Smyrna times., 1915-09-22
A MONTH TOO EARLY
By DEAN cARRUTHERs.

rapher had been accepted and that the
salary would be sixty dollars a month
with board
Please report for duty Nav 15" n
ended.
The Pebbleton station was perched
on rise of ground and from Il a road
sianted down to the sea- There was
BOARD walk along the beach and
several great caravansaries lifted their
DulK above the high-water mark.
i want to 30 to the Pebble Beach
hotel" explained Cicely TO the station
master Isn't there 4 stage or a cab
to take me there?"
He shook his head
You can walk 1t easy. miss Tt's
that last hotel on your right. There.
near that thunder. You better wait
here or run"
III run" said Cicely as she scurried
down the road
She hated thunderstorms and eo sha
ned before this one like n thing nos.
sesseu OF great fear. It was with
shortened breath and throbbing heart
that she reached the last hotel ana
AAA up On Ine broad DlaZZa
A jagged flash of lightning streaked
the gray sky to the horizon.
Merey!" painted Cicely. her hand
on the front door knob. But II refused
20 yield TO her touch so she HURRIED
around TO the western wing NJ the
motel and discovered another door
Inc door was slightly ajar and she
pushed 1t wide ind then closed II
she found herself in a small of1ce
ussoiate and untenanted. The closed
uesKs and the safe were covered with
last years dust There was a cpr,ors
Ieeling Of loneliness about the place
that frightened her.
Is anyone here?" asked C,oo,v
But another crash OF tbupda- .hoo,,
.ne building. "Oh. dear" she cried
IN panic OF fear; what shall do7"
"hile she quivered there. she heard
ahother sound-a sound OF footsten.
echoing through empty rooms.
one opened one Of the desk draw
ers and groped in its dark interior
her hngers closed on sometime cola I
ana hard. Il was a revolver a saol- !
ing OF security stiffened her cou-aoa =
ana then the door opened and closed t
again and another presence entered A
Inc man stared at her in open.evad Il
He was young and trim 4
win dark. clean-cut face. fine ewes
and a humorous mouth. n
I'll shoOtl" she threatened in n b
small voice. ~ +
Please DON'T" he said lightly. q
loaded" ~''eiS' itS y
Then don't point 1t at me" he said e.
sterniy Don't be frightened. he Il
leVe you're the very person I'm look. II
ing Tor. Are you Miss MeredithYs c
res said Cicely. lowering the gun m
m Harry Charlson," he explained r,
MY fathers been away from b,a ~. IN
ice Tor week and Just returned this n,
morning. On looking over his mail q,
ie round your letter saying that Won ed
would report for duty here on the tEth ~
= May You are month ahead OF di
ime and so father sent me down most n
taste to bring you back. The car. 80
'ehters and cleaners are IN ckarre M
resent and some OF them are rather
ough characters. We were worried
bout you" "'iiieu
nut protested Cicely, "Mr. CharL fr,
ohs letter distinctly stated NAV "a m,
iother and ! wondered about a." sho ~,
ook the letter from her bag ana govo MI
TO him. anu s"'o vi
lts one on dad all right" he lin
rinned. He meant June is. When ~
couldn't find you I supposed you'd NJ
lscoVered your mistake and rora 30
one. was going around by the sta. An,
on 70 INQUIRE l came down in nv mo
otor. Where were you hidineP" !
Ciceiy explained her adventures d,,r- 49,,
= tne last hour and then together t,ai
iey iett the hotel, young CharIaon "a,
cking the door carefully after tbor, -
AT the foot OF the stems a eroa, me- =
: cur was purring. "You will allow the
ked. '""' he Tn
really should take a train.s ~
AIMED Cicely. I'VE have given mn
u nat and mother is staying M nv A
andmother's I'm Underwood" "a
Underwood? oh, that's on the bor
rtn Side about opposite PebbIeton fro,
en- take the cross-island road ana u,o,
IKE II In a couple OF hours" mi
During that two hours ride across sna
? rain-drenehed island he told her mill
4 he expected to spend the summer n,es
Europe. After that he was TO take Tim,
iathers place as manager OF the colt
pole Beach In summertime and Of is :
,ir Florida hotel in winter. ,er
ie ieft her at her grandmothers bar,
., ana with pressure OF the hand as :
was gone. He motored over oc. had
ionaily to give Cicely news OF the m,
sresH OF repairs at pebbleton and deli,
aay he said he had decided to act way
clerk at the Pebble Beach maj 10 II
inner
But ! thought you were eo,ng "a