The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-10-25
CHAPTER ~.
always call me Chris"

lun Of IL sudden he came busting
~ up like rushing little tug.
towing two statelier ships. Bewilder-
ing introductionS ensued: Matt found
himself shaking hands with an impos
ing gentleman with a white mustache;
shaking hands with young lady in
blue foulard. whose dark. soft glance
fingered curiouSly on his own Matt
hardly knew whether she was pretty
or motor at least very pretty His
first impression was more OF gracious
ness. youth and breeding: of rather an
impudent little mouth. parting contin
ually on perfect teeth; Of delicately
penciled eyebrows. Il nose slightly
aquiline. and an abundance of glossy
hair. which under the lamplight ap
peared darker than it really waS
i've met considerable number OF
kings in my time" said the general
genially. but always glad to add an
other to the list. you know. It's rather
a reproach to us. I'm afraid. that we
let the papers discover you first"
oh. those papers, exclaimed Matt
But really. general. what is one tc
do? | might as we'll run after an ex
press train as try to deny all that rub
biSh"
Nobody is safe in this country,
agreed the general. with great gooG
humor You can go to bed at night
an honored citizen and wake up il
the morning an alliterative outcast-
Merciless Marshall Murders Maid OF
something equally surprising and IN
pleasant"
It's the smudgy pictures l hate
most" put in Miss Marshall. I've
had mine stuck all round with littl.
cupids shooting arrows into an unfor
tunate foreign nObleman."
The general. still laughing at his owl
sally. was greeted and diverted by {
passing acquaintance. affording Mat
the opportunity of asking Miss Mar
shall if she would not like to make
the round of the booths with him. Hel
face showed her pleasure at the pro
posal and in her answering look. 81
! arch and eager. Matt seemed to reat
something that made him dizzy. Sh'
was more than pretty: she was ex
quiSite. and the sudden realization O
her beauty was not without a dart o.
pain. They moved about. talking-Or
rather. trying to talk. for the noise ant
jostle caused constant Interruptions
talking and hoping for chairs and elud
ing the general like a pair Of truantS
all the while looking into each other
eyes and laughing But there were NJ
! chairs: there was not an empty SpO
in the whole church except in the pull
! pit. and that was set inaccessibly il
| midair like a wooden lily on long
twisted stem. Matt gaZed at 1t mucl
| as a castaway sailor might gaze at al
airship-an unnamed airship drifting
| high above his head But as he gazet
! his resolution grew. and he announced
it reckleSsly.
But they'll all see u.s. cried Mis-:
| Marshall. ashast.
| Only the tops of our heads, and the!
won't recognize us" said Matt
And Mr.. Doty will he scandaliZed-
! everybody will"
Oh. NONSENSE" said Matt. It's the
! dickens to stand up here. with paopl,
digging into YOU and Fostering YOU Il
| buy beadwork pincushions. when you't
! give everything in the world for u coz!
|. talk"
a coy talk would be nice. wouldn'
| it? Though it would take an elephan
| to get through all
| Come along. I'll be the elephant"
! The pulpit was reached by Il Spira
| Stair-or. rather. could be reached b.!
| pressing apart Il stout lady gabbling t
| another stout lady. sweeping through
five gauzy little girls and disturbing 4;
mounting tier of sweethearts. two To
step. Had Matt not been in eveuiu:
dress he would never have succeeded il
| diSlodging these lovers. but his Swal
| lowtail was an awe inSpirin" garh ant
bore with it mysterious authority
Moreover. with quick presence of min,
that cOnvulSed his companion. Mat
announced that he was going to Civ
Il recitation. which allayed resentmen
and filed every one with delighted al
| ticipation. The blockade was broke
and Matt had the supreme satisfaction
! of leading Miss Marshall into the pul
| pit. He would have put her on tn
! chaiT-there was a chair-but she pre-
| ferred the haSsock. insisting at tn
| same time that he should sit on tn
/ floor. Here they covered out Of view
| trying to restrain their laughter
Now. tell me about those fv
| times" said Matt.
What FIVE times:" inquired Mis-
Marshall. provokingly insincere an,
with that pretty parting of her lips.
"Oh, you know-what you said owe
| the phone"
| I'D rather hear about your frs
/ time"
That's easy | came here expectin:
| TO find YOU adorable. and YOU are