The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-01-08

A GAME OF CHAFF
PLAYED BY A YOUNG
NAN AND A GIRL.
az ". R. ROSE.



1t was almost Immediately answered BY
young woman, who put her finger K
her lips as she ushered him in.
''Please be very careful" she said
1.-THE family is so fussy. Come this way
She took him into an apartment thai
might have been the breakfast room anC
motioned him toward chair.
Cant shake hands with your" he
asked. 1T seems like quite an age since
we parted"
THANK you," she said and gave hin
her hand 1T was just two weeks age
today, if that can be considered an age.
THANK you for remembering the day, ,
he gravely said.
81 will admit" said the girl, with a
little blush, that it was quite an cpl
sode in my life I'd never had such an
opportunity before"
MOP" he said, with a slightly rising
infection. He looked at her with curl
GUS expression. She was pretty girl, a
very pretty girl, and, though her haii
was smoothed into plainness and sur
mounted by simple little white cap, its
beauty and luster seemed frightened by
this attempt at concealing them. Her
gown was plain, too, and over it she wore
a fresh white apron.
YES" she said, and her infection took
the opposite direction. And she in turn
looked at him. He was a man worth
looking at-well knit, we'll featured and
well spoken. "Some men," she shortly
added, "are easily deceived"
Some receptions are preferable to the
truth" he said. But pray go on; you
have something to tell me"
Eyes," said the girl. mo doubt you
have guessed it. You saw me at the sea
side resort for those few days The
glamour of the place dazed you. You took
appearances for realities
They were such charming appear
ances," he softly said
please don't interrupt she cried, with
another little Flush. you saw me with
Miss Ainslie's aunt You took me for Miss
Ainslie, and let yog deceive yourself.
/ was only the dear old fa,ly's companion.
am only Miss Ainslie's companion. One
moment. Miss Ainslie showed me your
note asking the privilege of calling. She
suspected that | knew what it meant.
confessed. ! told her the whole story
how let You think me a great heiress
and how / led you on. She advised me
to write and tell you to ealP'-
"At the side door" said the man.
"Of course at the side door" exclaimed
the girl. 81. couldn't ask you here ON the
footing of the family guests. ] wouldn't
have asked you here at all, but Miss
Ainslie counseled it. She said it was my
duty to undeceiye you. That is all, |
think. Good night"
= e,I,S. h. Lao
words and moved toward the door But
the man did not stir.
"The evening is young yet" he said,
"and short calls disagree with me. Pray.
sit down. l, too, came here this evening
to make confession. was not the only
one deceived"
''What do you mean" she asked as she
resumed her chair
81 mean" he replied, that represent
ed myself to you in what you must have
regarded as a rather favorable light"
Il think" she said, that you gave me
the impression that you were person of
some prominence"
There was a little silence.
Il fancy there must be something in
the air of the average resort that en-
courages these fanciful receptions" he
said. eve seem to long to be something
other than what we really are. And yet
am very glad tonight to know the
truth"
MAY l ask why?" said the girl
81 was about to tell you" he replied
''You see, that as the petted heiress,
Grace Ainslie, you seemed as far above
me as a star | was mad to write to you
t,,,4 row 6;fforarf Vn,1 ro
nearer my social level | do not have to
storm the bastion Of wealth to reach
you"
"That's rather pretty" said the girl
"And you are not disappointedT'
mo" said the man. II am glad"
"Glad that am a dependent instead of
an heiressY"
"Glad for my own sake, yes. And now
may | ask your nameg
"M-my name?" stammered the girl.
"Why should tell your
"Do as you please about it," said the
man. 1T will be easy to give you an
other"
"And may ask what yours isl"
queried the girl demurely.
"A truce TO Names" he said. They
count for nothing tonight"
"And yet I'm fooishly particular re-
garding them" she said, with a smile
"My name is well enough he said,
"but let it go. There are other things
to hold our attention In the first place.
how do we stand socially financial
ly? Wait. please. am about to tell you
something concerning myself"
mot the story of your life?'
mot exactly But, pray do not inter-
rupt am 81. in good health. no seri-
Gus habits, fairly good looking. measure
bly, ambitious and something of a favor
lite where | am best known. have a
comfortable situation in connection with
a down town office. and there is a neat
little sum lying to my credit in certain
bank. / think l might even compass the
cost of modern cottage
"That's nice" she said. Il have lit
tie balance in a handbook myself"
'sThat's nice, too, said the man. do
you think it would cover the cost of the
furniture n
IF carefully invested said the girl, II
think it would"
81 am glad of that" the man comment
ed Il never believe in adopting the in
stallment plan where you can raise the
cash. And now be equally frank and
tell me about yourself"
"No," said the girl I'm too much
prejudiced in favor of the subject. Let's
hear your opinion"
"Al right" said the man. But, Of
course Pm preindiced too. At the same
time it is a good thing to air ones PREM
dices occasionally If our prejudices do
not agree. pray correct me from time to
time To begin with you are beautiful.
Then you are fairly intelligent. You have
a nimble wit. but you have been some
what spoiled Eth you don't like that?
Nevertheless ii is quite evident that your
employers have been too indulgent. Oh,
yes. they have And yet one who really
admired you could overlook this--shall
say painful p defect in time"
as that ALP"
"Al. | could dilate on your attrac-
tions until the gray fingers Of the dawn
beckoned me away"
How nicely you express yourself!
had only to shut my eyes to hear the surf
beat on the shore and the band softly
drumming on the hotel piazza
"What a lovely time we had-while 1t
lasted! How those golden moments scut-
tied through pleasures hourgass!'
"rhere you 60 again. But we did have
lovely time deceiving each other, didn't
WEI"
ut was our foolish vanity that did the
deceiving Our hearts We're as true as
steel"
Steel Is verySard, MI Thinsamy.'