The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-06-28

Elf, 1t was an unusual pet name |
The child OF ten years ago would be |
about the age of the lively and spiritu- /
ellie girl by his side The child had
faced her enraged uncle on that memo I
| rabIe night. The woman had refused
TO leave him when she thought danger
threatened in the park.
Could ii be possible? He was star
| tied, bewildered, utterly dumfounded
by even the remote possibility that
another figure from the past should
come before him in such wise.
Mr. Arson, What have you found
III the menu TO perplex you so terribly
Does danger lurk in the agneau du
| printemps? Is there u secret horror in
/ the salmi?"
! Evelyn's raillery restored his scat
| tered wits.
May 1 say something personal?" he
inquired.
About the lamb?"
About you? Mrs. Atherley called
you Elf just now"
| Yes. l regret that | earned the title
/ in ages past. The habits have ceased,
/ but the name remains"
| Il once met a little girl named Elf.
It was ten years ago on a March even
! ing in a West End square. There had
been a carriage accident \ pair of
horses were frightened by a terrific
thunderstorm. The girl was accom-
panied by a somewhat selfish gentle
man. He jumped out and left her TO
her own devices; indeed, slammed the
door in her face. A ragged boy
"A boy with newspapers boy who
spoke quite nicely-saved her by run
ming into the road. The carriage over
turned in front of Lord VanStone's
house. / was the girlr'
Both ladies were amazed at the ex-
preston on Philips face. He betray-
ed such eagerness. such intense long
ing, such keen anxiety to establish her
identity with the child who figured in
an accident of no very remarkable ma
ture, that they could not help being
vastly surprised.
Their establishment was not lessened
when Philip exclaimed:
"And l was the boy!'
But 1 said "a boy with newspa-
pers.'"
Yes, a very urchin, a waif of the
streets"
MY uncle struck you"
"And you defended me, saved me
from being locked up. in fact"
"Oh, this is too marvellous. Mother,
you must remember
my dear one remember the event
as If it had taken place yesterday.
Your uncle would not have cared were
you killed that night All he wanted
was your money. Now he has that
and mine. He was, indeed, wicked
man."
Mother, dear. he IS unhappy. Are
we? But, Mr.. Arson, what wonderful
change in your fortunes has taken
place since our first meeting? Is the
newspaper trade so thriving that car
riage and pair, a supper at the Savoy,
stalls at the Regents hall and bou
quet from Rosalind's are mere trim
mings, so to speak. TO a busy day."
'Evelyn" protested Mrs. Atherley.
But the girl was too buoyant too ut
terly oblivious of all that this meeting
meant to Philip, to cease from chatting
him.
please. Mr.. Arson. do tell us the Sc
cret. I will sell any paper you name.
l get guineas for singing two songs.
/ admit, but I may only sing them once
a month. l have loads OF time to run
about crying: 'Extrey speshul, 'Orrible
disawsterv Or does the magic spring
from writing those thrilling stories
one sees placarded on the boardings
: I believe ! could do 1t. l once won a
prize In lady's magazine for a set of
verses, the genuine and unaided pro-
; duction of a girl aged under fourteen. -
Philip compelled himself to respond
: TO her mood. He promised to reveal
: his specific for money making at some
r future period when she was sufficient
" dazzled to accept his words as those
l of a prophet.
With the tact of woman of the
world, Mrs. Atherley led the converse
ton back to less personal channels
j The great restaurant was rapidly fill
e ing now. The occupants of neighbor-
e ing tables cast occasional glances al
T the merry trio which discussed the
: foibles Of the musical world the ways
of agents, the little meannesses and
Il petty spites of the greatest artists and
incidentally did ample justice to al
L excellent meal.
5 Philip thought he had never before
met such a delightful girl. Evelyr
!. was quite certain that some unknown
good fairy had given her this pleasant
acquaintance. and Mrs. Atherley, afte
3 a silent spasm of regret that he
/ daughter should be denied the position
; in the greater world for which she wa
y so admirably fitted, abandoned hersel
Il to the infectious gayety of the younge
people.
&c Both she and Evelyn confessed TO
feeling of renewed surprise when Phil
It ip happened TO mention his London ad