Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-12-29


probable tale. But the I,stpinT' he
asked dryiy You're rather expert at
that trick. aren'tyour
1--WE often got In tlNt way" she re-
piled. Its quite simple with a GER
tain sort Of window catch. The outer
shutters were locked In the lower part
Of the house. That's why / had to
climb up by way Of the tree"
And your Manner Jack Inquired
tersely.
The girl flashed her white teeth at
him. Cecilia Celtone,p she said. ss-
= To him the name sounded az sanciful
ias her story. He recalled none like It
among his sisters acquaintance.
= you might" he suggested hopefully,
"have some means of Identification. a
card, perhaps. in your purseT
His prisoner raised her brows. "Cyn-
thia has my purse, too" she said. Then
with sudden, graceful, beseeching
gesture, she put out her hands to him.
. Pity died ont Of Hayden,s heart.
o''You consummate actressr' he en-
claimed s.s.
The girl turned from him quietly.
well" she asked, what are you 60
ing TO do about itT'
Through the silent house came the
long and imperative summons of a
bell Jack swung about impatiently.
+ You'll have to come with me-" he
assaid. Its the front door"
A. Deliberately Miss Celia Celtone set
tied herself in great chair, her hands
firmly grasping Its sides 81 won't go
a step" she affirmed
VERY well" Jack answered shortly,
and advanced to the open window. IT
am here. he called. "No, this way;
round to the right. That's It. Now,
who Is there?" -sas
Messenger" answered a concise
voice from below. Come down and
sign for u package" ,f. ......
Jack muttered an imprecation as his
sleeve caught upon d nail. you will
have to come with me now" he stern
ly told his prisoner; but, as he released
his sleeve and turned about, no rebel
lious young woman awaited In the
great chair. The room was empty.
Headlong he rushed down the stair.
The street door stood open. (which
wayr he wildly inquired Of. the mes
senger, but as that person was just
rounding the path information could
not be gained from that source.
Mechanically Jack signed the book
held out to him, Tuning silently that
this hooking, reckless maid should
have SO outwitted him. Still absorbed,
he drew the wrapplngs from the bum
die delivered at so late an hour. fail
ing to notice in his abstraction that
the name of the address was not his
own. A woman's dainty purse pre-
scented itself to his view. while from
Its violet interior he brought forth a
note. The handwriting was unmis-
takably his sisters. lie read perplex-
eddy:
Dearest Celia-We are rushing on to-
ward Buffalo. and from there l will for
ward your purse with Its valuables and
very necessaries | have scandalized the
passengers by laughing continually. since
our ihasty parting at the station can't
forget the panic stricken expression oil
your face as my train moved OF SO UNI
expectedly-you reaching after your de-
parting purse. ] waving 1t frantieally In
| your direction | declare | should have
| thrown II at you had II not been for your
watch inside Why. oh. why. dear girl.
could you not have been satisfied with my
assurance that | had dropped the house
key into your purse without handing 1t
through the car window that | might
show you just where / had placed 1t? l
can only hope that you. poor, penniless
child in an unknown town. will at least
have the courage to wait upon my door
step until the messenger brings this to
you Remember | shall not rest until
you telegraph tomorrow lovingly.
CYNTHIA
Helplessly big Jack Hayden col
lapsed into chair. Remorse and
shame and regret settled deeply upon
him And he had held this plucky, re-
sourceful little woman at the muzzle
of six shooter. had sneered at her
unfortunately truthful tale, had driven
her from her only possible shelter
alone into the night. Her little white
blouse was very thin. he remembered,
and her jacket still chung to the porch
pallngs where she had relieved herself
OF IT, Ye gods and little fishes, but
he had been an ass and several kinds
OF fool, Where could she go at this
hour of the night?
Desperately Jack wandered among
the flowers of the garden. Something
moving at its farther end attracted his
attention. but 1t was only the ham
mock swayed by breeze Closer In
spectlon revealed white object in the
depth of the hammock and-yes--it
was she, the little outcast girl. a
Persian kitten cuddled drowsily against
her cheek. With sudden, overwhelm-
ing wave of tenderness Jack bent and
picked the girl up in his arms No
word he spoke until he had placed her
safely inside the house.
Good night" said Jack, all be
back tomorrow
Just one week later Miss Cynthia,
receiving no response to her insistent
ringing OF the front door bell, passed
inquiringly round to the rear. A
Swaying hammock here gave the only
evidence of life about the place. A
mans broad and strangely familiar
shoulders showed above the back OF
the hammock. and against one Of these
shoulders rested woman's fair head
Jack" cried Miss Cynthia aghast
land Celia Celtone! | didn't know you
had met. Who could have introduced
your
mo one could" Jack answered
pleasantly. so we waited for you. Our
meeting was-er-rather unexpected"