The Democratic advocate., 1908-08-21

Jay.
when you thought l was a prin.
cess" said Miss Carter demurely.
Il still think you are a princess"
said Denton ardently. He leaned to-
ward her, and the moonlight showed
his pale, eager face. ''I still think you
are princess, and, now that 1 have
found you in your enchanted castle, 1
yearn to carry you away with me to
my kingdom
There was rustic in the leaves be-
hind them. Miss Carter sat up straight
"Who is it?" she cried sharply. "Who
is there?"
"Polly. Polly" said a chuckling, wa
vering voice, pretty, pretty Polly"
Then a deeper voice doomed beyond
the bushes.
''Is that you, Miss Carter? 1 am
looking for Miss Pierce's parrot"
81 can't even propose to you without
his butting in," Denton complained the
next night when he had Miss Carter to
himself for a moment in a corner of
the dark porch. "Say yes before he
finds us here, princess, and"-
"How do you know Miss Carter's
voice trembled through the darkness.
81 do not know" he said softly. 81
can only hope
AS he reached out his hand to take
hers his fingers touched something
warm and velyety.
"Purr-urr-up," came a confding
feline murmur just as Nesselrode's
numbering figure loomed near the steps.
"Did Miss Pierce's pussy cat come
over here, Denton? I've been sent to
look her up.'
That night a burglar entered Miss
Carriers house. Denton was the first
to give the alarm, and he showed the
family silver piled up in the middle of
the table In the dining room, with the
corners of the cloth twisted over it.
''I saw light" he said, "and came
and / suppose he was scared away.
I had not been to bed"-
Miss Carter, very beautiful in rosy
dressing gown, examined the silver. Il
think everything is here" she said.
"You are sure that nothing Is gone
from your room" Denton asked. "He
might have gone there first"
Miss Carter flew upstairs, with the
six old ladies at her heels. When she
came down she was as white as chalk.
"My pearl necklace is gone" she said.
Denton turned to Nesselrode. "Per-
haps if you took your automobile and
followed the man you might get the
pearls
"But'- Nesselrode protested.
sThere are no butts in the service of
a lady," Denton reminded him gravely
And after Nesselrode had whizzed
away, and the six old ladies had re-
tired to- their rooms to talk it over,
Denton detained Miss Carter.
And when he had pulled down the
shades of every window, and when he
had closed the door, he put his hand
in his pocket and pulled out the pearl
necklace.
"Alrs fair" he said, Gin love-
But she gasped.
"There was no burglar" Denton de-
clared. ''I found the pearls on the
porch after you went in, and that gave
me the idea, and I mussed up the
things on the table. 1t was the only
way that could get to see you again
tonight, and 1 couldn't stand another
day of Nesselrode's monopolizing'
Slowly a smile curved Miss Carter's
lips.
"Any one would know you were a
writer of stories," she said, 'fhere were
so many easier ways"
"I couldn't think Of any," Denton
said, 80 l tried this"
He went toward her. 'Nesselrode
will be back presentely. We must be
quick. Oh, princess, is it syes?"
Her cheeks were as rosy as her
pretty gown.
"Of course when the prince storms
the castle the princess surrenders."
AS he kissed her they heard the
"chug-chug'' of the returning automo-
bile.
Nesselrode came in, putting. 'Not a
sign he began and stopped. The
two people by the table were smiling
radiantly.
81 am so sorry" Miss Carter said
as she held out her hand, in which
glimmered a little heap of milk white
beads, 'I am so sorry that you had
your drive for nothing, Mr.. Nesselrode,
but"-she hesitated and then went on
steadily-'sbut-but Mr.. Denton found
the pearls!'