The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-11-21

Some Of them need mending. and /
have had a great deal of trouble in
finding some one who can do the work
properly. But there is young woman
coming tomorrow to help me. She does
very fine sewing for the ladies Of the
village"
Every WELL" said Dick, land when
everything is ready, Mrs. Phipps, you
should take few days off to visit your
sister. You have been working very
hard
THANK you, Mr.. Allen" said the
housekeeper as she withdrew. "You
are always so thoughtful and kind"
II wish had more people to be kind
to-" smiled Dick wryly as he finished
his dinner I'm a lonesome beggar,
and no mistake"
The next day he drove his little run
about over to the next town to attend
to some business matters, and it was
late afternoon when he returned home.
The house was very still when he en-
tered It, He decided that Mrs. Phipps
was taking her daily nap, and he had
forgotten all about the sewing woman
who was to come until he entered the
big blue room and saw her sitting
there in the sunshine surrounded by
pillows Of flmy laces, while Mrs.
Phipps sewed in another window.
ooh, Mr.. Allenr' Mrs. Phipps hustled
forward. "Were you looking for me?"
mo. | came in to get some matches, .
he confessed. you are getting along
famously, l see." He wished that rad
dy brown head would turn toward
him. He wondered what the face be-
meath it could be like.
"This is Miss Page, the young lady
\ who is mending the curtains" fluttered
Mrs. Phipps at last when she found
that Dick would not go.
Now the girl turned and looked up
at him with Beth Pages warm, brown
eyes and her frank smile.
Il was wondering If 1t was the Mr..
Allen l used to know" she said de-
murely.
Dick was wringing her little hand In
his with unconscious energy.
Miss Pager" he repeated amazedly.
"Why, yes" she replied, blushing.
you'll think me rude, but thought
you married Frank Miller" he said
bIuntly.
Impossible. He married Ella Mans
field"
Dick checked a sharp exclamation
and, turning, on his heel, left the room
and went into the garden.
His mind was in chaos.
All the beliefs he had harbored for
years had proved to be false. But he
could trace the falseness back to Ella
Mansfield, who on her birthday night
had shown herself to be a cheat. Ella
had told him that Frank and Beth
were engaged, and he had gone away
and had not troubled to come back ex-
cept for brief visits to Uncle Jeffrey,
who never knew any of the village gos-
sip. And the children who had played
in his orchard were Elias children and
not Beth's. Beth was still unmarried
and sewing for her living She had
been in his house mending his curtains
lin the house where she should reign
as mistress.
Suddenly his pulses leaped. Why
not now? It was not too late. 1t is
never too late when the girl one loves
is unmarried He couldn't ask her
here in his own house. He must go to
her home.
So he went away to the city for a
week Just because it was tantalizing
with Beth so near him, and he bought
wonderful diamond ring.
When he came home again the cur
tains were all hanging at the windows,
and the house looked like home. So
he astonished Mrs. Phipps by kissing
her atop her gray head and got into his
little motorcar and sped away toward
Honeysuckle road, where Beth lived
with her uncle and aunt.
beth, the moon is shining over the
river and the whippoorwilIs are sing
ing. VIII you come with me2" was
what he said when he met her at the
door.
Dear me, how abrupt you are, sirl'
she laughed. Eyes, if you please. kind
sir" she added
And she said exactly the same words
when an hour later he asked her GER
tain question and slipped the ring on
her slim third finger.