The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-06-15
A MESSAGE
FROM MARJORIE
BY Nellie Cravey Gilmore.
Copyrighted, 1908, by Associated
Literary Press.
By Nellie cravey Gilmore.

Harrington turned from the bookcase
with little gesture of annoyance. His
Shakespeare Of all volumes! How
stupid of Thomas to have let out his
books without his knowledge or con-
sentl Only last week he had missed
his favorite, much marked copy of
Rochefoucarllt. Presley had nabbed
that.
But this was little too much. Es-
peciaIly in view Of the fact that Ham
let" was playing that night and there
were a couple of passages he felt he
must run over.
He crossed the room impatiently and
pushed the call bell 1t was answered
at once by the redoubtable valet.
ut seems still more Of my books are
missing, Thomas. I am afraid you
have been careless. 1 can't locate that
red calf edition of Shakespeare any
where"
''You left orders, sir-begging your
pardon-to accommodate any Of the
young gentlemen
'When l rushed off to Europe, ehY
A whimsical smile made Its transient
passage across Farrington's scowling
face. Every well presume you are
right. 1 was bit upset, remember.
You may CO."
40 rod nd ho
door he called him back.
'By the way, are there any book
stores hereaboutY'
mo first class ones, sir"
"Any-er--frst class neighborsT
"a few, SIR"
"Goodl scrimmage around and find
me a Shakespeare before night and
PIP
But Thomas had already disappeared.
Marjorie Hayward was just coming
out Of the front door when Earring
toms man stepped up on the veranda.
His request surprised her little, but
she was very glad, indeed, to be able
to accommodate him.
She had copy Of Shakespeare some.
where, she said, an old, battered one,
but his master" was welcome to the
use of it, certainly. And with this in
formation she went back into the Ii
brary to search for 1t.
What sort of people were they, any
how, the new neighbors who had just
moved In the day before and were al
ready beginning to borrow peoples
books2 she wondered good naturally.
At last she came across the rusty
little volume, stuffed to overfowing
with old letters, clippings and scraps
of memoranda.
She held it up and shook them out
in a shower. a swarm of memories
suddenly aroused by the long buried
sight of certain familiar bits of writ
ing, pressed flowers crumbling to
atoms, yet vaguely redolent still of a
dear, dead past.
With a smothered sigh she caught
herself back sharply from her foolish
reflections and returned to the door
with the book Thomas thanked her
elaborately and fastened away. Mar
1orie waited till he had passed up the
short stone walk of the house next
door. Then she buttoned up her coat
and walked down the gravel path to
the gate.
Harrington took the volume eagerly,
turning the yellowed leaves with deft
fingers till he should come to Ham
let" But suddenly he paused, his
eyes narrowed curiously and his heart
gave a startled jump. A brief extract
from 1.-The Merry Wives Of Windsor
caught his attention ASK me no rea-
son why l love you, for, though love
use reason for its precision, he admits
him not for his counselor"
The passage was heavily under
scored, and below 1t were scrubbed
in corroboration the initials m. H.
"W. F. They were hers-and hisl
Marjorie Hayward! The name sent
his thoughts tumbling unanimously
back over the past, sent the blood tin
Cling even to his eyelids. How many
years-nearly tenLsince he had called
that name. Yet how many days, in
deed, had it been absent from his
heart?
The minutes flew by as he sat there
wrapped in meditation. At last he be-
gan again to slip the leaves absently
through his fingers, when abruptly
| they came in contact with something
alien.
He glanced closer, almost Indifferent
ly, and started again as his gaze rest
ed stupidity upon an envelope stuck to
one of the pages and addressed in
| full to himself addressed in Marjorie
Haywari's clear, resolute characters
half score Of years ago, when they
had both lived in the same little west
ern town.
whether he should or should not open
it Harrington deliberately tore the let
ter from its Enclosure and read:
Dear walter-I have been thinking
| things over, and, after all, you must be
right I made the mistake, and / am
willing to acknowledge It. We love each
other too much, do we not. to let silly
i quarrel separate us for life7 Come to me
| tonight shall be waiting for you. Az
| ever. MARJORlE.
| For an indeterminate space Walter
HARRINGTON sat half stunned. What
had happened? What could 1t meant
Had she changed her mind about send
| ing the letter, or had there been some
oversight, some carelessness, in the
posting?
| And Marjorie herself, where was she
now: Could 1t be that she was less
than a block away at this minutei
Perhaps she was married. Or was sh'
dead, and had fate chosen this ironica
opportunity to thrust an added miser!
into his bitter memories?
harrington was not man to hen
and haw. He thought quickly, and h'
acted with proportionate dispatch. III
took out his watch. 1t was almos
8. In fifteen minutes he was ringing
the doorbell next door.
But he was destined to disappoint
ment. Miss Hayward had gone t
Hamlet" Harrington hurried dow
the avenue that led to the playhouse
Luckily, his ticket was to be called TO
at the box Office. 1t was good sea
and commanded a sweeping view o
the audience.
After the first act their eyes met
locked-across the sea of faces In tn
orchestra. The girl paled, fushe'
and paled again. Then her eyes fel
away from the deep, ardent gaze riy