The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1902-10-07
BY JOHN J. A,eEckET


afternoon she noticed a man regarding
her. There was a contented, well fed
air about him which she did not like
although he was a good looking man
In his heavy way. Earnest, practical
interest in the thin poor made her a
little intolerant of stated idleness. At
dinner that evening she caught his eye
upon her again as he passed her table.
She averted her face. Miss Hartwell
was very pretty girl, but fastidious
one, with no taste for a seaside fiirta-
ton
"That is Burlington, the sculptor"
she heard a woman remark to her
neighbor.
That face in the sandl Her face!
This was the man!
Miss Hartwell got a note from her
/ brother Tom that day saying he could
not come before the end of the week.
you girls want a man to fetch and
carry for you. You mention half a doz-
en- women you have met and then com
plain that the place is restful, but
little dull Here's your chance. l
hear that Hammond, a Boston man,
classmate of mine at Yale is at At
lantic City. He is good fellow-rich,
family, brains-but is shy of girls. /
shall make him miserable by sending
him q note of Introduction to you and
Miss Cunningham"
A day or two later the young fell
low presented the note He was a
charming young man. From an ac-
Quaintance he rapidly developed into
an acquisition. He was quiet and dig
nified, not shy. Miss Hartwell got to
like him very well. tom is a good
athlete, but not strong on analysis Of
character" she laughingly said to Miss
Cunningham.
Miss Hartwell had not encountered
her face ON the sand again and was
reaping nothing but health and pleas
ure from her vacation, especially since
young Hammond had become such an
interesting part of it. Then one morn
ing she came upon it again. AS before,
it was early morning. She stamped
1t out even more emphatically.
Her brother arrived that day, and
she Immediately confided to him how
much annoyance the sculptor was oc-
casioning her. Tom lost no time in
getting after the man, who denied all
knowledge of the matter.
Il came here for rest and amuse-
ment, and the last thing am likely to
do is to make faces in the sand. l
work in more durable material"
But the likeness was unmistakable,
and you are the only sculptor here"
urged Tom doggedly.
THAT may be. l had nothing to do
with It, My word should offset a mere
suspicion. 1 do not know your sister,
but If she is the young woman l think
you can assure her that l will not
model her face in thessand," the man
concluded sarcastically.
Miss Hartwell was incredulous when
she heard her brothers report. 81 don't
like the mans face" she said
THAT doesn't prove he did yours in
the sand, Maggie" returned her broth
er reproachfully. 81 gather from his
remarks that he doesn't like your
face"
Miss Hartwell tossed her head. Tom
was so easy going She might catch
this man at his work Then she knew
she could count on Tom. She stroIled
along the board walk. occasionally APP
preaching the rail and looking down on
the beach, for the next two or three
mornings early. But she saw no one.
Perhaps he had been frightened off.
If she could only catch him!
The next morning she did There,
crouched down on the sand, working in
1t, so absorbed that he never glanced
Around, was a man. He and she were
almost the sole persons abroad at that
hour.
She recognized the clandestine mod
eler beyond the shadow of a doubt. But
instead of getting her brother and hay
ing him fall upon the delinquent red
handed she hurried back to the hotel
and watched from behind the curtains
Of her room until she saw the sand
artist come up. Then she sailed forth
again. went down to the beach and re-
garded her features with more interest
than ever. He had actually put a
sweet smile ON the llps Suddenly she
turned and studied the sea. The tide
was coming in
She stood motionless, thinking very
hard. Yes! Every time she had seen
the face on the sand it had been early
morning, when nobody was about and
the tide was coming in.
She turned, smile on her face, re
garded the sand image wistfully, then
suddenly stosped and stuck pink car
nation from a cluster at her corsage in
at the neck of the damp portrait Next
she hastily retreated to the hotel to
find her brother and Miss Cunningham
well ON with their breakfast
81 declare. Margaret" observed Miss
Cunningham as her friend attacked
her morning repast with keen enjoy
ment, this place is doing you no end
of good. Your color is excellent, and
your appetite leaves nothing to be de-
sired"
81 hope it leaves a few things that
are desired, else you would pay dearly
for my improvement, if it could be
called that But this morning walk
does improve the appetite" she added
innocently.
'If it weren't for that horrid man
and his faces in the sand" observed
her companion.
'Tom said he denied it in a way that
left no room to doubt his innocence.
Besides, have discovered that it was
always done early, when no one was
about and when the tide was coming
In, so that it would be washed out be-
fore any one saw it"
"What on earth did he do it for
Them cried Miss Cunningham. "Only
a man In love would do such q thing
as thatp
perhaps as five finger exercises,
just to keep his sculptor hand in train
ing" she replied laughingly.
But Miss Cunningham looked so sur
prised at her mitigated tone and her
face felt SO red that she escaped to
the open air as soon as possible. She
had not gone far before she saw Mr..
Hammond sitting on bench, gazing
pensively at the sea. His tan shoes
were wet and sandy. In his fingers
he clasped pink carnation as II it
were a precious relic.
She paused near him. His preoccu-
patton was so great that for moment
~ id not perceive her. Then he