The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-03-13
"weil, that a goodl. suppressIna

TO invent any excuse Tor coming, but
refuse TO have anything to say TO
YOU untll you have made yourself
presentable. Go and put on n dry
| droasl"
But" she inquired, ruofully. who
IN TO nnlah the room? 10 IN Il polnt
of honor with mo TO carry out an
undertaking. and thon--1'vo prom
ised Aunt Jane"
"All right, III help you. What
ia To be done next?"
"You don't mean ~"
For Jack was pulling on his coat.
and looking quite fierce. as though
longing to set to work In real ear
nest.
"Well," pursued Dolly. "if you
really want to"--jack made wry
facet will not stand In the way
not for the world. Go to work II you
like. No doubt work viii do you
good, and prove II novel experience.
The greater part IL done, anyhow.
| We have only To mop up tho floor,
lay the rug, put In tho furniture.
| hang the curtains. and"
stay! Enoushl enough' And
for whom are all these preparations
intended. for some one Is expected
feel II In tho air."
Dolly laughed.
quite n swell no doubt. You
see. we don't really know. but sus-
pcct that II is one of the stcrner sex.
Papa Just tclcgraphed to Aunt Jane
to expect friend of his to-day"
Jack Bentley turned the empty
pail upside down. and coolly pro-
ceedod TO seat himself upon the In
verted edge.
Dolly, how long have you hnd tho
pleasure of my acquaintance? was
the apparently irrelevant question.
She laughed gayly.
Exactly three years and six
months" she announced. demurely.
"and | must confess don't know
anything good of you" But the ten
der light In the merry brown eyes be-
lied her saucy words
Jack continued loftily.
IL pass your insinuations by with
the contempt they merit. Rose OF
the world, did you ever promise to
marry me-clrcumstances permitting
--or-dld you not?"
She crept little closer to his side.
II am afraid did," she said.
softly. But, oh. Jack papa would
| be furious II he knew He Will
never consent-because-"
Because am rs poor as the pro-
verbal church mouse, and he intends
that you shall marry Horace Dilllng-
ham, the rich merchant"
"Jack!"
ut Is true, dear-quite true. Now,
listen tc my tale OF woe. am here
here to stay! | am your Aunt
James expected guest. Are You WILL
ing, sweetheart?"
willing? oh, jack"
| Not another word; but somehow
he seemed quite content.
"Please explain" she ventured.
timilly, after pause OF golden ST.
lence.
Jack drew from his pocket an open
letter, addressed TO himself. and
placed Il In Dolly's hand.
1t began MY Dear Friend" and
ended yours as ever" ("Qulte ten
der" Jack declared, in parenthesls) 1,
RUFUS THORPE"
In this letter Mr.. Thorpe, Dolly's
father proceeded to advise his dear
friend" to make trip Mt once to
hillside, In the Pontiac Hills, to his
sister-in-law's house - Miss Jane
Dean-slyly insinuatlng that his
daughter, Miss Dolly, would warmly
welcome him there.
Dolly's face assumed look of be-
wilderment rs she read her fathers
letter. What did 1t all mean?"
"Why, Jack, what has changed
papa so? He used to be so violently
opposed to you, you know, cannot
understand It at all!".
81 can" Jack answered. grimly.
"He wrote this letter to Dillingham;,
and one to me at the same time, only
mine was Of an entirely different ma
ture, imagine. In his haste he
made common mistake; he inclosed
my letter in the envelope addressed
to Dillingham;, and vice versa The
invitation to Mr.. Dillingham;, in which
no name was mentioned, was received
by me. What could | do but ac-
cept?"
What, indeed?" laughed Dolly.
"And now that you are here, we will
just have a splendid time"
Taken into their confidence, Aunt
Jane could not find 1t in her heart
to object, for Jack was in every way
unobjectionable, save that he was not
wealthy. Yet he held a good posi-
ton in prosperous firm, and his ad-
vancement was only question OF
time, after all.
Mr.. Rufus Thorpe was over
whelmed with CONSERVATION one day,
while sitting in his Office, by the
apparition Of the two young culprits,
with the astounding announcement
that they had been quietly married
that morning.
II won her under false pretenses;
hut sha's mipe all tho eayua - tba