The Washington herald., 1915-12-01
The Third Time Charms.
BY CATHARINE CRANMER.

They say It's hard to get babies or
widowers through their second sum-
mers. mumbled Jack Ellis to himself
but itn be a miracle II Dorothy
Leigh gets through her second season
without becoming engaged. she's
pretty. popular. wealthy, adorable-in
other WORDS. just Dorothy"
Jack frowned at the awful POSSIBLE
tiles OF the case. He was in love with
Dorothy. but would not be in a secure
enough financial position TO propose
to her before January. when he would
be taken into the firm as a director.
The present uncertainty of business
conditions gave him occasional doubts.
| Thunder and lightning. Business
has got to grow" he exclaimed. light
ing his sixth cigarette in ten minutes,
and springing out of the low armchair
where he had been half reclining.
With hands in his pockets. he made
| rapid strides back and forth in his
den. He tried to devise ways and
means for selling two reams of paper
where he had before sold but one. but
ever between his frowning gray eyes
and the complicated paper market
| there rose the vision of brown-haired,
brown-eyed. peachy-skinned Dorothy.
and ever about her were swarms of
admiring men including everything
from callow youths just out OF COL
lege to the blase roue.
"Biff!" and Jacks right fist cupped
into his left hand with a thud. His
set jaw and narrowed eyes indicated
what he'd like to do to any man who
dared to go near Dorothy. At the
same moment he determined to 60 TO
her that very day and ofrer her his
heart, asking her to let him add his
modest fortunes. which would be
greater within the year. And with
Dorothy as the goal. what mountains
of difficulty could stop me or even
detain me?"
In a frenzy of love and hope and a
rather foolish certainty of success
Jack made a careful afternoon toilet
and went swinging along the few
blocks to Dorothy's home Head up,
eyes shining. he was quite uncon-
scious of the admiring gIances he re-
ceived from the many girls taking
their Sunday afternoon stroll to the
park.
But alas for mushroom hopes, As
he passed through the iron gateway
leading into the residence street
where Dorothy lived. he stiffened at
the sight of Henry Ardmore's shining
black automobile rolling noisslessly |
toward him. with Dorothy and Ard
more in its roomy rear seat. Ardmore |
leaned forward and faced Dorothy
Juct III poi " lne |
glory of her charming smile of greet |
ing to Jack.
why can't that old fossil stay at
his club. where such as he belong?"
was Jacks mental query as he passed |
on through the street. which now held |
nothing of interest for him.
1t was only four o'clock and the |
late autumn afternoon was one Of |
rare beauty. so rare. indeed, that to
Jack there seemed no means of doing /
II Justice except In Dorothy's com
pany. Bereft of that. he went home,
took out his car. and went for an aim |
less run into the country. He avoided
the country club lest he should seem
to be trailing Dorothy and Ardmore.
who would probably stop there for
tea With little thought of speed reg
ulations or little interest in which
turn he took where roads diverged,
he rushed on. The short afternoon
faded behind a brilliant sunset that :
was followed almost Immediately by
darkness. and fast-moving clouds
overspread the entire sky.
Rounding a corner at a pretty good
pace, Jack had to bring his car to an
abrupt stop to avoid danger OF coll (
iding with two disabled cars which
we're standing facing each other. with
lead engines and anxious passengers.i
Jack recognized the one headed for
he city as Ardmore's He promptly
,ffered any possible aid. and his heart
beats broke all speed records when the
ask assiEned him was to take Dor