The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-01-23

BY HARMONY WELLER.

Tawny of hair and with great smol-
dering brown eyes, the girl could be
either saint or a sinner, but as ID
happened Theresa had chosen the. for
mer.
But now" muttered Theresa while
she watched great automobile whirl-
ing out of sight along the dusty road,
Il am going to turn sinner. l simply
must know that good-looking man
who has just passed by in his motor.
1t is positively wicked that a mascu-
line person should be so much alone
not to mention feminine ones" Their
esa sighed, and her eyes absorbed the
vast beauty Of the farm upon which
she had been spending the summer.
81 believe" she Illuminated. with a
shy, sweet smile, that l could really
love-him, If / only knew him"
Then, out Of her strong desire to be-
come acquainted with the man who
twice daily whizzed past the farm
house on his way to business in the
city, Theresa formed plan.
During the afternoon when every
one about the farm was either sleep
ing or busily engaged. Theresa made
her way to the thicket of fir trees.
Once within the shelter she drew from
ties which she had secured from the
kitchen. A moment later she had
broken them into jagged pieces and
put them into a cigar box. Making
her way stealthily toward the barn
she aext added a score of thin rusty
nails to her box and some sharp steel
filings.
Surely some of these will pune
ture at least one tire" was the thought
conferred in Theresa's mind while she
made her way back to the house. She
put her treasure within the thicket Of
vines that clustered over the porch
then swung herself into the big ham
mock to await the twilight hour.
He generally passes about 1870"
she decided before slipping off into
a short nap.
1t was the toot of the motor horn
far in the distance that awakened
Theresa. She Jumped up hurriedly,
picked up her box Of evil looking
glass, nails and filings and stole swift
ly down to the roadside. With trem-
bling fingers she strewed the con-
tents of her box across the width Of
the road and tossed the box into the
hedge
After a triumphant little glance at
her handiwork she sped quickly up
the path and into the house. Breath
less and guilty she watched the ap-
preaching motor from her window
among the roses.
AS the car drew nearer Theresa
felt cold chill run down her spine.
What If anything should happen
and he should be hurt?" she whispered
to the roses. She had prepared her
self In a way for the report Of
punctured tire but was not listening
for the terrible explosion of all four
of them.
She fell back against the wardrobe
in her room and could not summon
courage to look out and see the result
of her endeavor.
Down in the road a man was NUT
tetng short, improper words. He was
standing beside his big motor car, the
tires of which were all as fiat as a
piece Of linen. Twilight had fallen
with swift wings and the road was
no more than road,
And through the soft twilight
Theresa heard her fathers voice in
conversation with the man of the
motor.
I'VE have food and beds to spare"
her father was saying. Come in and
spend the night with us We are al
ways glad to welcome a stranger at
our table"
20. how glad" murmured Theresa.
Her heart was beating now with the
success of her scheme and her cheeks
were flushed There was something
hidden In the depths of her eyes and
as she descended the stairs perhaps
the saint and the sinner were oddly
combined. Theresa felt very much
ike lUe SlUuGI dS SHE lOullu HSiStlI
looking into John Ridgeway's eyes.
at is strange" he was saying,
that have gone over this road twice
a day for two years and this is the
first time" He stopped short. wheth-
er from the effect of Theresa's blush
or the curve of her lips he knew not.
81 have not lived here so long" she
said and the meaning beneath was
of course lost to John Ridgeway. at
Is fortunate that the accident to your
tires happened when you were near
a house." she added.
Very, very fortunate" Ridgeway
said and the true meaning was not
lost upon Theresa.
II knew | would like him." she told
herself with an inward chuckle.
IT suppose you will never use this
road again" Theresa suggested with u
demure raising of the lashes.
ION the contrary" laughed Ridge
way, at may be that I will give up
business entirely and take to driv-
ing back and forth in front Of this
most delightful farmhouse"
It was not until after dinner when
her father and Ridgeway were having
a smoke and her mother was reading
that Theresa found time to slip off IN
observed Out into the darkness she