY REQUEST . By FRED ci SERIAL STORY S RED RYDER ut no As KsYioZN Or fHOS'QWiOO KcbtMiniMT MOO toS ASCV COtOTSOt. 07 HVYtY? Toout VOO FiUtA 'D'OKiT AO V'iOVO X0VY 'XV '. Twe Y VOO NfVV vvesabt ; VlOOOT voo CAL WtM? NOOf VOO J ws- - HftVXAs -.- ..CM.TWKTib V OOOT KittO tSVW WjOwJD'LTVVOV THSsT VOO OVOYV VYtV. TO WE. YO . V)tn OovVT CpOW.ZV l0MOY VOOQ DO Voo btt OV)Dtl?bVMOO Yit UA AUOK FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS . f AClA. 1 ; ViOMON b TO By MERRILL BL0SSER |