The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1905-04-25

| FUSION.
miser kept bidding and bidding until l
had to pay twice what the place is
worth"
The ''old miser' sat up with sudden
interest.
"Oh, then you are Miss Endicott? /
am so glad! feared 1t was northern
er who had bought the dear old place"
what possible difference could that
maker curiously.
"Oh, great DEAL" vaguely 81 do
not want them here"
May l ask" with sudden hauteur
why it should interest your"
'Because-well," rising and holding
out big hand cordially, because
Miss Endicott, l am the 'horrid, can
tankerous old thing Adam Peyton
Randolph, at your service, and 1 con-
TESS to decided preference for south
ern women. l hope we shall be friends"
She put her slender hand in his de
murely. II am very sorry" with pre-
tense of contrition, "but, you see,
couldn't help being born In Massachu-
setts."
"a thousand pardons, Miss Endicott,
1 beg. Your name should have warned
me, but you look so like a southern wo-
manY'
Il consider that compliment" smil-
| ing.
You may well. The southern WON
en- are the most beautiful under the
sun, and repeat that you look a true
southerner"
The gravity Of his manner saved the
remark from the slightest favor of i'm
pertinence, and the girl smiled bright
ly.
"And am l forgiven for being a north
erner and for buying Sunny SlopeT
He smiled In friendly fashion, but
his tone was very serious as he re
piled: II am sorry made it hard for
you; but, you see, really wanted the
place. 1t once belonged to my father
/ was born there Under pressure of
circumstances he sold that, as my
mother preferred to keep Peyton's par
adise, where she was born. My mother
was Peyton," he added proudly.
The girl seemed troubled, and 1t was
several seconds before she spoke.
II can't help being glad that l sue
ceeded In buying the place, but 1 am
sorry you failed. realize that it must
DE very dear to you"
you had more money than l or
you couldn't have bought it, he said,
trying to speak lightly. However, l
thank you for your considerate
thought Let US be friends anyway,
and perhaps you will let me come often
to my birthplace
"You shall play it is yours" cordial
ly, ''as the children do-they are so
happy making believe you know. And
will you let me come into your paradise
once In awhile? Your roses are finer
than mine"
There is a path leading from your
garden into mine. Come, let me show
1t to you. There, this little gate at
my end of the path shall be securely
fastened back, So" fastening it as
he spoke. And now, whenever you
choose" with a sudden, strange tender
ness in his tone, you shall enter into
paradise"
Three months later Adam stood at
the gate of paradise bitterly despond-
ent and unavaillngly regretful.
There had been a sudden growth Of
friendship during the long, bright sum-
mer and leap into love- Then had
come the tempter in the guise of a rich
and suavely spoken senator from the
north, and Adams heart had been sore
beset with Jealous rage. Hot with
southern anger, he had accused the girl
of trifiing with him. of making him the
sport of her summer pastime when she
had no heart to give him.
She had stood, straight and tall and
white, looking In her clinging white
gown like his boyhoods idea of a
ghost.
Then she spoke, and her voice was
cold and touched Adams heated i'm
agination like sharpened icicles.