The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-05-07

Now, Tom Dalton, stop right where
you are. I've told you often enough
that l like you. You have been my
friend and playmate ever since was
a little girl, and l shall always like
you as a friend. No, sir; won't listen
to any loyemaking. 1 won't marry
you, sir, and that's the end ont l
will marry no one but brave man,
and / don't love anybody, and
But, Mary, surely r.
''There you go again, sir. If you ever
mention love to me again, l will never
speak to you, as sure as my name is
Mary Hart"
ooh, If you put it that way I'll really
have to retire, for l couldn't survive
the punishment. How do you know
I'm not the brave manY'
'sAnd I've known you all these years,
and-but | won't have it brought up
again, and there's an end ont, SIR"
well. we'll If woman will, she
will, and If she won't she won't, and
there's the end ont" quoted Tom gay
ly. Every dog has his day. Mary.
What do you say to sail down the
bay? Let's have that mother Of yours
and take run down to Elm island for
dinner at Cobb's farm and a bath at
the short beach. It's a fine morning
for a sail, and I'll be bound I'll learn
to swim this time"
"Tom Dalton, If there ever was
well, l know there wasn't. And really
began to think you were serious, sir.
But mother never would venture out
In that crazy knockabout Of yours.
Wouldn't it be jolly? I'd love to CO."
at is all right about the knockabout.
She is high and dry for new coat Of
copper paint. Captain Doyle has his
new schooner Willie and told me this
morning he should run down to Elm
come food tide. What do you say,
Mary? And-you know was In ear
nest and
"Say, Pm off to mamma at once"
And before he could declare what he
was in earnest about she was running
swiftly up the pier, shouting back to
him, "You naughty boy, III bet you a
box of chocolates I am first at the
house, sir"
Mary Hart was the only daughter of
the widow of Colonel Hart Of the In
dian service.
The colonel had been both soldier and
business man, and when he had been
killed in jungle fight soon after
Mary's birth, he had left his widow a
comfortable income.
Che had oor,1o 70 A r,oo1.soo and aotflpd
In one of the quiet New England sea-
shore villages in coy cottage adjoin-
ing the estate Of Mrs. Dalton, who was
an old school friend. The young peo-
pie had grown up together and had
been friends since childhood.
Tom Dalton, a happy go lucky young
man, had inherited an independent in
come from his father and now, having
passed his finals at the law school, was
about to practice his profession in Bos-
ton. He loved Mary Hart with all his
heart, but in spite of himself he could
not be serious about his lovemaking,
though bound to win her.
And the little mink herself threw diff
ficulties enough in the way by bringing
him sharply to account whenever he at
tempted to breach the subject She
didn't propose to love or be loved, and
il she ever could be so foolish 1t must
be brave man.
''None but the brave deserve the fair,
and you aren't brave. You know you
are not, sir"
Flood tide found them skimming
down the bay on the natty little schoon-
er Willie in spanking breeze, jumping
at the sea like a mettlesome horse,
while Captain Doyle stood at the wheel
extolling her virtues to Mrs Hart The
young people were camped comfortably
on the deck at the windward side Of
the mainmast.
"Great, isn't it?' said Tom. 'sNow
what would you say to a lobster chow
| der for dinner"
atom, you villain! You have been
plotting this spree with Cobb. You
know l dote on lobster chowder."
Down there last week. Told 'em
we'd be down. Tried to get mother to
come, but she wouldn't step her foot
in anything smaller than liner"
"And you never told? | can hardly
believe it. never know when to be-
iieve you, sir"
Fact Sure enough this time, isn't
it, Captain Doyle?"
"Fact, sure" said the skipper. me
an Mr.. Dalton had a bit of run down
to Elm last Tuesday. Tight bit of
weather coming home, too"
s"Thomas Dalton, do you mean that
/ you were down here in last Tuesdays
gale and never told? And you let us
think you had been detained In Bos-
ton on business"
"Got 1t straight from Doyle, quoth
Tom.
The Cobbs were on the beach to well
come them. Master Harry had hauled
his pots that morning and there would
De lobster chowder for dinner at :
o'clock. Would they try dip at the
short beach by the runway between
Elm and Elm, Jr.? They would-that
is, the young people would, and Mrs.
Hart would watch the sport from the
beach.
Once in the water, Mary's spirits
seemed bubbling over and she was
soon daring Dalton to try a race to a
dory moored short distance from the
beach. He seemed reluctant at hrst,
and was sure it was too near the cur
rent of the runway, but to take a dare
from Mary and have her taunt him
with a lack of courage was too much
for a young man of his temperament.
She was wading toward the boat,
and when but a few strokes from 1t,
called back laughingly: "Wih you
swim for it, Tom? If you reach II
first, I'll be your prize, sir"
He was striking out after her as soon
as the words had left her lips.
She had nearly reached the dory and
confident of winning the race, put hel
hand up to catch the gunwale, missed
it and suddenly discovered she was oul
of depth and in the runway current.
.sTomY' she cried. and then all Ton
saw was a pair of frightened upturnet
eyes and terror stricken face as sn'
swept under the surface.
A fine predicament for lover wht
was not a brave man and who hat
barely learned to swim! Drawing
deep breath, blind to all danger ant
with no thought but to save her or dl'
with her. Tom struck out into the cur
rent and under the surface.
His heart thumped wildly as he Eel
a mass Of that sun gold hair come int
his grasp, and In moment more the.
rose to the surface. Through his sal