The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-01-11

people
The guests themselves seemed to
realize 1t. for they treated her as one
Of them. and many even sought her
| company
Had it been any other nurse or gov
erness Philip would have noticed and
wondered. But with Marian it seemed
matter of course. He would have
wondered had it been otherwise
And so it happened that Miss Marian
became uppermost in the amateur ho-
tel keepers mind. He thought about
her so much that had he not had an
admirable manager in Burke the hotel
would have been soon deserted by its
! boarders
| His attentions were ostensibly de-
voted to Oracle, but really to the gov
erness. He invited them both to drive
with him afternoons, to go boating
! indeed, to share with him those pleas
ures usually enjoyed by people in sum-
mer who have nothing to do.
| One afternoon he was pulling the
two along in one of the light boats
used on lake near the hotel, with his
back to the bow, where he could not
see what was coming
| Suddenly there was crash. A man
rowing in the same relative position
had fouled him. At first it did not
appear that much damage had been
done, and the man who had caused the
trouble pulled away. But PhiPs boat
had sprung a leak. Handkerchiefs
were thrust into the aperture, but the
water, though checked, was not stop
ped.
| The oarsman pulled for the shore,
but the water gained so rapidly that
it was impossible to reach it. The boat
sank some fifty feet away, leaving all
three in the water.
Phil was the only swimmer in the
lot. Selling an oar, he gave it to the
child; then, taking the governess by the
arm, he swan ashore with her, she
all the while protesting that he should
leave her and save Oracle.
| AS soon as he got Miss Marion into
shallow water he returned to her
charge, who was clinging to the oar
and crying vigorously for help. 1t was
an easy matter to assist her to the
shore.
you should have been ashamed of
yourself" said the governess, ito de-
vote yourself to me and leave that
poor little thing out in the lake"
Didn't provide her with an CARP
quoth Phil.
Eyes; you did that"
1.-THE oar would not have supported
you. And If / had saved the child,
leaving you to take care of yourself,
you would have drowned. And then
what would l have done"
He spoke the last words in low
tone, tone that would tell any woman
that there was something more to come.
The same evening after they had got
Off their dripping clothing a cablegram
came from Blackwell Ransom paid.
Got wife Start for home at once.
How is my girl? Cable me at Naples"
Marian was on the veranda by her
self, with Oracle playing at little dis
lance. Phil went directly to her.
Miss Marian" he began abruptly.
"Pve come to ask you to be my wife.
love you and think you have grown
to like me a little. It's abrupt, l
know, but may not remain here
long"
why" she exclaimed, rising in
some confusion and CONSERVATION, Il
thought you were to have charge OF
the hotel all summer"
''The owners about to return. have
just received a cablegram from Ma
PIES"
Didn't he send any message to meT
"N-no," in some surprise. "He asked
| about Oracle"
"Gracie? Father doesn't know her"
"Father!"
Her eyes opened little. Then she
| comprehended and smiled.
eyes. Didn't you know 1 was Miss
Blackwell? Oracle is an unpromising
child in my mission class, picked up
from the street l brought her down
this summer in hope of reforming
her."
Phil changed color. then collected
| himself.
about my question: he insisted.
An hour later a cablegram was on
| It's way to Naples.
"Girl all right. Everything all right.
Anxious to meet you. PHIL"