The Washington times., 1914-08-10
PART I.
PART /.
Up to a certain age birthday is a
thing to which we look forward.
After a certain age, meaning by

L RAM l.
II P to a certain age a birthday Is q
thing to which we look forward
After a certain age, meaning by
that an uncertain age, We look
back upon some of our birthdays and
mainly seek to forget those which still
lie in the future.
But our heroine. Margaret, better
known 10 her uncounted admirers as
| Our Mutual Girl. contemplated her
birthday with the happiest and liveliest
of anticipations. What normally con-
stituted girl is not happy at the coming
| of her eighteenth birthday?
Especially II she has an indulgent rich
| aunt, and II she has but lately escaped
from a great peril. and if she is spend
/ ing her first season in New York, and
| finally, II a personable young man OF
| mysterious antecedents and of the type
| usually denominated as fascinating, is
| paving her assiduous and flattering at
| tentions?
All of which was true of young Miss
Maragret, whose destiny It is my duty
I to chronicle. Moreover. taking the
reader in a secret which she, for the
| instant, does not share. the present
writer may tell you of a splendid sur
prise that is in store for her. While
she. on the morning OF her eighteenth
birthday, is yet in her boudoir. her
wealthy aunt. Mrs. Knickerbocker, Is
on her way down Fifth avenue.
| Guided by a chauffeur who knows his
! trade-and gets an army captains pay
| for knowing 1.-THE Knickerbocker car
draws IT, at the curb in front OF the
great stone pile known as Tiffanys.
And with a liveried footman to make
path for her. Margarets aunt passes
| across the sidewalk into the place.
where, in comparison with the treasures
there displayed, the crown jewels CT
/ many a reigning European house would
seem tawdry and insignificant. Through
lires of showcases filled with trays OF
gems and displays of precious ornamen-
tation move customers and s'ghtseers.
for at Tiffany's visitors are Welcome.
Perhaps because it is of this fact that
Mrs. kniCkerboCker does not note a
well-dressed man who continually
passes behind her glancing furtively
over her shoulder the better to see the
glittering baubles which she handles
with that loving touch that every wOm-
an bestows upon jewels. 1t is safe TO
say that did she see him. the lady
WOULD sustain q profound SHOCK, lot,
specifically viewed. he bears a star
Ting resemblance to Howard Dunbar.
that most mysterious but attractive gem
tleman who for some weeks past has
been aspiring to win her nieCe's favor.
and incidentally the favor OF the aunt
herself.
As It happens. she never suspects the
presence of this lurking stranger. At
length Mrs. Knicke rboCker has selected
a magnificent necklace of rare canoes,
at a cost running far up into the thou
sands. The salesman puts the necklace
I'm a white satin case, and. taking it
with her she leaves. the watchful eyes
Of the unseen eavesdrOpper following
her car until she enters her limousine.
He Is near enough to hear her tell her
fOotman Home"
While the silent motorcar picks its
way through the maZes OF Fifth ave-
nue. traffic this mysterious stranger, is
following il on a bicycle. When the
chauffeur swings the car in n half
circle to the entrance of the house the
stranger is able to guess his intentions
and get to the sidewalk a Few feet
beyond and rest his bicycle against the
curb.
He stands there. apparently int mt on
n notebook, while Mrs. KniCkcrbociIer
enters her home. AS she desccnds from
the step she drops handkerchief. I'M
noticed by her foOtman, and II falls to
the gutter. When the machine goes to