Bridgeton pioneer., 1907-05-09

you. You'll have to take him bodily,
Tor Gladys Whitcoinb has sharpened
up her teeth and nails ready to spring
and drag him off,"
But, Janet" protested Anne, IT nev-
er went in for man in my life. I
couldn't do it. It's so dead common.
I'd hate myself"
I'm a deep eyed villainr' growled
Janet striking an attitude. "You
blessed lamb, don't 1 know your pro-
envltles! Rack your naive brain for
simple and good reason why sent you
belated invitation, why l expected
Aubrey Churchill on the 4:50 train,
why
"W-was"-
Anne started in CONSERVATION, lost
her balance against the low railing and
was reeling backward when strong
arms caught her and set her upon her
feet. Then travelling bag was flung
upon the balcony, and emerging from
the shrubbery beneath, a man vaulted
beside the girls.
my lady of the story" he said, slnil-
Ing whimsically upon Anne, who after
one swift look was trying vainly to
melt into the shadow, "I have score
to settle with you after get something
to eat. Just look at this saturated
brow, will you? It's like sponge.
And these aching arms carried that
bag ten miles on an empty stomach"
inI1 I1vy To
ally, sliding through the French win
dow. you'll have banquet, Aubrey
: Churchill"
A terrifying silence followed the
click of the window behind Janet's
exit. Anne stood on tie chilly balcony
with the perfect stiffness that precedes
either attack or precipitate flight, gaz-
ing straight into the steady eyes Of the
man before her.
Then, turning swiftly, she wrestled
with the window fastening for an in
slant and fed The man, laughing
softly, stepped into the library and
called, '"The tilt after the banquet, re-
member" as she escaped the room.
He was a young man who would
have his way, Anne discomftedly ad-
mitted later. She had been playing
fox and geese with him desperately all
evening, with the dawning conviction
that she was the singular goose When
he cornered her in the dim library as
the other guests drifted into the music
room she almost gasped surrender.
"Now, Miss Story Lady" he said,
thrusting his hands into the pockets of
his tuxedo and looking tremendously
handsome, with an expression Of mock
severity on his clean cut face, "wby
did you do it?"
Anne squirmed preparatory to flight,
but he blocked egress from the divan,
and she settled back, with a laugh that
tried to be trifling.
"It was a great story, wasn't it?" she
said irrelevantly.
Don't you know" he said, dropping
down beside her. chat you ought to
apologize for causing me to discom-
mode our hostess?'
Embarrassment enveloped Anne. She
was cropping desperately for that will
O. the Wisp, her daredeviltry, that had
got her into this difficulty and refused
to extricate her. "W-why didn't you
get OFF," she stammered q flush man.
tling her cheeks. 81 did not keep you
there"
"But the story did" He smiled in
sistently upon her as he drew the
pages from his pocket.
Anne's heart stopped. She had for
gotten the scribblings on the margins
when she dropped the story in the car.
1T seems we have a stanch admirer
in Janet" he said gently, "and 1, for
one, quite approve of her. 1 was deep
In panegyric on your charms and
virtues when the train went through
Silox."
Anne groaned. She could not help 1t,
knowing, as she did, the extravaganza
OF Janet on paper.
"She has everything arranged" he
continued, smiling subtly down at the
helpless girl half facing him. Brides
maids-think of it-bridesmaids! We
didn't either of us know that when we
started out this afternoon, did weT
Anne suddenly buried her face in her
hands. He looked at her a moment
musingly, then ever so gently extri-
Gated her fingers and made her look at
him.
Janet is clever girl" he drawled.
"She said you would have to be taken
with a trick"
Anne biinked. Where was her
vaunted occurrences? mo such thing"
she blurted out. 81 did it myself. 1
knew you were winner"
Had He That?