The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-08-25
ALoyal Mummy
By lola FORESTER
Copyright, 1905, by p. c. EASEMENT

get fresh and mix in where you're not
wanted, Peggle."
"But l want to-" returned Peggie
serenely. "She treats him terribly, this
summer worse than all, and it's the
third summer If some one doesn't in
terfere it may so on forever. And he's
q splendid boy"
Better than mer
WELL" said Pegge kindly, every
one Is a type unto himself. I don't.
think your type clashes with Had
leigh's."
you darling
mot on the veranda, Billie"
Were engaged"
81 don't care If we're engaged hun
dred times; you can't grab me like that
on a hotel veranda in broad daylight"
"There you go. You take up Had
leigh and his troubles and never con-
slider for an instant the way you treat
me. We've been engaged four years.
mot all the time. Six times sepa-
rately."
well, you ought to be ashamed of
yourself. You're as bad as Betty
Wayne, and yet you turn around and
sympathize with Hadleigh. Sympa-
thize with me-"
II won't. And I'm not as bad as
Betty. It's ever 80 much better being
engaged six times separately to one
than it is six times separately to six.
isn't itY'
Billie took refuge In moody silence In
the hammock. Through its meshes he
could get good view Of the figure
seated on the veranda railing. 1t was
a nssome, girlish figure in pOngee and
turquoise blue, and he shut one eye
contentedly to get the full effect Of 1t
against the background Of blue sky
and sea.
"Betty really thinks the world of
him, only she doesn't know it," Peggie
announced suddenly after some reflec-
ton. "And he considers her so per-
fectly hopeless that he doesn't dare do
q thing but trot around after her like
pet mummy
"Mummies can't trot."
'Well, don't care! He trots around
as one would trot If 1t could trot. Billie
Ballster, If you treated me like that
I'd never marry you in this world"
'Do you think you ever will?"
'Some day." said Peggie hopefully.
"All Hadleigh needs is appreciation.
He's tagged around after Betty so long
that no other girl will look at him."
''Don't appreciate too strenuously.
Hadleigh might not see the point"
"Oh, no, he won't" Peggie's scorn
rose superior to discretion. IF l treat
ed you like stray telegraph pole a.
the time or c. o. d. express pacF-
agets be held till called for, wouldn't
you see the point if some other girl
took you up and delicately and diplo
matically intimated to you that you
were altogether just right?"
Il wish I had the chance said Billie
gloomily. what do 1 do while you're
delicately and automatically intimat-
ing to Hadleigh?'
Glover" retorted Peggie sweetly:
"stalk and glover and look jealous.
Then Wen make up and be engaged
for the seventh time. Anyway, Hadleigh
won't make love to me. l shall merely
act as diversion for the good of the
cause"
1t was three weeks later that the di.
version ceased. It had been q most
successful diversion. Even Billie In his
desolation admitted that SO did Had
leigh. From being an engaged nonen-
tity be suddenly became featured on
the bill, as Peggie would say. There
were handsomer girls at Pineta Point,
but there was none quite so winsome
and lovable and characteristic of the
place as Peggie, and when she under
took the act of delicate and diplomatic
intimation she did it thoroughly.
The first week Betty Wayne was
amused. The second she fatty declined
going in the same coaching party with
the two The third she sent Hadleigh
back his ring. And Hadleigh accepted
condolences gracefully and pensively
and became the steady convoy of Peg
gie's pink parasol In Its wanderings
around Pineta Point.
Peggie was happy. Every night she
assured Billie things were going splen-
didly. Hadleigh did take so easily to
education. He did not finch particle
when his ring came back. And Billie
said nothing.
The day after the return of the ring
the pink parasol took Its way up on
the bluff overlooking the bay.
Lets sit here" Its owner said to
Hadleigh. II like to watch the fort
and the islands. There's Billie Bal
listers yacht out there, the Peggie o."
manned for you, isn't 1T"
"It was-last summer"
Hadleigh laughed shortly.
"a new name every summer. 1t will
be the Betty w. SOON"
Peggie looked down at him with
hurt, surprised eyes.
"Billie will never change the name
of that boat" she said. with dignity.
"He painted it out yesterday" Had
leigh answered. 81 thought you knew"
Knew what?"
Betty only broke her engagement
with me for the sake Of Ballister She
is out there with him now"
"Out there with Billler Peggie rose
to her feet. She dared not look at
Hadleigh. The pink parasol shielded
ther from his gaze as she looked out
a.. I.S.D Il