The Washington herald., 1912-08-18

could do this with pleasure and safety
II was after IL, and his ever-presen
desire to eat was becoming too pro
nounced to be comfortable. 1t would
be fitting climax to a highly delight.
ful morning to have dinner, surround
ed by gentle folk aagin. for the Wat.
ermelon came of a gentle family. Ht
had no fear, for some time at least
of the owner of the borrowed clothe:
making himself unnecessarily conspicu-
Gus. But. on the other hand, if ht
were a guest at the hotel, the clothe.
would probably be recognized ant
murder be the simplest solution oi
their change of owners. Still, reasoned
the Watermelon, with a shrewd CUES.
at the truth, if he were a guest, it was
hardly likely that he would be swim
ming alone in the isolated pond, ir
the bathing suit designed by nature
The clothes hardly indicated a young
man of serious turn of mind. who
would seek the wooded solitudes ir
preference to the vivacious society oi
his kind to be found in a big hotel.
The wood ended abruptly at a stone
wall. There was a road beyond the
wall, and beyond the road, another
stone wall and more woods. 1t was
a narrow woodland road, a short cut
to the hotel 1t wound its way out OF
sight, up hill. through the pines. |,
was grass-grown and shady and the
trees met overhead. Sweetbrier and
wild roses grew along the stone walls
while gay little flowers and delicate
ferns ventured out into the road itself
and with every passing breeze nodded
merrily from the rutS of last winters
wood hauling By the side of the road
like glaring anachronism, variety
theater in Paradise. vacuum cleaner
among the ferns and daisies, stood a
huge red touring car with shining
brass work and raised top. No one
was anywhere in sight and the Wat
ermelon climbed into the tonneau and
leaned comfortably back in the roomy
depths
Home, Henry" said he languidly tc
an imaginary chauffeur
A honk. honk behind him answered
He leaned from the car and saw an
other turn into the road and come to-
ward him. II was a touring car, big
and blue. An elderly gentleman, fat
serious, important. was at the wheel
Beside him sat a lady. and a chauffeur
languished in the tonneau.
Hello, Thomas" called the old
gentleman with the affability OF a per-
forming elephant. addressing the Wat
ermelon by, the name of his car, as is
the custom OF the road
Hello, William" answered the Wat
ermelon. wondering why they called
him Thomas
The old gentleman flushed angrily
and the lady laughed. a delightful laugh
of girlish amusement The Watermel-
on smiled.
I'VE are a Packard" exclaimed the
old gentleman stiffly
Are you:' said the Watermelon
wholly unimpreSsed by the inforna-
ton We'll. | amt a Thomas"
Il called you by the name of your
car said the old gentleman Il sur
mise that YOU have not had one long y
Il don't feel as if owned it now,
the Watermelon admitted
The old gentleman smiled gcnially
Anything was pardonable but flippancy
in response to his own utteranccs
none of which was ever lacking in
weight or importance. The young
man. il seemed, was only ignorant
Are you in trouble:" he asked with
a gleam of anticipated pleasure in his
eyes. To tinker with a machine and
accomplish nothing but a crying need
for an immediate bath was his deares,
recreation.
No" said the Watermelon. thinking
OF the S3.Io in the pocket of the new
clothes and OF the lonely swimmer
Il aint-yet.
The old gentleman was vaguely dis
appointed Can YOU run your ma
chine" he asked. hopeful Of reply
in the negative.
No said the Watermelon.
Won't go. eh?" The old gentleman
turned off the power in his car and
stepped forth. agilely. joyfully. prepar-
ed to do irreparable damage to the
strangers car He drew off his gloves
and slipped them into his pocket. then
for a moment he hesitated.
Where is your chauffeur"
Il haven't one" said the Water
melcn.
The old gentleman disapproved I'm
til you know more about your machine
you should have one said he oratori-
cally. Il am practically an expert. and
yet | always take mine with me-
He waved aside any comment or
his own meritoriouS conduct and fore
sight and turned to the machine
There is probably something the mat
ter with the carbureter. said he. and
raised the hood.
Probably" admitted the Water,
melon, alighting and peering into the
engine beside the old gentleman.
Father suggested the lady gent
ly. maybe, you had better let AL
Alphonse. sure OF the repry. made nc
move to alight and assist.
The old gentleman. with head near
~ out of sight, peering here and there
tapping this and sounding that. re-
piled with evident annoyance Ger.
tainly not. Henrietta. l am perfectly
His words trailed off into vague
mutterings.
The Watermelon glanced at the lady
girl or woman, he was not sure which
Between thirty and thirty-hve. the un-
conquerable youth. OF the modern age
taSiated from the big hat and grace
full veil. Her hair was soft and brown
and thick. her mouth was rather large,
thin-lipped and humorous, and vet pa
Ru "H0P"