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

too late, Dick" she said coldly, al
though her voice was very near to
tears.
''Then you will talk with me until
some one comes and takes you awayT
ne urged, for now he was under the
magic sway of her beauty.
II cannot, but 1 have the supper
dance. I saved 1t for you, Dick" she
cried hastily.
mev' he cried contritely. And he was
so remorseful that he would not go
near Beth until after supper.
DR.. Mansfield, watching his young
people, saw Elias unhappy face and
wished in his laundering way that he
could help matters along. He liked
Dick and would gladly have welcomed
him into the family. He wondered
why Dick was holding back the i'm
portant question.
Dick himself was wondering that
while he danced the supper dance with
Ella and afterward led her into the
dining room, where supper was spread
dL kEtdL IdDlG WILL Iuduy
tie fianking tables.
The birthday cake was placed be-
fore Ella, and when the time came
she was to cut It.
"There is a ring in it and thimble
and CON-" she told Dick.
"a ring? What does that signify"
he asked carelessly.
ooh, wedding for the lucky finder"
"And the coinT"
"Riches.''
"And the thimbleY'
"Spinsterhood- she sighed.
Now Ella was cutting the cake.
There was much laughter and gay
chatter. Dick noticed that she watch
ed the slices closely as they fell be-
meath the silver knife.
He saw the ring In its twisted waxed
paper plainly imbedded in the cake.
Ella saw it too. The silver knife
poised, trembled and then went swift
ly over to the other side Of the loaf
and began to cut
Dick felt dizzy for a moment, and
then he was glad that he had seen it
in time.
Ella had cheated. She had seen the
ring and was saving it for herself.
All the while Dick was shocked he
was thinking that Beth Page never
would have done such thing. Beth
would have taken whatever luck came
along and gone blithely on her way.
what is the matter?" Elias voice
broke through the gale of merriment
about him.
"Why = why nothing" he STAN
mered.
"Why don't you look happy7" asked
Ella. ''Don't you see what has hap
pened"
Dick looked at the bit of waxed pa.
per in one of her hands and the
sparkling sapphire ring on her right
hand.
81 drew the ringP' she exclaimed
"You drew the ring" he repeated
stupidity.
"And Frank Miller drew the coin.
Frank will be rich"
"And the thimble?" he asked, not be-
cause he cared, but because he was
trying to readjust his thoughts. Ella
had cheated, and he had thought he
loved her.
Now he felt only contempt for her
and pity.
1.-THE thimble," she was saying care
Iessly. "Oh, Beth Page drew the thin
BILE! Isn't it odd that she should draw
the symbol of spinsterhood just when
she is going to marry Frank Millerl
At least that is what every one says"
The next day Dick went away. A
good opening had been waiting for him
In a nearby city, and he had delayed
accepting it because he had been play
Ing with Love. And now that Love
had flouted him he was going away
where amid new scenes he might for
get. Ella had proved herself cheat,
and Beth was going to marry another
man.
When Dick went away from Shrop
ton he did not know that ten years
would elapse before he again set eyes
cil its green loneliness, with the river
winding like a silver ribbon through
the daisied meadows.
/ 1t was summer time when Dick came
back to occupy the big house that his
Uncle Jeffrey had left to him with q
great deal of money. Dick had been
very successful and had made much
money for himself as well, so he plan
ned many changes in the fine old man
sion which during Uncle Jeffrey's her
mit-like existence had been greatly
neglected. Mrs. Phipps, the house
keeper he had brought from town with
him, was having all the carpets and
rugs renovated and the lace curtains
which had been laid away in cedar
chests and closets, aired and mended.
Once he came upon group of chill
dren playing in his orchard. They
scattered at sight of him, and he wa!
sorry, for Dick was fond of children
The httlest one Of all, a fair haired
laddie of four, he caught and swung
high in the air.
"What is your name. young man?
he asked.
FRANKIE Miller" lisped the child.
"And my names Beth Miller" put IL
a fat little girl
Dick gave them some money ant
watched them scamper away through
the hedge.
So these were Beth's childrenl HI
guessed that from their names, al
though the name of Miller was com
mon enough in Shropton.
At dinner that night Mrs. Phipps toll
him that the housekeeping would 500
be completed and the entire hous
ready for occupancy.
(! "All but the lace curtains. Mr.. Aller