E-text prepared by Roger Frank and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 29128-h.htm or 29128-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/29128/pg29128-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/29128/29128-h.zip) DAVID DUNNE A Romance of the Middle West by BELLE KANARIS MANIATES With illustrations by John Drew [Illustration: "_He stood as if at bay, his face pale, his eyes riveted on those floating banners_" Page 218] Rand McNally & Company Chicago--New York Copyright, 1912, by Rand, McNally & Company To Milly and Gardner LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS "_He stood as if at bay, his face pale, his eyes riveted on those floating banners_" _Frontispiece_ FACING PAGE "'_Dave's little gal!_'" 11 "_With proudly protective air, David walked beside the stiffly starched little girl_" 42 "_David's friends were surprised to receive an off-hand invitation from him to 'drop in for a little country spread'_" 148 "_He kept his word. Jud was cleared_" 158 "_It was a relief to find Carey alone_" 224 "_'Carey, will you make the dream a reality?'_" 238 [Illustration: "'_Dave's little gal!_'"] PART ONE CHAPTER I Across lots to the Brumble farm came the dusty apparition of a boy, a tousle-headed, freckle-faced, gaunt-eyed little fellow, clad in a sort of combination suit fashioned from a pair of overalls and a woman's shirtwaist. In search of "Miss M'ri," he looked into the kitchen, the henhouse, the dairy, and the flower garden. Not finding her in any of these accustomed places, he stood still in perplexity. "Miss M'ri!" rang out his youthful, vibrant treble. There was a note of promise in the pleasant voice that came back in subterranean response. "Here, David, in the cellar." The lad set down the tin pail he was carrying and eagerly sped to the cellar. His fondest hopes were realized. M'ri Brumble, thirty odd years of age, blue of eye, slightly gray of hair, and sweet of heart, was lifting the cover from the ice-cream freezer. "Well, David Dunne, you came in the nick of time," she said, looking up with kindly eyes. "It's just frozen. I'll dish you up some now, if you will run up to the pantry and fetch two saucers--biggest you can find." Fleetly David footed the stairs and returned with two soup plates. "These were the handiest," he explained apologetically as he handed them to her. "Just the thing," promptly reassured M'ri, transferring a heaping ladle of yellow cream to one of the plates. "Easy to eat out of, too."