The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1915-09-24

happy CnaC Sne na0 deem SO thorough
ly appreciated.
1T is a joke about that house."
said the workman, after he had
thanked her; they have been SO long
about building it,
Yes" said Joan, raising her eye
brows. She didn't like having work
man calling the home Of the Placys
a joke. "But it is very beautiful"
We'll, not exactly that. 1t was
built more for comfort
Really said Joan, more surprised
at the workman than ever.
He asked her whether she had seen
it and Joan-scenting possible
chance to see the upstairs and the
studio of the continental Mr.. Placy-
asked the workman whether he had
the keys.
"Yes, indeed he said. Il will show
it to you gladly"
"Oh, you needn't bother to show
it to me- she said. "Just let me
have the keys and / can look through
it while you have gone back to your
work. It must be one o'clock. l am
sure the Placys will have no objec-
ton
mot the slightest" said the work
man, laughing.
to her annoyance, the workman fol-
lowed, explaining the uses for which
the various rooms-the billiard room,
the music room and the other rooms
on the ground floor-had been de-
signed She hurried away from him
up to the third floor in search of the
studio and he followed. Now he was
not, so communicative, but he stood
near her and laughed little to him
self as she examined every nook and
corner of the studio.
On the stairs there was a place
where the boards had not been fas-
tened and Joan started to jump it
as she had done when she went up.
The workman was there before she
could reach it and held his hand out.
Put your hand on my shoulder and
I will catch you If you fall-or will
you let me carry you?" It was a
perfectly courteous suggestion. but it
made Joan uncomfortable. She jumped
the distance without waiting to an
swer him, hurried down stairs,
and, thanking him, hastily hur-
ried home. She felt as If
there were something unusual
about the workman, and his laugh
fingered in her memory. 1t had prob
ably been very foolish of her to let
him show her through the house, and
she said nothing to her mother about
it. She fairly blushed when she re-
called the teasing look that he had
cast her as she disappeared across
the hedge.
Two weeks later, when the Placys
were installed in their new house,
when Joan was sitting alone in her
room, the maid brought up a card
on which was written, "Mr. Roderick
Placy." She hurried down to him
and he greeted her with easy cordial
ity and laughed as she returned his
smile. She felt for a minute that she
had met him before. They began to
talk about the new house.
ST suppose you have been through
it before we were in he said.
She wondered whether he knew of
her encounter with the workman. She
didn't want to admit her curiosity and
she didn't want to tell lie. She
hedged for minute, and then Mr..
Placy came over to her chair and
looked at her closely in mock reproof.
Don't you know me? You are the
little lady who brought the cool drink
to poor workman who had to spend
holiday toiling, and you rather re.
scented it when he offered to carry you
over the loose boards in the stairs. +"
He did not wait for Joan's reply.
"We couldn't get anybody to do the
work, and SO l came out from the
city and did it myself, and little
fairy godmother from next door came
and made the day happy"
That was the beginning of the &C.
quaintance and young Placy having
been quite sure of his intentions from
the first time he saw her, wasted no
time. By early autumn Joan had
promised to become Mrs. Placy. When
she told her mother she also told
her the first chapter of the romance
of her interview with the workman
next door.
And you gave him one of those
heavy tumblers and the earthen pit.
cher" said Mrs. Granger, whose mind
fingered on details. What must he
have thought"
Copyright, by the Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)