The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-12-08

you Of the change, and as you did not
reply supposed that you were lost in
the social whirl and did not care to
waste time in writing when l was SO
far away"
''You should have known me better
than that" The words were simple,
but the look accompanying them was
eloquent. 1t seemed to tell Chris that
only through faint heartedness had he
failed to win his fair lady and that
there still might be chance.
at seems to be muddle all around,
he said. 1.-The firm were rather angry
at my going. though l gave them two
weeks notice, and they knew that |
was lettering myself"
1.-THE chances are that they did not
forward your letter to me and did not
mail my letter to you. l remember
that 1 dropped it into the Office mail
box. The cashier was petty sort of
person. This may have been one of
his revenges."
The many changes which had come
to both since their parting furnished
theme for conversation, and the train
was pulling into the terminal at Jersey
City before it was exhausted.
Exultingly Chris felt that the misun-
Outstanding was all cleared up, and he
told himself that it would not be his
fault If Frances did not return homo
an engaged girl.
''Will your friends be here to meet
your" he asked as the porter took their
hand bags.
Il told them not to bother" explain
ed Frances. "Bessie's mother is an in
valid, and Bess works downtown some
where. I'll just take a cab to the
house It's uptown. The address Is IN
my grip. 1 always carry everything
in my grip. Then l have only one thing
to watch instead of a valise and a
purse and perhaps a couple Of bun
dies"
"That's sensible thing" cried Chris
admiringly. "Only you mustn't lose
your valise."
81 should say not" agreed Frances
laughingly II should find myself with
out money and, worse yet, without
even Bess' address, since she had to
move last week because their old house
was torn down"
"I'Il look out for the valise," prom
ised Chris as he helped her down the
steps of the Pullman. Better walk be
hind me and let me force the way. I'm
more used to New York crowds he
explained, with the pride Of new resi-
dent.
Now, at Jersey City the concourse
opens on three ferry slips, all leaGi-
to various parts of Manhattan. Chris
headed for the downtown ferry, which
would bring them near the subway,
and not until the boat was reached did
he turn to see If the girl was still fol
lowing.
The gates were closed behind him
and the boat was slowly passing out o.
the slip when he made the discovery
that Frances had not followed his In
Btructions.
She was not in the tail Of the crowd
rnat had been hurried aboard by impa-
tient gatemen, nor did a careful search
of the boat reveal her, and Chris hope
that she might have been swept aboard
by the other gangway was dashed.
He made the return trip on the same
boat, railing at the delay. and after a
hurried scrutiny Of the concourse de
cided that she must have taken the
upper ferry to Twenty-third street.
A boat was about to start, and he
rushed on board, the perspiration
streaming from his face. He still car
| ried Frances valise and his own heavy
suit case. Frances could not leave any
ferry house without the valise, for 1t
| contained her money and her friends
| address. She could not apply to the
old address to find out where her
hostess had moved, because the house
had been torn down. She must wait
for him.
He dashed through the exit and
| through the waiting room, searching
| both floors, but there was 10 trace Of
| the girl. He was about to go to the
street and question the carriage agent
when the doorman, who had watched
his actions curiously, came up.
Are you the chap that lost ladyF'
he demanded. IF you are, l told her
to go back to the Jersey side and wait
for you She followed a man she
thought was you and got on the wrong
boat"
Chris pressed coin into the mans
hand and sprinted down the slip just
as the boat was pulling out He bare
ly managed to leap aboard before the
gates were closed, and he stood on the
forward deck to cool off.
When the boat should make the Jer-
sey shore this worry would be at an
end. So he regarded the panorama OF
river life complacently.
He was the first passenger of the
boat and out on to the concourse, but
neither on the concourse nor in the
waiting room could he find her, though
he searched both She must have
boarded the Cortlandt street ferry, Sc
for second time he made for the slip
catching the same boat that had car