The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1905-04-28
er her property, remaining obdurately
in the friendly darkness.

in the friendly darkness.
will you be so good as to bring it
to me?' Her tone was as silvery and
distant as the strains from the band
stand on the other side of the lake.
"I've got to see her face" thought
the big fellow to himself. "and gain
time to square myself somehow"
He took a step forward and sudden
ly measured his full length at her
maligned feet, with the skate still
clutched in his hand.
"My ankle" be moaned, when she
bent over him all womanly solicitude,
her momentary pique gone. Only
anxiety and pity we're visible in her
lovely face-quite the loveliest he had
ever seen, Dor;on thought as he clos
ed his eyes.
"Oh, I'm afraid he's tainted! He's
hurt, and it's my faullv' cried the
girl, tearing off her mittens to rub
snow on the cheeks that looked so
pale in the white h. Cant J ou
do something for him? He wouldn't t
have been hurt if it hadn't been for
my skate!' she qravered, feeling in
some way to blame. "Please go tor a
DOCTOR"
IL am q doctor-a recent arrival in
the city" replied Milford, If we
could get him somewhere and cut his
shoe off and bandage his foo"
eyes, yes," put in the girl eagerly.
Call cab and take him to my home
its just around the axe yond,r."
"Janct Tuttle, where are you?
We've been looking for you and your
skate everywhere! Did you find it?''
The girl was still explaining, amid
furious bushes, to her friends who had
gathered in a curious circle around
her, when to her relief the doctor ap-
preached and announced that a cab
man was waiting. With the help of
Janet's brother, who was in the party,
Melford got his disabled chum into
the carriage. Janet gave the driver
her address and seated herself with q
sort of defiant shyness.
At the door Of the big house where
they draw up her mother greeted,
with CONSERVATION, her early appear.
ance with two strange men, but this
quickly turned to metherly concern
when she heard of the accident. She
FASTENED to supply liniment and ban
dages, and lowered outside the closed
door of the wide, oId-fashioned bed
room whittier the injured man had
been conducted, and waited anxiously
with Janet while the doctor attended
to the injured ankle.
"Now, Doe, do DO CAREFUL" they
heard Dorton groan as the door closed,
but they could not hear the rather cur
ious dialogue which began moment
later. Melford got up from his task
and faced his friend with accusing
eyes.
"Paul! You aren't really hurt at
ALL Say, what's your game anyway?'
And he glared at his pseudo patient,
who sat in state propped in pillows.
That young mans audacious gray
eyes closed gently while an ingenious
smile wreathed his smooth counte-
nance.
"Sh!' he said, "I'll tell you my
same-the old, old game of hearts,
aud you've got to help me! Nuns
the word-there was no other way
eh, don't look so savage! l mean bus
iness." And the level lips spelled
grim determination as they also clos
ed firmly.
"You don't mean you want to mar
ry girl you've never seen in your
life before tonight"
"That's exactly what l do mean"
returned the other genially. "Ifshell
have me-"
"Well, I'll be hangedv' calculated
Melford, dazed
mo, you won't-at least 1 hope not
but that blessed skate will be-and
that in the most conspicuous place on
our library wall. said our-did you
notice it?' he ended with large proph-
coy in his excited eyes.
mighty certain, seems to me, }"
grunted Melford. "You've got to
square yourself for that break you
made about the size of her feet
"By Jove, i forgot" Paul's face
fell and haunted look came into his
eyes, whereat the doctor said with
sympathetic wonder. Gas bad as that
already? But 1 always said that when
you did get it you'd have it bad"--
"She'll have to forgive me and mar
ry-I'll love her 80 she can't help it!
And anyway" he added innocently, his
face clearing, ~ don't believe that her
shoe is more than a four-and-a-half-
though she's no Cinderella, / admit,
even at that"