Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-09-14
ROCKVILLE. MARYLAND SEPTEMBER IA 1906
The Girl and
the Davenport
BY FANNIE HEASLIP LIZA


her first. She came toward him down
an aisle Of shadow between old ma
hogany sldeboards and dusty armoires
md laid her gray gloved hand upon
one end of quaint davenport on
whose other end reposed the hand of
Van Holden
This davenport" she said to the
shopkeeper, '.is the one you reserved
for me, ID 1t notf"
Pardon me-" said Van Holden firm
ly-the davenport was genuine mahog-
any and Of good shape-'I have just
bought It,"
The shopkeeper, little creole with
voluble eyes and a fierce mustache.
looked from one to the other.
"Mais oui" he murmured politely,
ut is valr good davenport
You promised yesterday afternoon"
she said with Icy dignity, ito reserve
1t for me- must have 1t. l wish 1t
upholstered in the green rep you show
ed me, and l want 1t by Thursday
morning"
Pardon me- Van Holden began
again.
She ignored his existence and drew a
card from her case Of snakeskin.
Here is my address," she said,
scribbling something thereon, and
viii give you a check on delivery Of
the davenport. Eighty dollars l think
you saidT
Van Hoiden's sense of humor, as
sisted by the pleasing picture of pale
hair and gray eyes in a cool pale face
against background of cobwebbed
walls, began to rise
II was to have had 1t for fifty," he
suggested plaintlvely.
II will give you eighty for It," she
said to the shopkeeper. And her face
was notlceably less pale.
ut ees valr good davenport" said
the shopkeeper, twisting his fierce
mustache Il pay hunerd dollar fo' 1t,
but take eighty Vas, take eighty"
"Oh, you do" said Van Holden sar-
castically. what about the fifty I'm
giving you? l suppose you take that
too2 Now, see here, my man." He
smoothed out the check between his
fingers
III you have paid for it," said the
lady icily, 81 shall of course not take
1t. | had not UNDERSTOOD
pray do not consider me In the
matter" said Van Holden, with equal
promptness. 81 shall not take It now"
He thrust the check into his vest peck
ct as the shopkeeper's dirty fingers
closed clawllke over the lady's card.
"Upholster in green rep? Varnish2
Me. lose $40, yes-but--you take It
I keep my word"
NO" said the lady; II shall not take
It, My card" She slipped 1t back In
davenport" She walked to the door,
holding her skirts away from con-
tamination, and turned into the hot,
narrow street, slender figure in a
gray gown and gray hat with pale
roses ON the wide brim.
Van Holden lit q cigarette In the in
tsrval Of regarding the shopkeeper with
piercing interest "Overreached
yourself that time, Mr.. Montague" he
remarked pleasantly.
Dose Yankees" said Mr.. Montague
morosely.
II dare say" said Van Holden. He
walked 10 the front of the shop, the
creole at his heels, and a humorous
smile twltched the corners of his mouth.
THAT was dirty trick Of yours. And,
by the way, you needn't send up that
with you In future"
Mr. Montague shrugged his shoulders
and lifted up his eyes. Van Holden
turned on his heel and walked leisurely
down the street, his annoyance lost in
a sense of amusement.
"'Dose Yank ees,'" he echoed to him
self Then his meditation took the
form of manifest approval. "She would
have been picture on that davenport
after It was done in green, with her
coloring-lack Of coloring, rather. Hell
10, Berdenl Anything doing7 Come
over and have lunch at the Cosmopoli-
tan"
THAT'S where I'm going now" said
Borden you are just th1 man want.
I'm taking the girls to lunch to-
day. Molly has a girl visiting her, you
know You'll just round out the party
and make US happy foursome oh,
come on And see here, Van-what
about that deal you made in cotton
yesterdayT
They sauntered down the street, deep
In discussion, until Borden stopped
suddenly. "Jove! I've got to go over
to some blamed store and meet those
girls. You go on and engage table;
that's good fellow Order the lunch,
II you want to; you do 1t better than
do anyhow. shan't be long"
He darted off, like distracted
water bug In linen clothes and a pana-
ma, and Van Holden set forth upon
his quest Of a table. He found one In
a cool corner of the dining room and
some time In the ordering of
a luncheon that should combine deli
cacy and good deal OF Ice.
When the waiter had left him, hs
fell to drumming on the table and
Of the davenport girl, as he
called her to himself. "Cool," he
unused. and self possessed-and, Lord,
what fnce-prettier, perhaps, for q
touch of color"
Vaguely he remembered something
about "tbs beauty of blush to him
who has caused IT" and smiled to
think that he had made her blush for
anger.
"Heigh-ho," he sighed, entirely with
put veason, and on the moment Ber-
lens voice was In his ears. Wake
up, boy! Look as II you were seeing
ghosts, doesn't he, Molly7 Miss Nc
Collough, Mr.. Van Holden. Did you
order lunch, old chapT
II did," said Van Holden steadily.
1T ought to be here in a moment.
Mrs. Borden, sit here; then the light
wont be in your eyes"
He changed seats with her deity
Ind faced across the white tablecloth,
accusing gray eyes under a wide
orimmed gray hat with pale roses.
There was hint Of color in the face.
Say, Van," cried the irLGRfsssfpIe