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Show ALL WILD GUESSES Got What They Wished For, but Wtih One Exception Wero Not Satisfied ' By MARY QERTRUDE 8HERIDAN. Thero was suppressed excitement In Drldgoton whon It was whispered about that a mysterious conferonco was to tnko place at the ono law office of tho llttlo town. It seemed that Leo Driver and his wife, Sarah, Professor Droxol and old Doc Drown had been notified to bo presont at a certain cer-tain hour on a certain morning, "to receive Information of great Importance Impor-tance and valuo to them." "It's a legacy," declared ono active gossip. "Thoy havo probably boon discovered as heirs to some vast os-tato os-tato In England." "It's troublo, I'll guarantoe that," said Sarah, for aho was always looking look-ing for It. "Some complication about the property prop-erty wo have finally paid for, that's Just our luck," added her husband, who had got Into Sarah's way of thinking from long companionship with her. "Hope somo ono has left me a new et of the Enoyclopedla Drltannlca," alghed the professor. "If I'm appointed to a public office I've got my deserts at last," announced old Doc, complacontly, But all these wild guesses were set at naught when tho quartette wore seated In the lawyers office. A pleas-ant-fneed young man of about twenty-four twenty-four confronted them, smiling and cheorful. "Well, folis," ho said, "I suppose you don't know me." All hands stared at tho Bpeakor, then at ono another, nnd shook their heads silently. "I nm Hnrry Bolton." "What!" shouted tho professor, his solemn face now beaming, "llttlo Henry, who learned his A, II, C's from mo?" "Hnnkl" cried Doc Drown, "Why, I taught you how to orate." "You, Honry," ixclalrned Joo. "I nm truly glad tc sto you," and ha looked It. Snrah rcgaided tho icturned native kncnly It was to graBp her hand that Q 1 ft. "I Never Knew There Was So Much j Knowledge." I tho stranger passed the othOrs by. A ' eoftened look came Into her eyes, nnd ' sho stopped forward und.klascd him. i "I've traveled four thousand miles for that welcome," said Henry. "You were nluays a mother to me, dear soul," and his volco broko as he affectionately affec-tionately patted her on tho back. "And now sit down, peoplo. I'vo got ' pomu great things to tell you." , Tho lawyer, sorting over somo legal I documents, smiled utbancly. "When I enmo to Dridgoton an uban-I uban-I doned orphan twonty years ago," ro-, ro-, t lnted tho young man. "you, Mrs. ' ' Driver, and your hustTand took mo In. ( Dleas jou! Never h?d a boy better parents. You, dear old Doc, spont many n day picnicking with mo nnd teaching nic how to orate, iih jou call It. And you, Professor Droxel, tnught mo nil I over leerned. When I started start-ed out from Dridgoton four years ago to seek my own fortune, I mado n J solomn vow. It wns that I would nov-I nov-I or forget my old friends If I met with ' success." "Thnt's you, Henry," smiled Loo DrUor. "Well?" "1 am a mllllonatie," announced Henry, and they all gnsped. "I havo tho biggest and beBt ranch In New Mexico. I havo a homo that Is a palace, pal-ace, and I'vo come to tnko you all out there. I havo quietly found out how llfo Is going with you hero. I I learn that nil tho piofesEor wants Is books, lots of tin r.i. All right a royal library Is waiting you out at Comfort Hunch, professor, nnd you need never worry nny moru bb to money," "Henry! Henry!" cried tho dollght-ed dollght-ed old sannt quaverlngi). "Is this Boino fulry story?" "Not n bit of It," declared Honry, "You, Doc," ho went on, "hnve always wanted to boss snmothlng, Well, you shall bo superintendent of my big ranch, mid jou shall demonstrate your ability as un organizer and manager." man-ager." "It's tho chance of my lirctluiol" , gnsped the old political cnmpnlgnor. ..I "As to you." continued Henry, turn-! turn-! Ing n fond glanco uikiii Harah," noth-1 noth-1 lug H ton good for you. hoar you have been In n household rut bo long that ou pine for a change you need to try fomo one olso's cooking And Lee, hero, working twelve hours a day and allowed only on Saturday nights to smoke Indoors, shall have a don of his own stocked with tho best clg.iM In tho market" "He's romancing," sighed Poc; "oh, suro ho 1st" "No," dissented tho lawyer. "Mr Dolton has deposited five thousand dollars with mo for each one of you In caso you got tired of the new life ho offers you. All you have to do Is to return to Dridgoton and start In afresh, If you ore disappointed." The new llfo of tho four astonished legatees who hod tired of the humdrum hum-drum of "Homo, Sweet Homo," might desorvo a lengthy exploitation. Drlef-ly, Drlef-ly, all that Henry Dolton promised he carried out. In the grand ranch mansion man-sion Professor Droxel reveled In books and comfort. Old Doc was free to spout nnd order good-natured cowboys cow-boys around all day long. Lee Driver, dressed like a prlnco, used twenty-five-cent havanas as If they were toothpicks, tooth-picks, and his wifo had four cooks at her command. "Too many books, and life too short to read them all," tho professor mourned ono day. "I never knew there was so much knowledge In the world. Honry, I want to go back to my modest mod-est old favorites at Dridgoton and die contented." And Doc had soured on power. He missed his old cronlos, who had listened list-ened to his flowery orations. The uncultured un-cultured cowboys only laughed at him. Henry discovered Lee' behind a tree puffing at his dear old brlarwood and sick with ennui. And Mrs. Driver sho said to Henry: "Why, there Isn't a morsel of food cooked hero the way I cook It. I Just long for the old kitchen range and real homo comforts. Result: they all pined for "Home, Sweet Homo," and roturned there with gladsomo hearts all' except one. This was Surena Dlalr, a nleco of tho Drivers. She had been adopted by Sarah, and tho lntter had Insisted on bringing her with them. Henry had played with Serena when she was a child. Very rapidly he had renewed tho old companionship. When tho Drlvors wont bock to Dridgoton Serena, Se-rena, liking the cllmato, remained behind, be-hind, finding employment In a store In the nearest town. Now came a rude change In fortune for Henry. The ranch mansion burned down ono night, uninsured. A ques-i ques-i tlon of tttlo dispossessed Henry from tho land ownership. Then ho went down with the fover. When ho came out of a long delirium deliri-um tho young ranchman found So-ron So-ron a a faithful ntirso at his side. As ho convalesced ho realized how much ho loved her. One day ho showed tho loyal girl a plcturo of n mountain cabin. "Serena," ho said, "that Is all' 1 hnvo loft of my fortune Thero Is grand air, golden sunshine and fruitful acres. I would ask you to becomo my wlfo If 1 could only offer you something hotter." "Henry, replied Serena, blushtngly drooping her happy face to his sheltering shelter-ing shoulder," homo Is vhcre the henrt Is!" (Copyright, 1913. by W O Chnpmnn.) |