The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-04-24
81 THOUGHT YOU MIGHT GALL THIS AFTER
NOON" SHE SAID.

course of the past year he had en-
countered her upon the street, and
from the very first he had been inter-
ested. He was not exactly In love, he
told himself, but very near II. Now
he would have to dodge If he saw her;
he would have to slip into some store
or across the street. 1t would be in
tolerable. He cut out the advertise
ment and placed it in his pocketbook.
AS soon as the morning mail was
disposed of he drew toward him let
ter head and wrote rapidly. Several
sheets were destroyed before he finally
decided that the letter would do, and
before he slipped 1t into the envelope
he regarded 1t for a third time.
"Mr. Robert Hardy Stetson," it ran,
'begs to assure Grateful that she is
in error concerning the disappearance
of her watch. Mr.. Stetson would sug-
gest that Grateful make application
to the police. He is ready to give
them ample proof as to his honesty
and standing"
The tiny business card in the corner
would give the address, and he hatter-
ed himself that the note would serve
its purpose. 1t was given boy to take
to the newspaper Office, and the rest Of
the day Stetson divided his time
mourning his dead romance and won
dering what the girl would say when
she read the letter. He fattered him
self that it was dignified and eminent
ly calculated to remind her Of her
tram gression.
Possibly could he have seen the re-
cipient when she glanced over the
formal lines he would have been sur
smiles, she nodded at the clerk.
"You needn't put it in again." she
said Thank you, very much"
Stetson scowled at the pale tinted
note on his desk the following morn
ing. The girl could have no justihca-
ton for her suspicious. certainly none
that he would accept 1t was imperti.
nent of her to make answer to him.
For ten minutes he turned it over and
over before he slit the cover and drew
forth the inclosure He stared for a
moment dumfounded at the opening
lines, which ran:
Miss Alice Eyerton Woodrow begs
to thank Robert Hardy Stetson for
his somewhat tardy answer to her ad-
vertisement. She begs to assure Mr..
Stetson that she does not believe him to
be thief. His unwillingness to an
swer the earlier advertisement led to
the suggestion on the part of the clerk
In the advertisement office that the
amended form of personal would be
more likely to bring forth an answer.
If Mr.. Stetson will be good enough to
call at 635 Auburn avenue he will not
only receive the grateful thanks of
Miss Woodrow, but of her father, who
would be glad to meet the son Of his
old schoolmate."
Stetson looked at his watch He could
not in decency call much before 4
1t was only 10 now. There would
be no use in trying to work when every
letter was but a picture of a pair Of
blue eyes set in a piquant face and
framed in golden hair.
He had been trapped, but he was
glad Of it. He was especially glad to
know that she was willing to take
such pains to find him. 1t showed that
she really did care and justified his
earlier opinion of her.
He wished that he could announce a
general half holiday in the Office, but
since this was not possible without ex-
PLANTATION he could at least take one
himself.
He was uptown at II and spent the
rest Of the time in pacing his room
and deciding upon the Important item