The Washburn leader., 1916-02-11
THIRD TINES CHARM
BY cArHARlNE cRANMER.

!: BY cATHARlNE cRANMER. ::
Observation-Disclosures:
"They say it's hard to get babies OF
widowers through their second sum
Elers." mumbled Jack Ellis to himself
"but it'll be 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 possibtl
tiles Of the case. He was in love with
Dorothy, but would not be in q secure
enough financial position to propose
to her before January, when he would
be taken into the firm as a director.
He determined to go to her that
very day and offer her his heart, ask
ing her to let him add his modest for.
tunes, which would be greater within
the year.
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. But alas
for mushroom hopes! AS he passed
through the iron gateway leading into
the residence street where Dorothy
lived, Henry Ardmore's shining black
automobile rolled noiselessly toward
him, with Dorothy and Ardmore in its
roomy rear seat. Ardmore leaned for.
ward and faced Dorothy just in time
partially to obscure the glory Of her
charming smile of greeting to Jack.
It was only four o'clock and Jack
went home, took out his car, and went
for an aimless 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. The short after.
noon faded and was followed by dark.
ness and fast-moving clouds.
Rounding corner at a pretty good
pace, Jack had to bring his car to an
abrupt stop to avoid danger Of col.
liding with two disabled cars which
were standing facing each other, with
dead engines and anxious passengers.
Jack recognized the one headed for
the city as Ardmore's. He promptly
offered any possible aid, and his heart
beats broke all speed records when
the task assigned him was to take
Dorothy cityward lest the approach.
ing storm break before the damaged
car could be repaired sufficiently to
make the trip.
With wicked thankfulness that his
little gray roadster could accommo.
date but one passenger. Jack handed
Dorothy in and drove OF feeling
luckier than Aladdin when his lamp
was at its best. Rejecting that
though Fate had snatched one oppor.
tunity from him she had flung another
at his feet. Jack decided to wash up
to him to make the most of his oppor.
tunity.
Dorothy" he began, just as they
entered the park, but he never got
any further with his speech, for big
limousine coming toward them halted
and Dorothy's father called her name
as he stepped fromithe door.
"Ardmore's chs1heur telephoned
that there had bee6 an accident so !
started out to see II I could find you
along the way. It's lucky we met here
in the light" concluded John Leigh.
Jack accepted their cordial invita-,
tion to tea. consoling himself with
vague recollection Of the alleged
charm of all third attempts against
failure, and he determined that he
would make third attempt to pro
pose, before he left Dorothy.
Dorothy was charmingly flushed and
exdberant. In the little family group
JACK. began to feel quite at home
though he was longing for an oppor
tunity to be alone with Dorothy, when
. frightened servant girl burst into
the living room screaming that the
house was on flre.
Dashing up the back stairway
where the frightened maid pointed,
Jack smelled burning cotton, and in
the maids room on the third floor he
found the Swiss window curtains had
dropped In burning fragments upon
the mating floor covering. Grabbing
q small rug from the hallway floor,
he extinguished the flames starting
from the mating just as Dorothy, her
parents and the excited maid entered
the room. While Mr.. and Mrs. Leigh
talked to the girl, Dorothy searched
Jacks hands for burns, two of which
she found, and she marched him down
stairs to administer first aid.
''Oh, Jack! It's too bad" she mur-
INJURED in a fearful voice, as she gave
the bandage final pat. Does 1t hurt
so very much!"
"Hurt? Why, it's heavenly. Dor.
othy!" Jack exclaimed. Dorothy won
dered what he meant, but when he
heard her fathers voice on the stair.
way. he lost no time In making his
meaning quite clear. +.
"The third time charms, Jack
whispered Dorothy, "and I'm glad you