The Washington herald., 1915-09-26

A.
Hundreds of 'em," said the hermit, when
they've found the right one" --~- =. :,
"But they're liennits," said the youngest adj
beautifulest, because they've lost the Ri ght one,
aren't they?' -
Because they think they have" answered
the recluse, fatuously Wisdom comes to one
in a mountain cave as well as to one in the
world of 'swells.' as believe they are called in
the argot."
when one of the 'swells' brings it to theni,''
said Miss Trenholme. "And my folks are
swells. That's the trouble But there are so
many swells at t@he seashore in the summertime
that we hardly amount to more than ripples.
So we've had to put all our money into river
and harbor appropriations. We were all girls,
you know. There were four of US. I'm the
only surviving one The others have been mar
red off, All to money. Mamma is so proud of
my sisters. They send her the loveliest pen
wipers and art calendars every Christmas. I'm
forbidden to look at any one who hasn't
money
But" began the hermit. =
But, OH said the beautifuest. "of course
hermits have great pots of gold and doubloons
buried somewhere near three great oak trees.
They all have"
81 have not said the hermit regretfully.
I'm so sorry" said Miss Trenholme. 81
always thought they had. think l must 60
now"
Oh, beyond question, she was the beauti-
fullest
Fair lady" began the hermit.
"I am Beatrix Trenholme-sonle call me
Trix," she said "You must come to the inn
to see me-"
81 haven't been stones throw from my
cave in ten years. said the hermit.
you must come to see me there, she re-
peated ANY evening except Thursday
The hermit smiled weakly.
"Good-by," she said, gathering the folds of
her pale-b skirt. Il shall expect you. But
not on Thursday evening, remember
What an interest it would give to the future
menu cards of the Viewpoint Inn to have these
printed lines added to them: "Only once during
the more than ten years of his lonely existence
did the mountain hermit leave his famous cave.
That was when he was irresistibly drawn to the
inn bv the fascinations of Miss Beatrix Tren-
holme, youngest and post beautiful of the cele-
brated Trenholn,e sisters. whose brilliant mar
riage to-"
Aye, to whom?
The hermit walked back to the hermitage.
At the door stood Bob Binkley, his old friend
and companion of the days before he had re-
'nounced the word-Bob himself, arrayed like
the orchids of the greenhouse in the summer
mans polychromatic garb-Bob, the million
aire, with his fat firm, smooth shrewd face, his
diamond rings, sparkling fob-chain, and pleated
bosom. He was two years older than the her
NIT. and looked five years younger.
you're Hamp Ellison. in spite of those
whiskers and that going g-away bathrobe," he
shouted. 81 read about you on the bill of fare
at the inn. They've run your biography in
between the cheese and Not Responsible for
Coats and Umbrellas What'd you do it for,
Hamp? And ten years, too-geewhilikins
you're just the same," said the hermit
Come in and sit down. Sit on that limestone
rock over there; it's softer than the granite
81 can't understand it, old man." said Blink
ley. "Ican see how you could give up woman
for ten years, but. not ten years for a woman
Of course know why you did it. Everybody
does. Edith Carr. She Tilted four or five be-
sides you. But you were the only one who took
to a hole in the ground. The others had re-
course to whiskey, the Klondike, politics, and