The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-07-03

memorable day on the street, and
PAGES appearance bore the marks Of
the storm.
Carter" he said hurriedly, you
may let the clerks go, but wish you
would stay yourself. l shall be busy
for some time and may need you. Miss
Keller, please get your book"
With sigh Mabel picked up her
stenographIc book and followed her
ter dismissed the other clerks and re-
turned quietly to his books. Bobby
made himself comfortable and reached
for his beloved literature. He must
wait to copy the letters Mabel was
taking down, but he had new issue
of 1.-The Young Pioneers" and delay
did not worry him.
For an hour or so the outer Office was
quiet, the stiffness broken only by the
scratching of Carriers pen and the in
distinct monotone of PAGES voice as he
dictated steadily. Then with crash
the door was thrown open and Freder-
lex Brace burst in.
A(COOJ oPl0hS up IL SAA PhAoCs OAoNC
was broken down operator-a "ghost,"
in the slang of the street; ghost of
the past, who now and then came into
the customers room to beg stake"
from some old timer who could remem-
Der when Brace was one of the lead
ing operators on the street and not a
broken down hanger on, playing an oc-
Iv1 f,, kho ok rha
money borrowed from some sympa-
thetic and prosperous acquaintance.
He could have no business with Thorn
as Pace.
Brace brushed him aside and strobe
through the wicket gate. Carter sprang
to interpose, but was thrown roughly
to one side, and followed, expostulat-
ing, as the excited man forced his way
into PAGES office.
Pace looked up in establishment.
What is it. Brace?" he asked. His
hand sought his pocketbook.
1--WE not come for lOan," laughed
Brace wildly. 81 don't want your char
ity, Tom Pace l want justice" He
swayed unsteadily, the light Of mad
ness cleaning in his eyes. 81 want
you to give hack what you have stolen
from me-"
Pace held out bill "You are ex-
cited, Brace" he said quietly. "Come in
IN the morning and talk 1t over I ar
SO much. You see, we were children
together. He was always the black
oh Int Sl1o sNf al hA Sof
boys. He ran away when he was four
teen, and no one heard anything more
of him until he turned up here last
summer, just before you came, with a
lot of money. The rest of the family
were scattered all over the country,
but he has been staying on because he
likes the old home-and'-
And you," completed Award.
Il suppose So" she confessed. HE
has proposed a half dozen times, but
somehow l could not say yes. Some
times / am almost afraid of him."
"When he is not with your" suggest
ed Award Betty nodded her head.
Don't you think it may be sort OF
hypnotism?" he asked. There are men
who have that peculiar trick of gain
Ing sympathy"
"It might be-" she admitted. IL know
that never felt certain"
DO you really know what it was
that he had?" he asked curiously.
MY picture" she said, blushing. HE
had been begging me for 1t for long
time. This evening Just as Mrs. Nor.
ley complained Of her loss he said be
hoped that there would be no search
as he had my photograph in his peck
ct"
THAT was why you came to oul
aid?" he asked. Because you did not
want 1t known that he had your pic
ture?"
"You-they-people might suppose
that l had given 1t to him."
what OF that? Were you afraid to
let him think thatT
81 thought that you She paused
lamely
"You cared what I thoughtT he
asked wonderingly.