The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-07-25
Copyright, 1905, By Lntan c. PGschal

skate, of the club variety, and its pol
ished nickel blade shone like frozen
moonbeams as he surveyed it critically.
Melford glanced at it with interest and
put the laconic query:
Gender masculine, feminine or neu-
tral?"
Feminine" promptly decided Dor
ton, holding 1t closer. Its got some
initials engraved on it-'J. NJ. t. No
boy was ever so sentimental as that.
And no chappie ever wore clubs, SO by
the process Of elimination we arrive
at the remaining and only possible sex
of Jimty, its owner. And, by Jove,
from the size Of it, she's no Cinder-
ella either. 1t fits No. foot, or I'll
eat my hat. Girls are so emancipated
these days." he went on whimsically,
"even their feet are throwing off
trammels and spreading out of alp
"If you have quite finished Sherlock
Holmesing my skate" broke in high,
cool voice out of the black region be
yond the rim of light rays from the arc
lamp, will you be kind enough to re-
turn it to me?"
'The devilr' calculated Dorton under
his breath, starting guiltily and drop
ping the unlucky skate to the ground.
1t fell Gathering under the bench, and
the doctor dived after 1t with ostenta-
tious haste.
you foolr' he swore In Dorton's I'M
comfortable ear as he went down on
all tours in his quest "And this was
our only chance-frst woman's voice
that's ever addressed us since we came
west. We might have scraped an ac-
quaintance, but now you've made a
mess of it."
Bigger fool your Dorton rejoined
fiercely, humping heads with his col
league as he, too, stopped to recover
the bone of contention, hoping in some
measure to retrieve himself In the eyes
of the invisible unknown. "She's not
that sort at all. l can tell by her
voice."
"Well, even nice girls sometimes un-
der such circumstances began Mel
ford In an injured tone, but Dorton
cut him short, having found the skate
and held it out toward the voice in
question. But the young woman be-
longing to it made no move to recover
her property, remaining obdurately in
the friendly darkness.
Twill you be so good as to bring 1t
to me?" Her tone was as silvery and
distant as the strains from the band
stand on the other side of the lake.
1--WE got to see her face" thought
the big fellow to himself, land gain
time to square myself somehow"
He took a step forward and suddenly
measured his full length at her ma
ligned feet, with the skate still clutch
ed In his hand.
my ankle" he moaned when she
bent over him, all womanly solicitude
her momentary pique gone. Only anx-
lily and pity were visible in her lovely
face-quite the loveliest he had ever
seen, Dorton thought, as he closed his
eyes.
"Oh, I'm afraid he's faintedl He's
hurt, and it's my faulty' cried the girl
tearing off her mittens to rub snow Oh
the cheeks that looked SO pale in the
white light. Cant you do something
for him? He wouldn't have been hurt
If it hadn't been for my skater she
quavered, feeling in some way to
blame. please go for a doctor"
Il am a doctor-a recent arrival In
| tha o;fxy ra,Nlio6 NFoIford ere rxya o0I,IS
get him somewhere and cut his shoe of
and bandage his foot
Eyes, yes" put in the girl eagerly
"Call cab and take him to my home
It's just around the lake yonder."
Janet Tuttle, where are you? We've
been looking for you-and your skate
everywhere! Did you find itY'
The girl was still explaining, amid
furious bushes, to her friends, who ha6
gathered in a curious circle around her
when, to her relief, the doctor ap
preached and announced that cab
man was waiting.
With the help Of Janet's brother, who
was in the party, Melford got his dis
abled chum into the carriage. Jane
gave the driver her address and seated
herself with a sort of defiant shyness.
At the door of the big house where
they drew up her mother greeted, witt
CONSERVATION, her early appearance
with two strange men, but this quickly
turned n motherly concern when sht
heard of the accident She hasteRed t
supply liniment and bandages and ho1
cred outside the closed door of til
wide, old fashioned bedroom whithe
the injured man had been conducte
and waited anxiously with Janet Will
the doctor attended to the injured al
kle.
Now, doc, do be careful" the
heard Dorton groan as the door CLOSED
but they could not hear the rather cur
Gus dialogue which began a momer
later Melford got up from his tas
and faced his friend with accusiu
eyes
paul! You aren't really hurt at al
Say. what's your game anyway? An
he glared at his pseudo patient. VIII
sat in state. propped in pillows. Tha
young mans audacious gray eye
closed gently. while an ingenious smil
wreathed his smooth countenance.
"Shv he said. I'm tell you my gam
the old, old game of hearts, an
you've got to help me. NUNS th
word. There was no other way. Oh
don't look so savage! mean business.
And the level lips spelled grim detei
mination as they also closed firmly.
you don't mean you want to MARI
girl you've never seen in your lif
before tonight?"
That's exactly what do mean," re
turned the other genially, ''if She
have me-"
"WeIl, I'll be-hangedr' calculate
Melford, dazed.
mo, you won't-at least l hope not
but that blessed skate will be, and tina
In the most conspicuous place on on
library wall. l said our. Did 70
notice it?'' he ended, with large propf
ecy in his excited eyes.
mighty certain. seems TO me-" Rrunl