Show beths garden by CLARISSA MACKIE F COURSE the old mordaunt 0 OF place had a garden beth bell remembered coming there years ago with her mother before uncle jaffrey died the fl loners oviers were so mar and the gardens so that they appeared almost unnatural to the young girl and her moth or er who lived in a small cottage nearby when uncle jaffrey died beth and her mother found that his beautiful property had been left to them but abere there was not money enough to keep it going every year mrs mordaunt divided the t tiny 13 y income so that there was just enough to uve live on carefully and nothing was ever left for the garden people whispered that there must have been more money for uncle jaffrey was very tery rich and grew quite miserly in the last year of his bis life and they declared that somewhere about the old place he had bad bidden either one large sum or many smaller ones one day a good looking man came to the door mrs mordaunt met him and greeted him pleasantly mr smith who said he was your lawyer suggested that I 1 come and see you about clearing up your garden and lawns in return tor for my board lie he said to her frankly 1 I had pneumonia in the late winter and I 1 really need light outdoor work to keep me outside regular farm work is too vigorous just now I 1 am studying medicine at blank university and I 1 cannot afford to spend money for a vacation then his bis pleasant voice grew wistful as he scanned the delightful old neglected garden it would be a wonderful opportunity for me he added but you may have other plans mrs mordaunt did not hesitate 1 it I mr smith sent you here you are certainly welcome my daugh ter and I 1 were just discussing the needs of the garden then she introduced trod bruce wayne to beth mother sold said both beth one august morning everything is so beautiful do come out and witness the 0 cleaning out of the large fountain bruce Is going to do that next nest bruce whipped off his old hat and grinned affectionately at the woman who had bad been so kind to him for several months ile he had brought a deep wicker chair from the front veranda and soon mrs Mor mordaunt Mordan dauDt nt was comfortably settled and watching those two young people who worked together so harmoniously ly she was wondering cheth er her daughter beth cared at all for the embryo doctor whose heart was in his fine eyes whenever be glanced at the lobely girl there was no doubt that bruce wayne had bad lost his heart to her gentle beth and sighed a little as they worked so happily together because she was thinking about the lack of money and the years they would have to wait bruce had a large hammer and was prying off the fitted boards of the tent like protection hurrah he shouted when the last section had been bee removed and the rusty stained proportions ot of the fountain fountai n were revealed are you going to paint the fountain bruce asked beths mother it should be painted dont you think mrs mordaunt and then bending over the deep basin he be lifted out a dry and rusty steel box why what the dickens do you sup pose this can be he ha queried burled buried treasure he set it at mrs Mor daunts feet oh bruce smash it open begged beth perhaps there is where poor uncle mordaunt hid his money A few blows of the stout bamme opened the rusty box inside ot of that was a huge rubber pocket which held the missing wealth of uncle mordaunt they sent bruce for mr smith and during his absence beth confessed to her moth er that she and bruce loved each other and that lie he had asked her to marry him and I 1 want to mother darling sobbed the girl even it if we are quits quite poor at first 1 you understand dont you mrs mordaunt nodded happily and then the two men appeared and mr smith checked up the contents of the old box the missing securities curi ties lie he said you see there was about a hundred thousand missing and here it Is bruce wayne looked very glum after the lawyer had left beths mother said to him well bruce arent you happy frappy over our good luck oh yes mrs Alor mordaunt daunt of course only you see well im id so poor and beths a rich girl now but bruce said mrs mordaunt smiling understandingly the moneys really part yours you found it and she went off to the house bruce turned to beth dont you see dear she said it you come into my garden we might never have found that money so it Is part yours its it ours and so when bruce left her garden beth had promised to wait for him to finish his training and he had promised to start out lus ills professional fess ional and married career in the old mordaunt home 0 by mcclure New newspaper paper syndicate seri lee |