The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-07-18

how far the engagement had sgone-
three weeks, about. He had not even
finished college. He had been an idiot
of kid ready to fall in love and out
again six times a week and twice on
Sundays.
And Geraldine Moore had been his
first serious affair, the first girl he had
met whom he thought he could not live
without. She had been a delicious sort
of girl, willful, madcap, tantalizing
girl, with an undercurrent of dreamy
southern mysticism in her gentler
moods that seemed to give promise Of
a splendid womanhood.
She had broken the engagement her
self. He had believed she broke his
heart as we'll And then at college the
news had come to him of her marriage
with Kingsley Haines. 1t had brought
him out of boyish cynicism with jerk
After the first cold water shock he had
felt inclined to congratulate himself
more than Kingsley He caught ru-
mors Of their honeymoon pace now and
then. 1t was not steady one. After
three months In Europe Kingsley had
come back home, and Mrs Haines had
remained In Paris with her mother. AT
this point rumor stopped and let imag
ination fill In the gap.
Temples imagination was an active
one, and he felt cordially sorry for
Haines when news came that he had
broken his neck in an ugly fall out on
7 Toll nd In
That had been year ago So much
had developed in Temples life since
then that he did not realize how COM
pletely he had forgotten Mrs Haines
until he met her face to face Easter
morning 200 miles from Southampton
on an ocean liner.
She stopped suddenly in front of two
deserted chairs
I'VE can sit here a moment. Have
you had breakfast? No? Neither have
l. Doesn't the sea look like a Mexican
opal? There's a sunrise in every wave.
Talk to me. Was it two years ago or
2,OO0T'
She was laughing. Temple joined in
it with an effort FIe was devoutly
wishing it had been 1900 years ago.
She watched his face with keen, merry
eyes.
1T isn't pleasant to remember, is it,
Archie? Isn't it queer, no man likes
to remember old love affairs. He al
ways buries them decently and resents
any impromptu resurrections.
And a womanY'
She shrugged her shoulders and
looked out at the opal tinted sea.
ITO woman old loves are only rose
leaves faded. She generally loves the
fragrance Of her rose jar"
Temple squared his shoulders slightly.
''But she hunts the fresh roses for
everyday use every time," he said
bluntly.
Mrs. Haines' eyebrows lifted but she
was not displeased.
'Do you bear malice so late in the
day? You must not If it hurt you,
Archie" she hesitated an instant, and
went on softly, ''be assured you had
full, unconscious revenge. If / made a
mistake, l have paid a penalty even
your malice would not have exacted."
Temple was silent He wished she
would not take that tone with him. 1t
was not right Kingsley had been his
friend.
SIS there any one else you know on
board?" he asked presently.
"None so far. only Margaret Sloane
saw her last night for a moment.
How she has developed! Last time
saw her she was riding crazy polo
pony on a dead gallop with her broth
ers out at Lakewood. She wasn't six
teen then. She's a perfect sensation
now. That tint of red hair in a child
is simply superb in woman. Do you
know herr"
Know MargaretT' Temple checked
himself. ''Oh, yes, l know her."
Il wonder who she is with. Wasn't
she engaged or something? heard a
pretty story Of some little romance
she had just before her coming out. A
girl should not entangle herself before
she is a debutante. 1t takes the first
blush Of the rosebud, don't you know"
Eyes, l suppose it does" said Temple
carelessly. None before, but all she
can get after. That's the unwritten law
In those things, isn't it?'
Don't be snappy. 1t shows age and
disappointment. A man is never a
cynic until he has tasted sour grapes,
and you are not old, Archie-twenty-
five. You see know, because there is
only a year between us"
There are two" Temple smiled at
her and rose from his chair. He had
caught glimpse of figure in brown
coming toward them. 1.-TWO thousand
Good morning, everybody" called
Margaret. why don't you wait for
me, Arch? Isn't he terrible boy. Mrs.
Haines ??
Temple put his arm around her and
laughed as the wind blew wisps of
curly hair across his lips.
II haven't told the secret yet, Peg
gie,' he said. I'VE may as well start
in with Mrs. Haines 1t will all come
out by the time we land in New York"
.tOf course it will. and who's afraidT