The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1911-03-16
JAMES
ROMANCE


she hated plain things and plain, prac.
teal people. Therefore. despite the
fact that she loved him and that she
had been his constant companion
from childhood and that he was emf.
nently suitable. she refused Tom An.
son when he proposed to her in direct
and simple language.
You are waiting for some fairy
prince to come along" commented her
father, bitterly. when he had extract.
ed the truth from her. Better come
down out of the clouds and accept a
good, sensible man while you have
the chance. There are not many Tom
Ansons"
Shortly after plain Tom Arson had
been sent away so unceremoniously
Jane was rowing on the small lake
that bordered on her fathers estate,
near the high road, when her canoe
upset and she found herself founder
ing in the water.
At the psychological moment a
large motor car rounded a sharp curve
in the road. chugging like a red de-
mon, and James heart, beneath her
soaked linen bodice, gave leap.
Her Prince Charming, at last! 1t
was evident that he had seen beauty
in distress at the first glance and was
CALAMITY coming to the rescue. The
crimson car, with a final, indignant
snort, was rounded in off the high
road and brought to a standstill The
occupant threw aside cap, goggles and
other II pediments instantaneously
and with incredible speed had reached
the water and plunged in.
The handsome stranger carried her.
dripping but happy, up the bank. She
allowed herself the luxury of leaning
against his shoulder until he had dried
her face upon a corner of the linen
dust coat in the car and made no de-
muir as he placed her on the front
seat where he could support her as he
steered.
On that short drive homeward she
learned all about her handsome res
cuer. He was the young Lord Fitz
ing her fathers had fallen some years
previously; he had just arrived from
foreign parts to look over his ances-
trail property with view to repairing
and, later inhabiting the old place
During the next few weeks Jane
went about with dreamy eyes. Every
afternoon, at certain hour, she was
met near the lake by the mysterious
red motor car and when she returned,
pink checked, from her stolen ride
she had listened to more romantic
nonsense in two hours than simple
Tom Arson would have told her in
six months.
1t had gone so far that she had
promised to marry her brave rescuer
Internationally, any day and hour
that he might name, when one day he
begged the privilege of meeting her
in her own home.
TN secret, of course, love"
That night, when everyone had re-
tired to the upper regions. 1t was
James own fair hand that unlocked
the hall door and at his bidding, left
1t so, while he made fervid and furi.
GUS love to her in the drawing room.
When the clock struck low whis-
tie without caused the young lord to
start to his feet hastily.
What, SO late already? All, could
lfnger by your side forever, but duty.
calls me. Farewell. That was my
chauffeur's warning. Tomorrow at the
usual trysting place"
With that he was gone and Jane
was about to lock the door behind
him. Then, following. romantic i'm
pulse-much easier for Jane than
simply being sensible-she slipped
down to the gate behind him, stealing
along in the shadow unobserved. At
the gate she had meant to step out
and surprise him, but just then a muf-
fed figure rose from behind a clump
of syringas and, lifting up a sack in
which something clinked, tossed it
under the seat of the big red car.
Got 'em ALP" came from her prince
in an eager whisper, with a furtive
backward glance at the darkened win
dows of the house behind them.
Sure" was the laconic answer, and
the car and its occupants shot down
the road, leaving Jane to stare, open.
mouthed, after it.
The explanation came next morn
ing and with it her princes reasons
for maintaining such strict incognito
were made clear to Jane.
There was not piece of silver left
in her fathers establishment, not even
a teaspoon. save some plated stuff
that practiced eyes could have told at
a glance was practically worthless!
Jane ventured one question as she
sat with her father in the library that
the hour she should
have fept her tryst.
DO you know when the young Lord
Fitz Maurice is coming homer"
THE young lord?" her father stared
at her in amazement. There isn't
any young lord. The property went |
out of the hands of the Fitz Maurices
ten years ago and belongs to a bald
headed widower named Griggs"
"Oh," breathed Jane.
That night Tom Arson, encouraged
by something in James manner, put |
the momentous question once more.
4.