Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-09-23
Evening Star S
Daily Story
NORMA'S PERIL
BY CLARIssA MAcKIE
Copyright, 1911.

/ "A
| and Aunt Agatha looked at Norma.
window
But, mother can't understand
why you should pack me off to Uncle
| feter she protested. What shall
l do to amuse myself in that smoky,
bachelor household"
You can rub up on your music
and Uncln Peters library is extern
sive, and you can read"
And take some embroidery and
you VIII have a lovely rest" chimed
in Aunt Agatha. who was very fat
through much resting among pink
sofa pillows.
Rest" echoed Norma. II don't
want to rest, motheri II has beer
terribly slow here in Edgewood and
lust when the Baynes are going to
nave the most delightful house party.
| you send me away to Uncle Peters
for no reason whatever"
Mrs. Blake and her sister exchanged
meaning glances.
Besides, | wanted to meet that de-
hghtful cousin of binda's-Captain
Bayne He has Travelled the world
| over and Linda says he is the most
| fascinating man she ever met"
GU Will need your white serge at
| Uncle Peters," said Mrs. Blake
biandly. How about your blus
| linen, Norma"
Anything you please. mother"
agreed Norma resignedly.
Uncle Peter looked up from his dry
scientific books and offered
wrinkled cheek to his pretty niece.
! m glad to see you Norma" he
said cordially Il shall come out and
play with you by and by. How ID
! your golf?"
Not very good Uncle Peter adj
mltted the girl.
Then you most polish it up; / am
expecting the son of an old friend to
stop while with me-he is o fiend
| at the game and has won no end of
cups. Now while Lizzie brings in
the tea, tell me if your mother Is still
insisting that you marry your cousin,
| James? p
Il believe So. sighed Norma. II
have told her that James and I are
the very two people in the world who
should not marry each other; but be-
cause she and Aunt Agatha betrothcd
us In the cradle, James and I are
| supposed to fall in love with each
other. II Is impossible!s
Why did your mother send Won
here, childP Was 1t to remove YOU
from the presence of some man who
James Penny"
Norma stared at her little dried-up
uncle with shining eyes. Suddenly
she clapped her hands with uncon-
cealed delight
"Oh, Uncle Peter, I do believe YOU
are right she laughed. Now, il is
| quite clear to me. The Baynes are to
have house party and Linda Bayne
mas talked lot about her famous
cousin, Captain Bayne, the explorer.
you know. I'm something of a hero
| worshiper, you see, and / have been
lndlscreet enough to express my de-
| hght in his coming. And so they have
packed me off here to avoid Captain
Bayne Uncle Peter, what would you
do?" she asked.
I'D just sit tight, my dear"
ehuckled the old man, who was shak-
ing with inward laughter. There's
an old saying, He laughs best who
laughs last In the meantime tell
! me about Cousin James. Is he to be
at the house party?"
'Of course. Linda thinks James is
perfect Uncle Peter I'm beginnin4
to believe that they are in love with
each other"
Linda Baynes and James Pinney y,
res; wouldn't it be lovely for me
| 4 they were?"
And spoil all the plans of your
mother and aunt?"
They wouldn't mind after a BIT:
besides, Aunt Agatha thinks Linda
IS dear After she became used
10 the idea she would love Linda for
daughter-in- law"
Let us hope they will fall in love.
meantime, Norma, l will have an
other cup of tea"
Aunt Agatha and Mrs. Blake were
sitting In the sun parlor one Novern-
aer afternoon several weeks after
Norma's Punishment. Aunt Agatha
was resting among pink sofa pillows
ana MRS Blake was reading aloud
from Normas last letter
The dear child seems to be having
pleasant time" said Mrs Blake
complacently, as she folded the letter.
she says she spends most of her
Time on the links with Peters friend
she doesn't mention his name but
! presume he is some elderly chun
OF Peters. 1t does seem too bad to
have sent her off with lot of old
fogies when Captain Bayne only
stopped here one day and then went
On to other engagements. They seem
TO be having a lovely time at Linda's.,
So James says" remarked James's
mother. II am surprised that he is
commended to stop so long when Nor
ma is not there
Mrs Blake looked uncomfortable.
low tone II wonder if you have no.
ticed that James and Linda" she
paused uncertainty
Aunt Agathas round blue ewes were
lifted solemnly
You mean that James and Linda
are growing fond of each other?" she
asked bIuntly.
Mrs. Blake nodded. ut seems I'M
fair to Norma to send her way and
let Linda-you understand"
Mrs Pinney did understand. "We
must write and tell Norma to come
home at once she decided
II wrote and called her home last
week, confessed Mrs. Blake, "and
she refused to come"
"Refused?"
"Yes-said she was having a lovely
time, and she had promised Uncle
Peter to remain until the first"
How can she enjoy herself sur
rounded by a lot of old men?" de-
manded Aunt Agatha.
Il don't know. oh, Agatha, look"
There was tragedy in Mrs. Blakes
tone.
Aunt Agatha looked from the win
dow and saw her son coming slowly
UP a shaded walk with Linda Baynes.
And in the shadow of huge box bush
the impeccable James bent and kissed
Linda Baynes on her charming lips.
She broke away from him and came
running toward the house. James fol-
lowed thoughtfully.
While the good ladies' still held
their hands in horror at this domestic
catastrophe, a servant entered with
telegram from Norma.
Darling mother thus had Norma
wasted words, II have promised to
marry Uncle Peters friend, Shall |
-.r,r,n hama To raceive vn1lr hlesSing2