The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-11-25

BY EARL SlLVERS.

/ ullS 1IOuSS III Tic 1ICdII VI lllG
| Catskills. She was assisted in the
various duties of her position by her
daughter, Margaret, who was as pretty
| an Irish girl as could be found in a
days journey, and whenever her eyes
| met those of Walter Blake she became
| even prettier.
Walter had come to Ferndale in the
early summer, and there he had met
another Margaret, a Miss Fischer,
whose home was in New York. She
| had admirers by the score, and Walter
| Blake was one of them. During the
| frs part of his visit, he had followed
her around much in the manner of a
| faithful collie who will not be driven
| back when his master wants to go
somewhere without him.
| But one night he had disconsolately
watched her drive over the hills with
| Edgar Nolan, and turning, had found
| Margaret McConaughty looking at him
| with the hint of a twinkle in her eyes.
| Seized by a sudden impulse, he had
asked her to drive with him, and they
| had gone together to the movies in
Liberty. The boy had frankly enjoyed
himself that night, while as for Mar
| garat it became the event by which
| al. other incidents of the summer We're
| measured
| Afte- that. they saw each other fire.
| quently, but one night when Walter
| had asked her to go with him to a
4 Il ~
hotels she had been forced to refuse
| because of the stern necessity of help
ing her mother with the supper dishes.
Ard he had been inclined to. argue.
st don't believe you want to go"
he had said.
But l do Hrargaret's eyes had
| begged for confidence, but Walter had
| turned away.
'AlI right" he had announced. 'rlI
ask Miss Fischer"
| Three days had passed since then,
and Blake had paid little attention to
his country friend. He was contin-
| uously in the company of her rival,
| however
On Saturday evening however, an
| hour before the strawberry festival
was scheduled to he held in the village
church. Walter found Margaret Nc
| ConauglSy sitting on the back porch
hulling berries.
Are YOU going to the festival to-
night?" no asked
| I'm going to have little festival
ali of my own she answered. There
are fifteen boxes to be hulled before
go to beo tonight"
But can't you just sneak away and
ret do them?7 He did not understand
tina, Mrs. McConaughty was accus-
toned to he oheyed
Bun before she was given a chance
II answer. another figure appeared at
tic foot oe the steps. 1t was Margaret
Fischer
''Oh. hello Walter" She spoke with
apparent surprise, just as if she had
not known that her most faithful toll
| lower had been talking to Miss Nc
| Conaughty for the past ten minutes.
''We.G better start for the festival
soon
u don't know whether I'll go or
not FoI some reason or other. he
did not seem especially pleased at the
interruption.
| "Oh. come on; I've saved a place
for YOU beside me in the wagon" She
seized his hand playfully, and led him
off hah reluctantly.
Hell b. sitting there in the dark
with her" Margaret said to herself.
| And then he can't see the paint and
:! powder OF her face She'll he all
| dressed up in her Broadway togs. and
he won't give a thought to me sitting
here tulling berries. / hate the
| things" She took a red and rosy one
I from the box and threw it vehemently
into the darkness at the rear of the
house. 1t struck. something with a soft
thud.
Please don't fire at me-" voice
pleaded. .
! Hei heart jumped as Walter Blake
appeared at the foot of the steps.
81 didn't know you were there?"
she laughed. "Wh9t are you doing in
the back yard?"
Gust walking around"
| Aren't you going to the festival?"
| She looked at him hopefully.
Yes Her hopes fell.
with Margaret, l supposeT
eyes" he answered soberly, with
Margaret"
She returned gloomily to her berries,
while he wached her silently. Mar
garet Fischer's voice hoated to them
| from the front of the house.
"Oh Walter, are you coming?"
Blake did not answer.
I'll go and find him." they heard
her say.
She found him where she had ex-
pected to.
Hurry up" she said lightly. tits
| time to start"
I'm not going"
what" She looked at him in
| amaZement.
I'm not going" he repeated. "Tve