The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-11-06
Carnpden's
Shave
Il By FRANK POwNALL Il

our engagement just because shaved
off my mustacheY pleaded Campden.
THAT isn't just fair, you know. l can
grow one again in a few weeks. Don't
spoil lifetime"
ITS not so much the loss of the
mustache," said Mabel Deyant "You
should know what l mean, though of
course you will pretend to be ignorant
hate duplicity.'
"'Oh, what a tangled web we
weave" he quoted. You don't mind
telling me what particular sin you have
found out in me, do you? admit that
! did buy some candy for Miss Trayers,
if that's what you are making all this
talk about. l might add in self de
Tense that it's the littlest Miss Ira
vers; she's five, l believe
"If you are going to indulge in such
brutal joking | shall say nothing fur
ther," said Miss Devant haughtily. 81
have been singularly patient. If you
only had confessed l should have had
no more to say. AS it is, l can see
nothing in your conduct for which
can find the slightest excuse"
but see here, Nab" he explained,
Il haven't been doing anything.
haven't murdered a man for at least
a week, and my last bank robbery is
two months back feel that / have
clean slate so far as this last unhappy
week is concerned, and yet you come
bach from town and want me to con
fess to a calendar of crimes on the
argument that good husband should
tell his wife everything. l don't admit
that argument, but all the same If
you'll give me a clew to the sort OF
crime you want me to confess to I'll
try to think up something"
Mabel turned on her heel and walked
off. 1t was not a very straight MOI
steady tread, but she held her head
high and tried to keep back the tears
until she reached her room. She sue.
ceeded until the elevator left her al
her floor; then she ran down the corri-
dor, the picture of Woe
When she finally recovered her com.
posture and went down to dinner there
was no Harry Campden waiting for
her in the hall. Instead she ran into
Nettie Braden, who appeared to have
been waiting for her and who led her
out on the almost deserted piazza.
Il think it's a shamer' began Miss
Braden. THAT awful man packed up
his things and went to town on the
afternoon train"
Harry asked Miss Devant com
prehendingly.
Miss Braden nodded.
Without even a goodby," she admit.
ted Il think it's just too terrible.
Come in and have dinner and forget
that such horrid man ever lived"
Il don't feel hungry" declared Ma.
BEL blinking back the tears and seek.
ing her room for the second time.
The next few days were as miser.
able for her as they were for Campden
up in town. He and Mabel were to
have been married in October, and
while he puzzled his brain for some ex-
PLANTATION of the mystery she took ref.
uge in a womans comfort and went
about the beach with an ever ready
handkerchief.
The Harrises were giving a house
party through September and Mabel
accepted their invitation because she
knew that they were not acquainted
with Harry and that there she would
be safe. For the first time since the
break she felt happy as she came
Il +I, fol
arrival.
The boat had been becalmed, and
she had arrived late, but the fresh
morning cir was a temptation, and
she ran down the stsirs just as the
servants were opening the house.
Out on the piazza she paused a mo
ment to observe blue coated back
then she advanced with an air Of care.
lessness and made for the opposite end
of the porch.
At the sound of the steps the man
sprang up. and she gave scream as
she recognized Campden.
81 did not know that you were to
come" he began, as he approached her
81 just met the Harrises, and was MOI
aware that they knew you"
"They are very old friends" she said
coldly Il used to go to college with
Mrs Harris"
That's nice" he observed conven
tionally. But see here, Nab. if we are
going to be fellow guests for a few
days, won't you please tell me what al
the row was about?'
You should know" she said Sc
verely.
81 should" he confessed, "but l don't
All know is that you ran up to towr
for week. When you came back tt
the beach you asked me to confess my
sins, and when l said l had nothing t
confess except the self evident fact
that had shaved of my mustache yor
made that the excuse for breaking the
engagement"
For a moment Mabel paused, theI
desire for the truth overcame her re
serve Il wanted to see if you would
tell me the truth she explained
"When l went away you promised tc
tell me If you had misbehaved. Yor
got into some lovemaking scrape and
never told me a word about It,"
$50 that's it, is it?" he asked. "Yor
want to know why kissed Beth Con
nors on the piazza"
81 see you realize at last what the
offense was"
81 did mt know until just this mo
ment that you knew Nettie Braden
She and Mrs. Harris were schoolmates
So were You. You must all have known
zach other. Miss Braden was a west
ern girl, and l never supposed you had
met her"
Il don't see where Miss Braden fig.
ures in this story" she said severely,
II believe it concerns Miss Connors."
"Nettie Braden is the heroine" he ex.
planned. The Connors person is just
the villainess. Promise never to tell?"
mo, shall make no promise
Very WELL" he said. 'If you don't
care. that puts things in a different
light He had half turned away when
hand was lightly laid upon his arm.
please go on" said Mabel penitent.
ly. "You know | care. l shall not tell. .
You know Miss Braden came the
day after you came up to town., he
began, leaning comfortably against the
railing she was awfully In love with
Dick Harrington. | used to chum with
Dick a little when | was out west, and
sort OF pitied him Miss Braden was
awfully jealous and SO lovey dovey
that the whole piazza was laughing.
"You know what little mischief
that Connors girl is? Well, the night
Of the hop she ran into Dick on the
piazza just alongside of an open win
dow. Just because she knew that Miss
Braden was on the other side Of the
window she kissed him with smack
that could be heard a block away.
~, s.I,n lint ho