The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-15

Idly in the big windows. as outsiders did
Then another whim. to go in at the great
swinging doors and loiter through the
aisIes-aI but the. stocking counter aisle
Not that-that would break the spell.
IN buy a nt,le mite of present for
Peggy-that's what" Peggy always said
that's what" and he smiled az the
thought His heart was hungry to see
Peggy. and he had reckoned chat she and
ma and the girls would be home, now, in
a day or two. Their month was over.
Now. what'H I get?'' he unused, ding
along lazfIy and refusing TO look at the
familiar faces of the clerks. What 90
Peggies Ike Fancy notions Of some sort
Il may have 70 go to old Adams coun-
ter now! Not II I can help il. It's too
near my old stand. and I'm noe stock
in tender yet-not ill tomorrow"
He could not decide on what to get.
He distrusted his own wisdom, In any
thing but stockings. All yes, stockings
why not? Peggies all wore stockings
and suddenly he remembered the rusty
black, gobble-darned stockings his Peg
gy had worn that day at the beach. He
would have to go down the stocking
counter aisle after all.
"Stockin's it Is. then he said, tramp
ing away in that direction.
But lust at the turn. he looked down
establishment. He could scarcely credit
his eyes. He was getting old, and they
might be falling him. But nearer yet
the vision was the same. He knew 1t
was Peggy behind the stocking counter
Peggy He stood and watched her. She
was waiting on a customer, and did not
see him. Her face was a little pale and
weary, but she smiled ingratiahngly.
and twirled the stockings about with
an air of long acquaintance with their
kind.
peggy In an instant It was all clear
to him. He knew II was 20 Peggy he
owed his beautiful two weeks of rest. 1t
was Peggy's doings!
He felt an irresistible impulse to
vault over the counter like boy and
take Peggy into his arms. The sly, lit
tie. harum-scarum girl!-to cheat her
old Daddy He wanted TO squeeze her
pale little face between his palms and
kiss it a hundred times He wanted TO
scold her, and thank her, and get her
away from that place. The stocking
counter at Bruce's was no place for
blithe little Peggy.
The customer was turning away, and
Peggy was putting back the boxes.
Even from that distance Daddy could
see that she put one in the wrong place
In the moment Of starting down the
aisle. he changed his mind. An instnc-
tive delcacy restrained him, and he
hurried round the corner out Of sight.
No, he would not spoil Peggy's niue
scheme. She would like II better to have
IL go on, uninterrupted. Peggy was "trav-
cling incog" now-he would wait. But he
told himself that by and by he would
have IL out with Peggy. There was q
reckoning day ahead, somewhere.
He went home and waited. Close up al
Brucc's was at sharp, but it was late
twilight when Peggy came home. She
knew Daddy would be there, and she hao
| fingered on the way. He heard her com
ing in, and called out brusquely:
who's there? Hold up your hands!'
Cant do it, daddy, they're plum full
Why don't you have a light?'
She spoke with nervous hilarity, mum
bling something indistinct about trains
hat lost time and herdic men that went
round Robin Hoods barn to unload their
passengers.
I'm the advance guard, you know
daddy" she cried. Ma and the girls are
coming tomorrow. 1 had let-mm
that is, the months up. No more putting
on airs for the Knoxes! Where are you
daddy-on the couch? It's dark as q
pocket
"a man gets a1l-powerful tagged out
tendin' stockins. The couch oughter he the
place for him. he gToaned dismally. She
felt her way to him, across the room. Az
the couch she knelt beside him and felt
| for his face.
IF 1 find the crows feet. I'll know it's
you and not counterfeit daddy. Here we
arel Daddy Knox, where are the other
two?'
Under the willows, beside a trout
stream, Peggy. How many feet would
you have a crow have?-aren't two
enough?"
Taken off her guard. Peggy put her
lips to his ear and whispered:
"Did--dd the fish bite, daddy?"
The day of reckoning was at hand.