Middletown transcript., 1915-10-23


sible for the balance"
"Ob, bother!" and Gail glanced at
him impatiently. Your natural i'm
pulse is to defend wealth because 1t
is wealth; but you know that Market |
Square church never should have had |
a surplus to invest. The money should |
have been spent in charity. Why are
they saving it?"
Allison began to feel the same re-
spect for Calls mental processes
which he would for a mans, though,
when he looked at her with this
thought in mind. she was SO thor
oughly feminine that she puzzled him
more than ever.
Market Square church has an am
bition worthy of its vestry," he In
formed her, bringing his runabout to
rest, with a swift glide, Just an accu-
rate three inches behind the taxi in
front of them. when it has fifty mil
lion dollars, it proposes to start build
ing the most magnificent cathedral on
American SOIL"
"Why?" she pondered. will fifty
million dollar cathedral save souls in
proportion to the amount of money in
vested?"
Allison enjoyed that query thor
oughly.
"You must ask Rev. Smith Boyd"
he chuckled. You talk like a hea-
then!"
"Oh, no." returned Gail gravely, and
with new tone. Il pray every morn
ing and every night, and God hears
me-" The note of reverence in her
voice was a thing to which Allison
gave instant respect Il have no
quarrel with religion. Why, Mr.. Alli-
son, love the church" Her eyes
we're glowing, the same eyes which
had closed in satirical mischief. Now
they were rapt. What a stunning
collie!" she suddenly exclaimed.
Allison, who had followed her with
admiring attention, his mind accom-
panying hers in eager leaps, laughed
In relief After all, she was a girl
and what a girl! The exhilaration of
the drive, and of the snow beating in
her face, and of the animated CONVEX
sation, had set the clear skin of her
face aglow with color. Her deep red
lips, exquisitely curved and half part
ed, displayed a row of dazzling white
: teeth, and the elbow which touched
his was magnetic Allison refused to
+ believe that he was forty-five!
: You're fond of collies," he guessed
= surprised to find himself with an ca
: ger interest in the likes and dislikes
of young girl. 1t was a new expert
ence.
81 adore them!" she enthusiastically
declared. Back home, l have one OF
every marking but a pure white"
There was something tender and
> wistful in the tone of that back
Q home" No doubt she had hosts OF
{ friends and admirers there, possibly
a favored suitor. 1t was quite likely
+ A girl such as Gail Sargent could
d hardly escape 1t. If there was a ia
: vored suitor Allison rather pitied him
b for Gail was in the city Of strong men
Busy with an entirely new and strange
group of thoughts, Allison turned into
k the park, and Gail uttered an excla
J. nation of delight as the fresh. keen
Q air whipped in her face. The snow
8 was like a filmy white veil against the
r bare trees, and enough of it had clung
l. by now, to outline, with silver point
ing, the lacework of branches. On
r the turf still green from the open win
/" ter, 1t lay in thin white patches, and
d squirrels, clad in their sleek winter
II garments, we're already scamperine
IS to their beds, crossing the busy drive
e with the adroitness of accomplished
metropolitan pedestrians, their bushy
I. tails hopping behind them in ungainly
loops.
n. The pair in the runabout were
Il silent, for the east drive at this houl
"a was thronged with outward-bound ma
10 chimes, and the roadway was slipper!
with the new-fallen snow. Steady o
, nerve, keen of eye, firm of hand! Cal
~ watched the alert figure of Allison
~ tensely and yet easily motionless IL
the seat beside her.
'e Perhaps feeling the steady gaze, Al
lison turned to her suddenly, and TO
s. a moment the gray eyes and the brow
r ones looked questioningly into eacl
N other, then there leaped from the mai
Oh to the woman a something which he'll
IN her gaze full second longer than sh
IN would have wished.
ID Airs great" he said with a smile
er "Glorious!" she agreed. 81 don
le want to go in
ey Don't" he promptly advised her.
That's a simple enough solution,
Is and her laugh, in the snow-laden all
If reminded him. in one of those quee
to flashes of memory, of little string G
It, sleighbells he had owned as a younl
:" ster. However, promised Cousi
If Lucille"
RS Wen stop at the house lon
enough to tell her you're busy" sut
er gested Allison. as eager as a boy.
u "Let's!" cried Gail, and. with
o. laugh which he had discarded with hi
ct first business promotion, Allison thre'
I'd out another notch of speed, an
NSoo~so~-~o-~~~~~-~.~~
'ul ILLUSTRATES WITH LIVE MIC