The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-27
CUPID ON THE FENCE.
Dy V. c. sanfsr1.

0uIPIbD0 tO u0I0ClI ab II W10 tO CaCA but sober second thought seemed to justify it.
 It was foolish--so argued Elinor to herself as she hung up the receiver to let Jack take 90 much for granted. to let him think she was always ready. as matter of course, to answer his beck and call She would show hom . thing of two There were other mon to be considered. d. : ,he didn't intend to marry Jack any moro tnan-wen perhaps not as much a. she intended to marry some one e:se: Still 1t was such . lovely afternoon and she did SO love to so automobiling! The telephone rang Jain.
 Hello" answered Elinor. languidly. ''Oh. Mir. Norris7 Yes. Go automobil- ing with you this afternoon? I shall I'll be ready. Good-by."
 Elinor clapped her hands and save herself little squeeze con-ratu1at-
 Half an hour later, her little round chin tilted saucily above the Lic blue bow of her gauzy veil. Elinor stood waiting on the porch-a picture or pertness and prettiness.
 At the 'honk, honk" of an ap- preaching automobile. the ran quickly down the steps to greet Vernon Nor ris But to her astonishment the car did not stop. ands looking after 1t curiously, she discovered that 1t was not Vernon after all. but Jack. and could she believe her eyes?-he was not alone! There was funny little tight feeling about Fl tors heart that she didn't care to analyze. She turned her back on the vanishing apparition of Jack, and there on the top of the hill, like a coming event that had cast its shadows before 1t (alas. that 1t was such a corporeal shadowD she saw Vernon's car .cor looming into sight.
 Anyway reflected Elinor, if Vernon's auto wasn't such a beauty as Jacks, he was still a man. ana when 1t came to a matter of comparison. man far more solicitous of her happiness. Jack had . way of spenning through the country without, apparently. the least consciousness of her presence beside him. Vernon, on the other hand was always on the alert 70 rescue the wayward end Of her veil. to inquire for her fomfort and to ask what speed best pleased her present mood. With | him she herself. not the machine, was | the center of his thougts.
 As a result of tese reflections. Elinor greeted Vernon with an un- ] usually winsome smile and extended her hand with charming graciousness-- q favor which that younge man, most naturally flattered himself was stim- ulated by his own irresistible powers of attraction.
 Elinor followed up the cordiality of her welcome with such a chatter of merry talk as they went flying through the country anG seemed so rWdiantly happy. that Vernon. bringing the machine to sudden showdown. simultaneously with h:s inspiration. decided to leorn his fate the and there. l It proved, mostly literally. popping | of the question. His dec:aration was | not short, with q sound as of spon- taneous combustion. Tho noise. to- | sal, took Elinor off her feet both mentally and physically. As she sprang up vern on eaugh, her to him.
 Its all right. dear" hemurmured with extravagant tenderness. You're not hurt; only frightened" and he lift ed her veil so that he might look in- to her face.
 / Elinor freed herself with effort.
 "No," she said, sadly, I'm not hurt ana I'm not frightened" sle felt suddenly an indescribable Shrinking from the man. He had been too quick to take advantage of the sit uation. Had 1t been Jack. he-
 Vernon interrupted ner train of thought by shouting to some men in the distance for help. They did moi hear him.
 "Awfully sorry" fs seid finally but I'm afraid I'll ha, to go across the fields for help. There's . farmhouse over there. I'm very much likeHum- pty-Dumpty. you see. don't know how to put myself together again. (Elinor saw. but some now was not alone"
 Not at all," she answered firmly. ig- noring the sentimental look in his eyes,
 T won't be long," he assured her. as he jumped out of the ear. Stay just where you are and make yourself comfortable. The car won't budge."
 After Vernon had disappeared from sight, Elinor not at all confident. in spite of his assurance. as to what the l incostant auto might do newt, Jumped out and purvhed herself on the post of an nearby fence.
 She was a most bewItcning little vision as she sat there, ner fawn-color- ed coat outlined against the green meadow background, and her filmy veil, which she had loosened. floating | out airily inthe breeze as If on its way to join the clouds in the blue sky above it. But Elinor was oblivious to eht picturesqueness of her plight. All | she could think of was its stupidity. Why, oh why, hadn't she gone with Jack? Oh yes, she remembered-she was teaching him a lesson, showing him his proper place, tempering his | unwarranted and unendurable air of assumption. Hum! Let's see, this was August-it was just six months since she had met him. and he seemed to think so brief an acquaintance entitled him to the privileges of as many years obe sure. she had been to nearly every one of the Country Club dances with him-but he did dance so divine l ly.-and had gone autoing with him every Friday afterneen for matter of some eight or ten weeks. But what of it? There were plenty of others craving her favor, and just because she happened to like Jacks dancing and Jacks auto better than anybody else's. was that any reason why he Honk, honk!
 The staccato breaking of the silence nearly caused Slinor to lose her balance She gripped the top fail of the fence hard and watched the wild thing whi; by. Suddenly i began to slow down then 1t turned around and started bacl again. Jacks car! Her heart gave ; bound of happy relief. Then 1t sanl sickeningly, as again she noticed som one 1side him-a woman, but so heavi ly yelled that Elipor could not se , her face.
 Jack brought the machine to stand
 still beside it's disabled contemporary
 jumped out, and looked about for 1t s possible owner. He could scare 7 believe his senses when he saw Elino y perched in solitary on the fence.