The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-02-20

There slender, girlish figure leaning
Idly over the rails caught his atten-
ton. Although the veil Of her yacht
ing cap was down and 1t was possible TO
distinguish only the vague outline OF her
profile, something in the graceful pOise
Of her head, in the dip Of the shell-like
ear and In the lustrous brown hair
that cleaned In the red shine Of the
setting sun made him think Of a girl
whom he had known in the long ago.
by Jovel / wonder If 1t could be-"
he speculated, looking at her sharply
and blinking through the smoke from
his pipe
Just then she raised her veil and
turned. Harding saw that she was, in
fact, the selfsame girl. she knew him
instantly as he came forward, and they
shook hands heartily, as became old
friends.
''Of course, when we get back to
New York, you'll come and see me-"
continued vittoria after they had talk
ed Of many things. you know, when
brother married, l issued my deciara-
ton of independence. It's a dear little
box OF house In Greenwich village.
All alonef Why, to be sure. That's
the principle upon which 1 made my
stand-a woman against the world -
She smiled as she spoke, and her teeth
glistened prettily in two little rowA
Sounds more terrifying than 1t real
" 10 ak1 xxrft1 wya~x
chance to throw in, "for the bachelor
maid has only to acknowledge to thirty
and the world losses up the sponge at
once 1t doesn't care to continue a
fight after it's ceased to be interesting"
But Harding had put his beloved pipe
In one corner Of his mouth and was go
ing through an elaborate pantomime Of
counting on his fingers. Nine and
twenty" he corrected.
Vittoria colored slightly and strum-
med nonchalantly on the arm Of her
steamer chair. "What an appalling
memory said She
Whereupon they both laughed, and q
little silence fell.
mime years." observed Harding sud.
denly. He had been stretched out lazi-
ly In his chair, his hands beneath his
curly head, his gray eyes staring
straight into the glory Of the western
heavens. IT'S good slice, isn't 1t, IL
one hasn't accomplished
In the midst of his sentence he saw
Vittoria nod to some one Following
the direction Of her eyes, he perceived
a tall, blond girl, smartly gowned and
Of rather naughty demeanor, walking
briskly toward them. A maid followed
more slowly with a steamer rug and an
armful of wraps.
"Ah, it's Marion" he exclaimed half
to himself. And to VitbOria, do you
know herT'
"Our acquaintance is only q bowling
one" volunteered Vittoria coldly. ~
met her last month In Switzerland"
'Hello, Kent" cried Miss Marion
Lane carelessly, as he rose to greet her.
From beneath her inky lashss she
glanced at Vittoria indifferently and
nodded slightly again. you can join
mother and me when you hke-no hur-
y," she murmured amiably as she
swept on down the deck, where her
maid deposited her rug and wraps he
side an alert looking little widow in
black.
I'm engaged to Miss Lane" Harding
said oddly at length. "At least, I've
asked her to marry me-"
you began Vittoria lncredulous-
ly. Then a change took place in her
feminine mind. "And her answer p
she said simply.
''She's considering it. In the mean
time, Of course, it's secret"
"Of course"
Il love her," said he, a bit shame
facedly. 1T must seem strange that /
to say this-to you he stammered.
mo, think understand" she said
quietly. And then she listened with in
credible patience to his foolish rhap-
sodies. There never was such an ador-
able creature as Marion-such wealth
Of tenderness and undiscovered charm.
Shortly afterward Harding took his
leave. The twilight was fast coming
on, and Vittoria sat for long time
leaning over the rail again. She was
looking into the long ago.
Now there was once girl, and she
was barely seventeen-oh, sentimental,
to be sure! And he was a nice boy
home from college on his senior vaca-
ton. She had cared for him, for he
was nice boy and had such manly,
honest gray eyes. And then one sum-
mer day as they had stood alone in the
old fashioned garden he had kissed her.
All, how unforgettably vivid was the
background-the gold of the sunh0wers
and the crimson Of the hollyhocksi
And the next day they had walked
over to the village, where he got her a
foolish little ring set with blue stones,
because blue means true love-" said
he. Just boy and girl affair. And
the next week the boy had been whisk-
ed of on continental tour and had
contemplated the University Settle
ment. Finally, however, he had COM
promised with parental authority by
going in strenuously for football
Football as specific for lovesick-
ness! Vittoria laughed softly at the re-
membrance. But 1t had cured him
When three years later they had met
again she saw that the episode with
the sunflower and hollyhock back
ground was already too remote to oc-
casion even momentary embarraSs-
ment. The knowledge that he'd forgot
ten had hurt a little. Yes, If one must
be honest, nine years ago 1t really had
hurt a good deal!
That night In the darkness Of her
stateroom VittOria drew out that fool
ish little ring from its secret hiding
place and cried bit over it. She
wasn't so very far removed from the
girl of seventeen after all.
Five weeks had gone by and Kent
Harding was still waiting for his an
swer from the unfathomable Miss
Lane. In the meantime Vittoria's little
box of home" In Greenwich village
had seen good deal Of him. for Wit
toria had proved herself such a stanch
and sincere little friend that he had
elected to make her the confdAnt Of
his passion for another woman. Five
weeks, and then gradually she had
perceived a curious silence on Hard
Ings part--a constant inclination, when
Miss Lane was alluded to, to change
the topic of conversation.
One night Vittoria had given a small
dinner party. Harding, being privi-
legged for the sake OF old times, had out
stayed the other guests. He seemed q
bit distracted. and it was long time
before he could get his cigar to draw
properly. The silence somehow to Wit
toria took on terrifying tension. She
strove for some light thing to say.
Suddenly Harding looked up from his
cigar.
''vittorla" he said and put out his