The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-03-19

he had entered, had seen him and con-
sidered that he was no better than a
common thief. Whether or no he was
in love with her, his being thus sud
denly treated by her with disdain
filed him with horror. Why had he
not the morning after his unfortunate
mistake gone to her, confessed that
he had made it and offered his apollo
giles? He had thought Of doing so; but
hoping that his identity had not been
known to her, he had refrained> Now
he saw his error, but too late.
1t required some time for Mr.. Hook
Ing to recover his equanimity, but when
he did and considered what course to
pursue from that point he sew plainly
that to demean himself still further
would make matters worse. The only
hope for him-a ghost Of hope-was
to make a bluff. To do this he must
have an opportunity, and an oppor
tunity might not arise. And yet pos
sibly he might make an opportunity
After a good many discussions with
himself on the matter he saw that the
widow had the whiphand Of him be-
yond recovery.
So he continued to go in and out of
his house, never looking up at the win
dows, as he had formerly been accus-
toned to do, but the widow often from
seen looked out through the windows
when he came home and from his ex-
preston endeavored to ascertain his
mental condition so far as that condi-
ton pertained to her. While the advan-
tage of her position was evident, she
had no assurance that Mr.. bookings
debasement would work him into that
feverish condition she considered love
to be.
The second time Mrs. Hughes met
Mr.. Hooking was face to face at SO
cial function. He was talking to a
lady beside him, but on seeing Mrs
Hughes he gave evidence of panic
The widow saw his companion look up
at him as If to learn what was the mat
ter with him. Though this did not
prove that he was suffering from any
thing except unmerciful treatment
while occupying an unfortunate posi-
ton, the woman who was trying to
crush him was convinced that he was
In torture.
Another month went by, and when
she examined his face as he passed on
the sidewalk, which she did with a
lorgnette, she saw unmistakable signs
of breakdown. She debated whether
to give him encouragement to ap-
proach her or wait till he was ready to
surrender. She chose the latter course
Mr.. Hooking kept going from bad to
worse till spring returned, and one
evening when he came home the spider
that was watching the fly was sitting
by a window opening from the floor in
her drawing room. AS he assembled the
steps he paused, then stepped on to the
balcony and entered the window.
II have considered you both unjust
and ungenerous," he said, Sin showing
your disdain for what you must have
known was a mistake. Were you to
me what all other women are would
be too proud to beg you to descend
from that position. But you are not
what other women are to me. Your
good opinion is necessary to my very
life. Remove the cloud that rests be-
tween us or I shall go mad"
He spoke with bowed head. When
he looked up at her, not knowing
whether he would see contempt or tri-
umph, or both, and saw there neither
but an expression of exquisite happi-
ness, he fancied that he had been trans
lated to paradise.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hooking have been
married some time and live very hap
PLY together except when the matter
of the episode which brought them to-
gether is preached. Perhaps it is that
Mrs. Hooking has never explained her
purpose in virtually accusing him of
breaking into her house at midnight;
perhaps 1t is on account Of an over
constituencies on the part of the hus-
band Certain 1t is that the matter Is
never mentioned that Mr.. Hooking
Doesn't lose his temper. Then Mrs.
Hooking. instead of telling him that
she seized an opportunity to land him.
throws her arms about his neck and
admits that it was very stupid of her
not to have seen from the first that he
had simply blundered into the wrong
house.