The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-10-03

10 Steal minute Win each OtHer
now and then-always afraid of
Mrs. De Peyster. It's been mighty
hard for me. Hasn't it been hard
for your"
Mrs. De Peyster remained 81
lent.
Hasn't 1t been hard for you,
dear?" William insisted tenderly.
"Ye-yes, very husklly.
"Why, what's the matter, Ma
tilda? know, you're tired, dear;
your nerves are all worn out with
the strain of getting Mrs. De Pey-
ster off," And urged by his we'll
ing love he again embraced her
and again pressed a loverly kiss
upon Matilda's veil.
This was too much.
! LET me go!" Mrs. De Peyster
cried, struggling; and her right
hand, strikingly wildly out. fell
full upon Williams sacred cheek.
Matilda. I'm not the man to
take that" he declared irefull.
What do you mean?"
GO! Col" she gasped.
He drew back wrathfully, but
with an awful dignity.
VERY we'll, Miss Simpson. But
I'm not a man that forgives. You
will be sorry for this."
AS he started swiftly away Mrs.
De Peyster found the keyhole. She
turned her key, opened the door
and closed it quickly behind her.
She was rigid with the horror
of this new development. But
hardly a minute had passed since
she had entered-when she heard
a key slide into the lock of the
front door and saw vague fig
ure enter the unlighted hall.
"Oh, there you are, Matilda"
softly called a voice. and the
vague figure came toward her.
Mrs. De Peyster's terror took
suddenly new turn. "Jack!"
she breathed wildly.
Jack threw an arm about Mrs.
De Peyster's shoulders.
"Ho, no, that the time | caught
you, Matilda" said he, in teasins
reproof. "U'm, I saw those ten
der love passages between you
and William.
Mrs. De Peyster stood, pillar
of ice.
"How-how do you come
here?" she asked.
with an almighty lot of trou-
ble!" grumbled he. Game around
the corner an hour ago just in
time to see you drive off with
William. I've got a key to the
inside door but none to the door
in the beading; and as I knew
there was nobody in the house |
could rouse up, there was moth
ing for it but to wait till you and
William came back. So we've been
sitting out there on a park bench
ever since"
"We?" she calculated. "We?"
Then she noticed that another
shadowy figure had drawn nearer
in the dark. "Who-who's that?"
Mary" was Jacks prompt and
joyous answer.
Mary! Not that-that Mary
Morgan"
"She used to be. She's Mary
De Peyster now"
you're not-not married."
To-day" he cried in exultation.
I'VE slipped out to Stamford;
everything was done secretly
there, and it's to be kept strictly
on the quiet for a time. He bent
down close to Mrs. De Peyster's
ear. Don't let Mary know how
mother objected to her; I haven't
told her and she doesn't guess it,"
He turned. Come here, Mary"
he called softly. "This is Ma
tilda."
The next instant a slight fig
ure threw its arms about Mrs. De
Peyster and kissed her warmly.
'I'm so glad to meet you at
last, Matilda" exclaimed a low,
clear voice. Jack has told me
how good you have been to him
ever since he was a baby. know
we shall be the very, very best
Of friends!"
"And OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES mar
ried!" mumbled Mrs. De Peyster.
"Yes!" Jack cried. And
wouldn't it surprise mother II she
knew! But oh, say, Matilda"
he cried suddenly, you mustn't
write her!"
II won't" whispered Mrs. De
Peyster.
"It's a bargain, then. But
there's something else that would
surprise her, too. I'm going to
work"
But not at once" put in Mary
De Peyster. nee Mary Morgan, in
her soft contralto voice. Tell Ma
tilda what you're going to do"
I've saved few hundred out
OF my allowance. Monday I'm
going to enter the School of Mines
at Columbia-am going to study
straight through the summer
night and day till the money gives
out. BY that time I ought to be
able to get a job that will support
us. And then I'll study hard Of
nights till I become a real mining
engineer"
But we've got 10 live closet"
exclaimed Mary ioyously.
Yes, we've certainly got to live