Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1899-10-27
ROCKVILLE MARYLAND. MORNING, OCTOBER u. 1892
TO BE CALLED FOR.

zen, Pen! Are you there? PenI
Supper's ready" old Mrs. Milligan
called shrilly; but in vain, for Penelope
had gone out to keep her tryst beneath
the copper beech.
But Pen was away down the glen:
she had no thought just then for her
grandmother, or supper. or aught else
up at the farm.
AS she walked quickly away to the
trysting-tree her thoughts were busy
back at that night. Just week ago.
when she had stood beneath those pur-
pie. dropping branches with Herbert
Maclean beside her, and he had whis-
pered intoxicating suggestions into her
little pink ear: but, best OF all, he VOW
cd that he loved her. He didn't ask
meet him again beneath the beech at
shutdown, and-well, he loved her-the
rest was sure to come right.
She could see the path to the village
from where she stood. and soon in the
distance she espied a speck coming
nearer. Yes, 1t was he! But as the
"speck" advanced she saw that 1t con-
sisted OF two figures, not one only, as
she had hoped-two figures, both men
Herbert was marching along swinging
his cane, cutting off the heads of dan
delions as he came. The other was
shorter and broader! he carried u stick.
, but he did not swing 1t.
At last they came so near that she
could distinguish their faces clearly
Halo! The little wench isn't here
yet! Who'd although Of her giving
herself such airs?"
rs this the chosen spot? The altar
of Cupid?" asked another voice-a
strangely full. melodious voice.
"Fhis Is the place, sure enough" re-
sponded Herbert. What she means
by not being here first, l cant i'm
agine."
mot being here first?" A smile of
amusement played round the others
lips. as that the way you do it
ladies first even at the trysting-tree?
Women are always so beastly UNI
| punctual." said Herbert. They cant
fix time and keep 1t! So | always
name quarter of an hour earlier than
mean to appear"
"Always?" There was a note OF
scornful interrogation In the tone.
You don't suppose" Herbert laugh
ed foolishly-"yOu don't suppose that
this Is solitary instance? Ha. hal"
IL suppose you've mot her often be-
fore?"
mot this particular her. my dear
boy. But girls are cheap. One must
amuse ones self"
"Amuse ones self? Girls cheap
repeated the stranger angrily. "DC
you mean to say you're such thor
ough- paced cad as to"
Draw 1t mild, old chap! The girl'l
all right. We're both playing at thu
same game"
you're sure OF that" MacleaI
stirred uneasly beneath the other
flashing eyes. you're sure she hold
things as cheap as you do?"
well, Jove! old fellow, really
never asked her. She is a pretty littl,
thing. It's dull In the country withou
some fun. And asked her to keep tn,
tryst-"
Never imagining that 1t would b,
kept" interrupted the other scornful
ly.
20 yes. She's only a girl. expect
ed her to have kept the tryst. To tel
you the truth, | expected she'd have
kept it till called for | expected she't
have been here long ago"
well, I'm of. You and don't agree
In our ideas about women and honor
| yOu W. htNtI ulus
And never shall, old chap, while
you're so beastly straight-laced and
old-maidish!" said Herbert, laughing
But the other had turned on his hee
and was striding across the soft green
sward in a whlrlwind of disgust
"Girls are cheap" How often the
words angered him! Was this girl
this pretty Penelope-really making
herself so cheap In her so-called Low.
er's eyes?
The stars were all out as Pen crept
home In the Summer night. Her grand
mother was mapping before the dying
embers SO, slipping off her shoes, the
girl stole softly up the stairs to heI
own little chamber.
so that's the way the cat jumps, II
| IT." Herbert Maclean stood facing his
friend some weeks later, a CLEAN OF
amusement In his eyes. THE old
grandmother Is dead. and Pen is heir.
ess to the family stocking!'"
"Heiress to a great deal, II seems, y
responded Maurice Deane, slowly
The old woman was much better of
than people thought. Penelope has
quite q fortune"
And Penelope has smiled on you
eh?" sneered Herbert jealousy. You
didn't go to see the old grandmother
without knowing 1t was worth your
while. o, you doctors are such pre-
cious humbugs!"
Maurice didn't vouchsafe any reply
to the taunt. He had gone to Dry
bridge three months ago as locum
tenens to the village doctor. His time
had nearly expired, but he had made
many friends and the little flower,
faced girl and her aged grandmother
were among the closest. Maclean'i
name had never been mentioned.
Maurice Deane wished her grand
mother had left the girl a beggar, OF
that she hadn't died Just then. There
was something he had lately longed tC
say and the family stocking" seemed
to form barrier. lie wasn't the kline
of man to whom girls we're Cheap,
and Pen seemed to him the fairest thai
ever breathed.
Herbert Maclean walked homewart
In a meditative frame OF mind.
However, II wasn't too late to mend
80 before he slept he penned and post
ed a neat little note. Would Pen NEE
him at the old tryst the next night?
The next night he was In good tim,
at the appointed spot. As he ap
preached he saw no one was there
only white patch-an envelope
pinned to the soft brown bark. whil'
on the messy ground at the foot OF thu
ancient beech lay a parcel The not,
was addressed to him in Pens owl
neat little writing:
MR.. HERBERT MACLEAN;
"TO be kept till called for"
.......s......,.s .......,.... go
The parcel bore no name, only tn,
same mysterious message: ITO b,
| g.