The Lambertville record., 1907-12-04
TheMaid sfArts.
By N. c. SANFORD.
Copyrighted, 1907, by C. II. Sutcliffe.
By NJ. c. SANFORD.

shifting greens and browns the shore.
Along the deserted beach and through
the empty streets Autumn swished her
rustllng skirts with no one TO heed her
passing-no one. at least. save a solitary
man who, having escaped at length
from the stern dictates of "the law"
had come to Surfside for n few weeks
freedom. Leaning over the fence
which skirted the path around the
rocky coast, he gazed dreamily out to
sea, following the ragged outline of
the shore and breathing in the salt OF
the ocean with the sweetness OF the
earth beneath him.
Suddenly fresh cut in the weather
worn rail caught his eye. III. T., w,
or Some one beside himself had
evidently sought out the shore late In
the season. "W.-'04?" he queried.
Wellesley" He had 1t! For was not
a knife blade broken Off half short in
the wood, an indlsputable evidence OF
woman's work?
W. hU hhusCut an hpt w Du
alone with the natives and nature,
after ALL" He started to move on.
Again he was arrested, this time by a
small. bright object Mt his feet 1t
proved to be Wellesley class pin.
Lost 1t while she was carving her
name with that dolls knife, s'pose."
Van Dyke argued to himself, as was
hiS lapoI habit fa fhn nj mann
while to his vest beneath his own
Harvard pin.
Strollng on, he renewed his ac-
luaintance with one after another of
the favorite haunts of his boyhood-
swallows cave" the rock that BOOM
ed like cannon at high tide and In
Vulnerable coy retreats to be gained
by careful climbing over the chaos of
big powders on the cliffs. He whls=
tied like n boy as he went and sang
snatehes of the college songs so fresh
in his heart At last, in utter aban-
donment, he curled up in the lee of an
overhanging rock and, soothed by the
lull of the waves and the minor wall of
the October wind. fell asleep.
her. Opening his eyes, he found them
covered with soft transparent some
thing that wrinkled when he winked.
lie raised his hand to remove It and
gazed in astonishment upon his sudden
acquisition of a woman's handker-
chief A monogram was embroidered
in one corner His logical mind dec =
phered 1t in fash with little expenda
iture of eye strain.
Exhibit &C." he murmuredA Aumfp.
Ing up eagerly. sNow. haes non ing
for the lady lrrse,fr'
But the mcst searching scrutiny or
rocky nests" and inches failed totdis.
cover her. Indeed, after several days
Of faithful explorations Van Dyke be
gan to think his lady of the mono
grams teasing myth
Nevertheless he would have contn-
ued to hope for her realization IL n
letter from his sister had not put
cruel end to his romance.
Dear Richard" 1t ran, Il have just
learned that Helen Tudor. a college
friend OF mine. is staying at Surfslde
with her mother. She's very clever
girl; has just written II remarkable
thesis on some learned subject and got
an A. NJ. degree. You ought to like
her. She's your kind. Be sure to look
her up. I've written her you're going
to. She's staying at the Sea cliff"
That dished the whole thing. His
kind" indeed! He abominated "blue
stocking" SO he fought shy of the Sea
Cliff and ceased to look for III. r., W.,
'04," In his daily rambles.
But with the proverbial irony accred
tied to her Dame Fate as soon as she
perceived Richards back turned upon
her bobbed up In front of him most
unexpectedly, or, to be strictly accu-
rate. Richard TO his own establishment
bobbed up in front of her
With characteristic alacrity he had
taken handspring over juttlng rock
and landed in secluded niche below
His sudden appearance so frightened
the young person curled up In 1t that
she dropped her book into n pool OF
water
"I beg your pardon" Richard blurt
ed out. Let me get 1t for you" CIts
probably dry enough to be proof
against wetting' was his mental
comment) Il hope 1t isn't injured ia.
tally" he added aloud, handing the
water soaked volume to its owner,
who, he was surprised to notice, was
dimpled. rosy checked young woman
with mischlevous eyes.
Goodness. | hope not" was her en-
phatic reply Il couldn't go to sleep
tonight If didn't find out how the
story ended
'.Fiction?" queried Richard cautious
ly.
"Yes, of course. What else does
one read OH Il vacation!"
Now. here was an incOngruity to
ponder over-he hadn't fancled that
III. T.. w. Oh" woald like fiction. But
he would not he misled "On a vaca-
tion," she had said Doubtless the rest
Of the year she gave mp to more solid
literary accomplishments.
Realizing that he was expected to
say something although he had quite
forgotten that her last remark had
been IN the form of question, Rich
ard braced himself for the ordeal
'This Is my favorlie haunt" he an
nounced. unconscious Of displaying
any air Of proprietorship. as he estab
lished himself comfortably beside her.
The girl smiled mysteriously.
''Yes. Judged so." she answered
simply.
"Why. how did you guessT' asked
Richard In suipri3e. Eve never seen
you here before
"But I've seen you
He gathered his wits together at this
1t made no difference that she was
pretty and that she was fond OF love
Stories like other girls-he knew her
real self behind this mask Of eoquetry.
She was really a naughty. overbearing,
pedantic person with string of aca-
demic degrees tackled on to her name.
He would round up IL . little matter