Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-09-18

sundae. What Is your favorite dow
sr?"
Oh, shades OF solemn stocks and
bondsi If Margaret could have seen
them now! Eloise described a CON-
plete revolution on her rotary stool at
the thought Of It
And the ride down on the bus. hats
of. with the brisk breeze blowing
through their hair and everywhere the
exhiIaration as Of a holiday about
themi
81 never had SO much fun In my
life!' Rollins exclaimed with unaf-
fected enthusiasm.
ITS because you're playing truant"
Eloise assured him. Aren't you hav-
ing fun?" he asked her.
"Of counsel I could squeal Pm SO
happy"
"But you aren't playing truant.
What
I'm just playing" interrupted Eloise
quickly. "And that's more fun than
anything else In the world"
Rollins was the first to break the lit
tie conscious silence that followed.
a." was awfully rude to you at the
station, Miss Kimball. l hope you'll
forget it. / don't know what you
thought of me-"
Margaret had prepared me for the
worst" she said.
what had she told your" be de-
manded. ut will p.orably do me good
to hear"
Eloise let him have the merciless
truth.
"And l suppose you agree with herr"
he questioned. half in jest. half in ear
nest.
Margaret doesn't half know how ir-
reclaimable you are" Eloise answered
without a perceptible flicker of mock
cry.
1t was with a strangely new sensa-
ton that Curtiss Rollins stood watch
ing a ship sail out to sea lonr.e fter the
hutter of a certain little handkerchief
had become indistinguishable before
he turned his face toward town again.
which, he had decided. had grown sud-
denly dull and lonely. In the days that
followed he was absorbed and preoccu-
pied to a noticeable degree.
"Curtiss has grown freakier than
ever" wrote Margaret to Eloise in des-
peration. ct did hope the sight of such
a refreshing creature as you. my dear.
would wake him up. and I'm sure he
did enjoy the afternoon he spent with
you. In fact, after l first got home he
spoke of you several times voluntarily.
called you Intelligent and sympathetic
which Is the very acme of admiration
from Curtiss.
ION the strength OF this before we
left town l told him all about you and
your family %(tactfully, of course, and
what a charming summer place Cliff
vile is. adroitly suggesting that he'd
find it an ideal spot to spend his vaca-
ton. But all to no purpose. my dear
Eloise. A telegram has just come
from him saying he's been called away
on an urgent matter and will be gone
indefinitely.
''That means that when he gets back
he'll plunge into business harderrthan
ever. and all the romantic influence of
the summer season will have spent
itself in vain. so far as Curtiss Is con-
cerned."
This letter Eloise Rugged ardently to
her until the felicitous moment should
come when she could laugh over its
contents with Curtiss.
you see." she told him when the
moment did come. II suspected your
motive from the very day of your ar
rival in Cliffville."
Margaret is a most remarkable
girl" Curtiss commented. glancing
again at the letter. "She understands
people. l have always said So"
ESPECIALLY 'irreclaimable freaks"
Eloise reminded him roguishly.
Curtiss made a wry face. then laugh.
ed in spite of himself.
"What made you think me worth re-
claiming. dearest?" he asked her ten
derby.
Three little words" she answered
m~ysteriously.
Curtiss waited to hear them.
"'An irreclaimable freak. but a
~dear'-thats what Margaret always
called you"
For a moment Curtiss' expression
was as gloomy as the fate his imagi-
nation depleted.
"Just three little wordsi" he repeat
ed solemnly. what a narrow escaped
Suppose Margaret had not said them"
"Why. I should have discovered
them myself" Eloise answered him.
How wonderful" exclaimed her
lover, reverently clasping her to him.
and Eloise let him think so,