South Bend News-Times, Volume 34, Number 245, South Bend, St. Joseph County, 2 September 1917 — Page 14

THE SOUTH BEND NEWS-TIMES OUR OWN PAGE OF SUNDAY SHORT STORIES RUGS DUSTIN ATE UP By Laura Simms

srxi.v. si.ri i.nn:u 2, iai7.

THE

I

Map's- ;i!vi.is r f.rr -.1 to o Rok hi i .! s and th" r ;. . i j u-tan ,im 'the rn .'s that R;---

e me ;u)ii one u ü'i f h-r might -r:-i-- that Ru--as .1 soil nl' r-aiji'-t moth, she ! ge on to explain j ist how or UgUt d.tv, a half 'o.-n ' I o, Dustin had firs come- up poplar-l in -1 drivruav ;-t.i-i.'-r-nd t o ' ; i : i c under the load t f ! approached her I i K any other 'er and oroeeeded to (ii.cn hi.-. m - before- Iter as shf and toe n-halred Rid t sat strin-in-h for dinner. Rut right from ! ref Mr.; 1 . m.j 'il'i-'ii-j ?. tf r,.l ould see that there was homeC different in Rustin's fa' . e was hor. sty ami ambition, knew it from the- Matt. rs. Mapes had always dreamed ossessing oriental nn-.n and aboy with amaini,' glibr.es reted the ntimltrr of stite hes to square inch In the ru he wed and dilated on the anti i ti it I workmanship of them, soe ceted noc one. hut all of them. 'I m very anxious to vli them," hn dd her. "Perhaps" I could lot you ive them at a sacrifice. I am trvg to work my way through eolge. I hoped to soil them se I )uld oegin in ;-'-p tern her, hut I jes people aren't -buying many A SOTRY It was half past ten on a dreamy, nrous, moonlight night in midr, a night on which heart .lively peek a mate ami linger fiKly. frtie Patton on the Ford's front rii, swinging slowly In the green pw reat, sJiifted uneasily when 'heard tlie town clock strike tho if hour. Ho knew that the lights the parlor cJiandelier now iiltcrh through the finely webbed curns and tracing a graceful pattern Hose's round cheek would snap .t in somewhat less than five minRes. Ten-thirty was l'apa i-orus our. Never had the Jioneysuckle smelld so sweet, never had Rose looked seemed so cruel. Rertie sighed. "Well. Rosle. I guess 1 11 have to1 pre. lime seems awiuny snort. like that." - , r . 'hat ?" I r n inn .-"in ii; uu mit t Avhether the time's sJiort or sat time are you talking hy, tho time I've been here this ng, of course." h! I'm ghad you've enjoyed it." ell, haven't you?" I yes. It's been very pleas- ' Rose snapped off a twig of ej'suckle and burled her nose in (Pleasant! You talk a though b'd been at a sew ing society." 'Say, Pertie, if you're trying to k a fight you may as well go. I ar papa, anyway. Rertle wa-s Instantly contrite. "Rxr.e me, I elon't mean it. Rose." There was a step in the vestibule. But it was Rose's mother this time who called. "Rose, your papa went out with the Reinemans in their new car and Iiafn't come home yet. Tdy head in"t any better, o 1 think I'll to Veil. I woruler if lhrt would mind f-taylnfj a. little lontrer. I sort of hato to cloo tip tlio hciet till kik tomes. I don't thinl; he'll h late." Oh, ecstasy: Oh. blessed words! Rertie lc-nged to kiss the hem of her gown. II cleared hi tb.roat manfully.

THE STOR Y

A slow, lazy puf of air. n hot wav e more deadly than r.o breeze at all. btat down through the inner court of the mammoth Century building, and wilted the linen of its tenantand warped their tampers. Tlvthoughts ef many a man. and many i. woman, who f it at their desks and looked out upon th drab walls of the inner, narrow court turned to envy of their ab-ent felh-w workers, who seemingly had lo-ard tb.e wiiisp r of Preidem'e and fore-lghtedly locked out this, the hottest spell of th city weather, for the brief siesta in thr: open country, cr at the So.e hhoie. And thoughts left to run wild, during an enforced lull in the lo itü.t- of business, something turn to ap; ar-t-nt trifles, an J what i:gaged Tom MahteronH eyes, as he hizdy rolled in his chair at a window, absently puffing at the remain- of a oear, was a girls hat re?i:-.g on a desk t n o jloors below, across the (o-:n. How like its nw ii r w . s it appearance, pn tty. dainty, a me; ,. sh..do-,-j-i"eesion of frill--, b .t with all the reiinernent of c, :ai.t

oriental r:y in th es, parts." Mrs Maj.cs had heard the tale of th:- student working hi.-- way through (Ollc so often that there mu-t have l.t-Ti something unusually rr. - t about Dustin'.- appeal -ne to have mad him Knist- her sympathies as h- did. 1-or in Jamestown uas located the .-tat'J (olU'w. and self-;-1. ppot ting, industrious, ambitious students wer as usual there as; rieh men's sons WfTf 11 1: Usual. "Vow wanted to nt-r this ear?" ih" asked, feeling o: the silky fineness of tue rugs hefore her. "Yes, yes," he faltered. "I am a little older thin the average freshman hat ou sec. I am alone in the worhi: genuine vegetable- dyes all the y iv through." he ror:tmiied more glibly in his oraie of the orientals than in h.-: hits e.f auto-hjo-.'iapln'. "I t an lt you ha, e the large o.for a hundred dollars just what it "would eost at wholesale. That smaller one roold 1:0 at fifty. I'll give you the lot for MOU." Mrs. Mapes Uied to conr-cul th' look that must have indicated her despair even at the thought ef possessing that much ready mor.oy. Then the inspiiation flashed through h-r mind. -'he rave a startled look at her daughter Iada v as 17 tiien and just hein-

WITHOUT "Yes, I'll stay, Mrs. Ford. Don't you worry." And Rose supplemented, v( "U may as well turn out the '. '.t.s, mamma. They seem to h.i.r my eyes." "All riu'ht. If I should happen to go to sleep and our papa tleesn't come, don't sit up tee late. You'd better get your sweater. It's blowing up cooler." "Yes. I will if I need it, mamma." "Well, good night." "(Jood night." The lights went off and there was quiet, ecstatic peace. Now the moon traced filigree leaves on Rose's fair cheek through the vines. In lier white tlres.s she looked like some dainty, elusive fairy, ethereal, a creature conjured of moonlight and dreams. Rert wondered if ho could possibly awake. To test reality, he lighted a oigaret. "Nice, isn't it?" he remarked. "What? ' "Ju.-t to be here." He had thought of -asually, epiite accidentally, laying a hand on hers as It lay beside Jiim in the elarkness, but he lost courage. "Say, Rose., do you want to go to the Stepamore club picnic?" lie supplemented instead. "I'm going." "Excuse me." "That's all right. Thanks for asking me anyway." "I thought there was plenty of time two weeks." "I promised a week ago." "My, somebody was in a. hurry!" "Oh. I don't know. I've eiften been asked to things three weeks ahead." "Well, here's hoping then. How about the boat excursion on the 10th. That's three weeks. Think you'd be allowed?" "I've been asked to that, too." "Thunder!'' Rertie's tone threatened storm. "M hum!" "I hadn't an idea there were so many worshippers at our shrine." "That's not polite. Resides there aren't so many dozen that you can't count. Im'going with the same person to Poth, if that's what you're dying to find nut." "Tint that IOixon. Ill y.et a jitnoy!" "Don't call him 'that Dixon.' He's been awfully nice to me." "Why. lie's old too old for von. Rose." "He isn't lie just looks distin Tom had seen the owner, and she had s-en him. Day in and day out. he eaui:ht glimpses of Ethel Penwood's fair face and slender huure, as she moveti about in her tiny office, and then, on1 day. when an errand called him to another part ef the building, lie had learned that she. too. was a public stenographer and multigrapher, and therefore one of his competitors. Yet. all of his machinations to secure an introduction fell through. She. unlike him was unuse to the business world and its battles and disappointments, and held aloof from him just because lie was a competitor. o, when lie !:nibd a pleasant, impersonal smile at her across the court one day as i impersonal as a big. ery human young man can muster at the sight of a ery pretty girl, she had repulsed him with a ery igorous scowl. Rut this whetted his appetite all the more keenly. Then a client entered Iiis office, and Tom. resigm dly tos.-ir.g his c::ar stump cut of the window, for a t rief mtt rxal gave hi atte ntion to b.i -ire s. W lu-n the client left Tom setth-d himself again at the window, and his

rin-r to e f-re ie tb.e elder daimatei'.s privile-re ( f elh-a pproviim' of maternal rashness. Mrs. Map? p;.t I.ida's hand in her;,- as if thus to suppress any ohjection that tho dauuht r ir.ilit fee 1 I can-t afford to pay you that money for them, ' she ?aid. "Rut I feel thai I r.aast have thos-? rim... llo.v would this eherne- Mrike you ' We hae a hu-e house here and we are near the campus. I could take ou in and -rive jou hond arid lo I?in? for two years in payment. You ould eat out the price of the ru-rs." '-Ida was not able to suppress a little irasp of surpri.-e, and then, yo far from disapi io Ar.z of her mother's plan, sh clapped her hands vith rleo at th" prospect. She. too, had amluiions toward an otientalriu'ed ahode. D'jstin was c m harr a ssed, espeoia'lv 1'ecause he Knew that the -olden haired, hlue-eyed uirl n:,s watching him intently. He.- Jutted to rejef t the offer. "I am afraid that wouldn't ixo vety far." he said, however. "I had hoped to make enough on these rims to put me through college. You see. they were left to me hy my irrandiri(thi'r, who who was a missionary in in Algeria." "My ,LTrandmPth-?r was a missionary, too," cried Iida. uain claspin-r

A PLOT - guished, and you're you'ie jealous." "Distinguished! (iOo-I nisht! J. ist because he'.s mustache-d like a Magyar and wears glasses ami lives in New York." "Rert Patton. you're horrid! I think I'd better go in a .id look after mamma, anyway, (lood night." He caught her hand in both of his. ' Rose, Rosie dear, don't go. Sit down, won't you?" He pulled her gently toward Jiim. She yielded finally and sat elown. He slipped an arm boldly around her. "Rosie. dear, I love you!" "Why. Rert Patton!" "Yes, I elo. Rose. I adore you. Clear crazy about you. You don't care about that New York fellow, do you ?" "I don't know. Papa seems to like him. That's what he's here for. Papa wanted somebody reliable for a goed plaee he has open and Mr. Dixon came te see about it." "Lucky dog!" sighed Rertie. The question ef income had been the one tnat loomed big in his tl reams of happiness. "Rut you. Rose? Oh. say. Rose, he my girl, won't you? Can't you say you 1 love me? I love you!" "I elon't know. You see papa " Suddenly a horn sounded and a car stopped at the curb. "There's papa now !" Rose sprang up. Mr. Ford came up the path slowly limping, and the car slid away. "Oh, that you, Rosie? Waited up.

SOCIAL WELFARE -

Annette looked up at the big hemse anxiously. Not a sign of life was visible anywhere, and the big shutters closed tightly over the windows needed no letters on their wooden backs to proclaim that the place was closed for the summer. The broad porches were devoid of furniture and rugs, everywhere the place had a deserted discouraging look that brought the tears to her eyes. " h, it's mean just too mean." she said with quivering lip. "I wrote to Aunt Laura that I'd be home instead of going te Jean's. I wonder what's happened! Do you suppose she didn't yet my letter? f course that must be it," comforted a little by the thought. "She took it for granted I'd go to Jean Ashton's from scheml, and she's writ

OF A TINY SPARK

gaze returned to the hat. Then he started. A thin blue line of smoke was risibaT from its crown. And at the same instant he noted with alarm and chagrin that a small brenvn object lay upon it his cigar stump! Hatless and coatless, he dashed into the corridor and ran down the stairs. Darting along the corridor leading to her office, he opened the eloor and burst in. It was empty! He leaped for the hat. smothered the smoldering brim with his bate hand, then held it aloft and regarded it ruefully. It was ruined anil by hi- own carelessness. Tom peered about the offiVe and noted its meager equipment, albeit healing unmistakable traces of a feminine touch. Miss Penwood could not be far away, for, besides the scarred hat, her ceat rested on a tree in the corner. On a ledge beside the desk a aote read. "Rack in twenty minutes." How long would that be? (Hit live minutes must have elapsed since she had left. He was in a quandary. What should he do. wait for her return to explain, or bolt? He looked again it the desk and took into Iiis hands 'the photo of a sweet-looking mother

her hands, hat thi e-nthusiasni did not jut l)utin much more at his e ae. "Your dilti- is er' kind, hut I am af aid " Mis. Mapes with her glasses on, was in-j'e-etin- the threads of the reverse -side of the ru. Apparently the weave suited her. "Well, then, make it hoard and lod-im; for foar years. You can do a little around the oi-.s and garden in :nake up the eliffe-rene e, and there will he hore" to do for the neit,hhors tt pay fur your hooks and incidentals. I am sure you can pet a scholarship for ; our tuition." And hefore L-iiiisr. the poor student time tu ae-cept or re-.iect this offer Mrs. Mapes was drairin the ru-rs through the iun I'rench windows that opened hetween the eranda ami the drawing room of lier oldfashioned house. So Distill la irey went to hoard with the Mape.ses and so the romar.ee that was inevitahle hezon hetween lMistin and Lida. Lida was just the sort of blue-eyed, poldenliaired lassie that miirht hay.e been a cidlesre-town belle, between the a'-res of 17 and IV cr so. had it not 1 a en for i mstin. Rut hefore a year had passed she was neer seen at a college dance or r;aire with any oth.or student than Dustin. Howex er, even Mrs. Mapes never heard

- soto, elid you? That's a nice girl. Anel Rert Patton? Well, I declare; Mamma in bed? Don't tell her. We had an accident. No, not much hurt just my foot, hut we might have been killed, all of us. It was hat young ass, Dixon, out joyriding, ran into us, the fool! Catch me giving a good job to a scatterbrain Lke that. Don't have him around again. Rose. I don't like him. Come on in now, girlie. It's late. Say good night to Rett!" Then as if it fcuddenly occurred to him. "(h, say, Rert, I wonder I need somebody for that place right away and I was lust wondering whom I'd get. I never thought of you you'ie young, hut you've got a level head, I believe. Suppose you come arenind and see me tomorrow, will you?" Rert's head reeled, hut as Mr. Ford said, it was level. He knew a chance when lie saw one. "That's fine, Mr. Ford. Sure I'll he around, thank you. I was going anyway. Rosie kind of promised she'el marry me sometime, didn't you. Rose?" "Yes!" whispered Rose, clipping a trusting hand into his. "I wonder," said Rertie that night as he steppeel blithely homeward through the darkness, "if I just couldn't lar.so the particular star I sat under tonight and wear it on my lapel. Such luck!" Sometimes there is a story without a plot! (Copyright, 1017. ten me there about joining her at Pine lake." Sdie sat down ruefully on Iter little traveling case of black patent lerther and took stock of the situation. "I have to walk back to tho station," was lier decision; then. looking down at her dusty little shoes that had just covered the mile and a half in the hot afternoon 'sun. lier eyes started to fill again. "I'm terribly tired and teribly hungry! Oh, I wish I'd asked somebody at the wasn't there to co back station when the car to meet me. to town now .ee if there's I'll have and call a letter near the up Jean to tli ere for me I won t house, thr. ugh. that's settled, now that her big brother is hemic. I could never face him after everything. ly weunan. Mrs. Penwood. no doubt, her mother. Then he took the hat in his hands again. "Pretty thing." he reflected aloud. "What a shame to ruin it! .Maybe she can't afford many of these. And I ruined it." For another instant he looked at the hat. darted anedher glance at the note on the lede. and bolted from the office, the hat in his hand. Down the orridor he raced to the elevator and jumped Into the first ear downwards. Oblivious to the i 1 1 concealed grins and smirks of tlie elevator conductor and. later, the small group of men in front ed the building, this Jiatless, coatless man, anxiety written large on his feature--, turned the corner on a run. Down another block he Jiurried. half running, half walking-, until he reached a store whose windows he had noted before, and into this establishment he now entered. brathlessly. bedding tho hat before him. to a large pompous woman, who apprfMohed smilin-ly. "This hat." he panted. ' I've ruined it. I want another just like it. Quick!" The woman Mailed.

Oi an enqa -eaaent between them, and when Inisiin became a teiuor with the flight of four years and oth"r stuJents were emboldened to announce their enacernnts to thi pretty town irl er the other, Dustin and Rida had no announcement to make. Then after commencement Dustin went away, and then passed those two years in which Mrs. Mapes had nothing to show for her interest in the poor student but th two Bokhara.? and the royal Raluchistar.. Rida never went to collejre events after that, hut if she ever heard from Dustin. who had obviously won her lieart, it was not hy way of the mail that eaine to her mother's front deor. Perhaps there were other ways of receiving messages from the man, who had, apparently to Jamestowm gossips, deserted her. Rut if the-re were, r.o one in Jamestown lir.ew of it but Uda. Strangely enough, on that other day in another August, Rida and her mother were a train striiKin: beans for dinner. enly Rida this time was V. and Mrs. Mapes had grown so used to owning oriental rues that she had a certain sort eif pity for those f)f lier neighbors who possessed none of their own. It was this feelirs, rather than any actual joy in her own possession, that seemed to recompense her for her

FORGOTTEN

Hal Shepard glanced at his monogramed watch. "There's only a half hour hefore th stage comes." he announced, "and you haven't answered my question." Tho girl beside him drew a deep breath. "I'll answer it now." she replied. "I can't come." Hal's face clouded. "Won't you please he sensible, Madeline?" he pleaded. "You know I want you to come, don't you?" "Yes. I think you do now." "Then why won't you?" "Recause I think that two weeks from now you'll be sorry you asked me." "That's nonsense. You know it is." Madeline (Jilman shook her head. "It isn't nonsense. R'-'t's look at this thing fairly, Hal. A month ago you came up here in the mountains to rest from too many dances. You didn't expect to find anybody hut a lot of farmers, and when you discovered me here, the simple fact that I'm not altogether a farmer was such a surprise that you havent quite gotten over it. Compared to the ordinary run of farm girls, perhaps I am something of a relief, hut as soon as you get back home and see the girls you're accustomed to you'll forget all about me." "Rut I won't, and I'm proving it to you hy asking you to Ridgefleld. It's perfectly all right: your mother can come as chaperone, and you both can stay at my sister's." By Then, realizing that the shadows' were lengthening and that she must be moving, she picked up her things and started. Suddenly she stopped, her delicate nostrils vibrating like those of a young rabbit something was smelling most wonderfully delicious' there it was again, a great wave of it coming from the prove of sycamores and pines that liad long ben the pride f Rosecrest. " The house and lawns were indeed almost surrounded hy these relics of a primeval forest and it was from a clump of these giants Peside the driveway that the odor was Pinana t i n i.-. Racon! That was it frying bacon and boiling coffee, blended with tho nnnppnt nir-v nrlnr fif hnrnlne pine. Annette returned in the dir-j "Rut. sir." she protested. "I'm afraid that's impossible. Raelies' hats are not always alike. I " "Please." he panted, impatiently, don't waste time. This is urgent. Ixok over your stock anel duplicate it, if you can; but do it quick." The proprietress, accjmtomed to the myriad peculiarities of women patrons, merely smiled, took the hat and disappeareel in an inner room. The longer he waited the more he fumed. His watch in his hand, lie p.o ed up and down the room, inwardly cursing the woman for lier tardiness. Finally, she appeared, bearing a hat nearly similar to the e ther. and he sprang towards lier. "This hat," she explained, "is slightly different, but it's the same quality, and really cheap at JDi. If you'll leave it here a day I'll fix'' Rut Tom thrust some bills into her hand, grabbeel the hat and without ceremony made for the door. The woman starred after him. openinouthed. then regained lier speech. "Where shall I send the other?" td:e asked, as he started through th door. "Keep it." lie s.ing out out his shoulder, and left her dumbly as

kindness tJ the thankless student whom ehe had taken iu. Mrs. '.'d a pes had just irone in the ho-.ise with the beans and Rida sat listlessly lor king out through tho poplar-lined dri ewa . Perhaps she was thinking that it was just such a day when she had :!rst seen Dustin; perhaps- she was actually expecting what soon happened. The man who presently came up the driveway was the same Dustin Rorrey, but he certainly had none of the stoop that he had had on the other occasion. He

was as straiölit as an arrow and walked with the sure, emick step that idled Rida's heart with the assurance that the two years of waiting had a'l been worth while. She greeted him with outstretched hands and they spoke in low monosyllables. "It's all i is ht then, at last?" she whispered. "Yes. it is better than I had hoped. I've sot the job $4. 030 a year to start with, and I have $ 460 in the bar.k. I wouldn't come till I had every cent of that. Where's your mother? 1 want to tell her right away." And just then Mrs. Mapes returned witli p. complaint oh Jier lips. "Riehl, why on earth don't you come in and he-'p Then the words dropped on her "Rut I don't dance." "That e'.oesn't make any difference; we can sit out." Madeline smiled wisely. "It will make all the difference in the world." she answered. "After the secemd or third dance, you'd curse the folly which urged you to ask me." "Then you won't come?" "I gues not. Hal. I'm all right up here, where an assembly hall is a thing unknown; hut down in Ridgefield. with its country club and afternoon teas, I'd he out of place. You'll like me better if I don't go to the assembly." For a moment, Hal Shepard was silent. It occurred to him that possibly the girl beside him was right. Coming to the little mountain village a month ago, he had been pleasantly surprised to find her. They Jiad been together almost continually, and the freshness of her viewpoint, her lack of affectation, liad appealed to him no less than the blue of her eyes and the rose tint of her cheeks. The Gilmans had lived in Mountville for three generatiors; comfortably fixed, they had reaped the harvest season after season, and had pursued the even 1 tenor of their ways. Children had been horn, had grown up and marIried; but always to people of their Sown kind. Thoroughbreds they were, to he sure, but not the kind of thoroughbreds Hal had known. Hal ha 3 grown to think a good deal of Madeline, more so than he Olive Roberts Barton ection of the mixed aroma as instinctivelj as a hungry kitten hunts its mother. Try as she would to keep her feet on the drive towarel the road and station they obeyed a stronger dictator hunger. There was food somewhere near and she must have it. She crashed through the thicket and underbrush, but stopped like a startled deer when she saw a man. However, she stood her ground when, he irins" her, he turned and saw lier standing wrii.st liieli in the bushes. He was bareheaded, wore a blue flannel shirt and there was the slightest suggestion of a day's growth of heard, a sharp contrast to Annette's modish little figure (CONTINUED ON PAGE THREE), tounded. Rack he tore to the Century building and up te Miss Penwood's olf.ee. As he opened the door he Stöppel aghast, for she was in! At the sc und of his footsteps she rose and came toward him, then stopped and stared at the hat. "Your hat." he blurted. 'forcing a feeble smile. "I er I" He paused atruptly, for her keen, pretty eyes were turned full upon him. whilo her face plainly showed the suspicion she felt. The idea! Did this man think he could use such a thin ruse to get acquainted? "C.ive it to me," she commanded coldly, and as his lips moved without a sound he handed her the hat. and she turned her back upon Jiim. Then she wheeleel around and faced him. holding out the hat to him. "This i; not mine," she exclaimed angrily, "but it looks like it." Her eyes glanced about the office then back to him. "Why, mine has" "I know it." lie interrupted hastily. "Yours is gone. I or took it. 1" 'The idea!" she broke in. her eves tlasl ing darkly. "I'll trouble you te return it by messenger." she added, significantly. Rut er I ruined it," he gasped.

lips and she started back as she yaw Dustin before Jier. "Well, Dustin I.rrey! It's about time you came back," she .aid. "Yes. just time." he agreed. "A week sooner would have been too soon. Rut I'm ready now, and I'm fcoing to make a confession. Rida knows it. You'll have to forgive as for having kept our secret." Then before cortlnuing Dustin induced Mrs. Mapes to b- seated and he drew a chai for himself and Rida near to her. "It's this way. Tint day six years asto I came here. I wasn't on the level. Pel pot in a scrape back home in New York. I forced my father's signature to a check, and well, he let me off, but I drifted away and I thought the only way to make good and pay him back was to get in wrong r.gain. I was working with a crooked bunch of ruV swindlers when I ame out here. We were .working the -came of poor collese students. That always touches the hearts of women, you know. W'o were working from a list of people who had answered a fa.tc oriental ru? advertisement of ours just to get a list of people who would fall for onr rus fcheme. You recall that you had anrwered such an advertisement in a magazine. "YV hen you n:ad that offer to

B y was willing to admit. Rut before committing himself he had wanted to see her in another environment, beside the girl he had grown up with. And it eccurred to him suddenly that perhaps sdie wouldn't quite measure up to the standard In Ridegfield. Rather ashamed at the thought, lie arose to his feet. "I'm sorry you won't come." he said. "I was hoping that you'd change your mind the last minute." "No," she answered. "I've thought it all out." "Do you mind singing just once before I leave for home?" "Of course not." Tliey made their way together to the cosy house on the tap of the hill. After she had seated herself at the piano Madeline looked up inquiringly. "What shall I sing?" she asked. "Forgotten." Hal thrilled just a bit as the words of what they had designated their song broke softly from the girl's lips. "If counting each moment of longing Till the time when T see you again. If this be forgetting, you're right, dea r, Anil I have forgotten you then." When the last notes died away, Hal looked directly at the girl beside him. "I'll never forget you," he said rather huskily. For the ne-xt two wee-k.-- it seemed as if he couldn't forget her for a single minute. Itidgetield appeared to have lost its charm. The Friday night dances at the country club were soulless affairs. Even the presence of a country-famed orchestar failed to arouse his enthusiasm The girls whom he had once considered "good sports" failed to amuse him. Fully intending to ask ope of them to accompany him to the assembly ball, he could not decide which nn of the many to invite. There was only one thing which interested him, and that was the letter which came twice a week from Mountville. He formed the habit of dropping owr to his married sister's of an evening and playing the vietrola. en 'his erv first visit lie discovered the record "Forgotten." It brought Pack to him with startling jvi.lnes the last few minutes had pen? with Madeline; the rich fullness of lier voice, tip stray wisp of he chestnut hair, the licrht in her eyes when she said good-bye. He realized -uddenlv that .Madeline meant nvro

By Archey Cameron New

"You see, Miss Penwood. I was sitting in niy window up there, and a client came in. and I threw my cigar out the window and it lit on your hat and burned it. I carne down to apcdoirize, yut yrm weren't here, so I thought 1'1 get you a newone before you discovered the loss. And there It is." A puzzled look came into her eyes. "You went and bought this." she queried, and it was hard to hold back a smile. "Rut whn? And where V" "Just now." he answered, his fa very red. "I I trid to match your other hat. I'm sorry. Miss penwood, 'deed I am." "Rut." she persi-t'd. and to little lines came into play about her sweet mouth, "why did you replace it? I'd never known who did It? You could have gotten away with it easily." "Miss Penwood!" came the chockled retort, "that wouldn't have been J fair. I meant i.o offens-, really I didn't." He glanced about the office wildly. thn sprang to the desk and toe.k tr.e photo into his hands. "See h-re. I'll leave it to your mother. If fhe says I'm right, keep

take tr.e i V Dustin continued. !"Okir.g between phrase s .t. ; to Ru'.. for encouragement. "I tr ied ? " t out of it. and then then I b 1 at Rida sitting hide : or. It am t me that tne be-t thing I e- uid was to accept your ofVer and stay rUht here. So I lt the uar..' know told them it they made ar. fuss about the rugs I'd hae Hier.

all exposed. And sc I stayed. Tbiu-- wedl, they aren't exaitly wliat 1 cracked them up to be. They aren't antiques and they were sinu'-r-:!cd. Ri.hi Knew that I told hxr. Rut it wa )äda that made rv. stick it out and j'.nisli here before I toll ou. and when 1 graduated and Wt here I told Rida that I wouldn't come back till I had made good ar. 1 until I could pay you on tho lvel lor that long board bill." Mrs. Mapes had thrown her fat arms around Dustir.'s neck. "I aR ways knew you wer ar hor.crt lad," she 5aid. "I knew it the first t!m I Faw ycu. It wasn't half po bad to stick me with those rugs as It -would have been to vo off and leave Lida here with a broken Jieart. That' what people here say you did. But I knew you'd come hack. Rut don't you fret about the board Mil. Unless you've pot to cend th rur hack to the customs people theyrt pood enough for me. Car ring ton Phillips to him than all the other girl In the world put together. The night before the nsmM? h took supper with his sMer, who broached the subject of the dance. "Do you know that Cynthia Thompson hasn't been Invited?" eh aske d. "How Is that?" "I couldn't pay; It Just happen! that way. Maybe she'd po with you if you should ask her." "Maybe she would." Hal manifested but little enthusiasm, hut h'.f sister, anxious to do a good turn to Cynthia, ventured a suggestion. "Why don't you call her up?" nhe asked. For a moment UM hesitated. realized that he was doing nobody any good by moping around that it would probably b a wle thing- to invite Cynthia. He arose fjom the table doubtfully. "Maybe I will." he said. "Crnthia's a good sport, and she'll understand why I'm so late. He went to the telephone and called the Thompson home. Rut th line was busy. And then, while h waited before trying again, his brother-in-law opened the vietrola and played the record "Forgotten." When the last notes had eReü away, Hal turned to th 'phon again. Rut the number h callerj was "Mountville 40 It. Wher Madeline who had answered th call, recovered from her surprise, he informed her gently hut firmly that h had decide,! that he d'dn't want to go to the assemhly lall without her, and so he wasn't goin: at all. "I'm coming up to Mountville Instead." h continued. "I can gel the 2 o'clock train Friday and reach there at fi:r,0. And then I want tc ask you a question." Rut he didn't t -1 1 her what th question was until he had climbed down from the rickety stage and had seen the light of welcome in her eyes. And then, after she had answer1! in the affirmative, he made h'.s wn hesitatingly into the dinir.g-ror tr and stated hi" case i r fore her father. And Mr. 'Rkmn. honest farmer that he was. looked fairly into Hal's e r s. and v. a satisfied. "I never th'CL-ht that Madeline would rmrry anyone hut a farmer." he said, with a t w inkle in his eye J'.ut 1 guess tli at you'll h " So Hal went ! .'i( k to the p ir'or to te".l Madeline the wrdi't; and - fe-.v mit'iiR'- later, th" strains o l"..ri:otten" fir.,Tt-d out to the dining-room. (Copyright. I T 1 7." the hat. If wrong. wIl, I d r.'t know what I'll io " Kthel I'envw'od looked at h.:u long and seriously. He ws morhandsome now in his hoyi'h ditren than ever and the maternal instinct was strong in hr, so she s.mibd indulgently. "Very well, un may call ar.d al; mother about it tonight." and as ho delightedly put e.ut his rik-ht hand she izavA him a 1 ri f clasp. th a. 11 wild confusion, h- bolted. It was juKt a I'.ttle ; erk th; t brought them together, ar.d a :..or.?:i later, in charming intimacy, th were discussing it for th th on u dt a ti:net she ciddd center.tr l!y side him on a wide, oft divan in hr parlor. "Just a littl park. ei-nr." ?. whispered, holding hr hard tb. tighter, "but the hut wasn't where t starte.!. It was here" at.d he ! ' 1 lie r har.-I f,ve r his heart "and it h - i burned ar.d burned until. .k t! hat. it well, it's not the same- ;: tv e old i made good ,:i th" will Yo.; help u on this?" And the last sibilant mnrm :r of her whispered "yes' was smothtret by his eager Hps.