The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-02-07
Third Tines CHARM
BY CATHARlNE CRANMER.

They say it's hard to get babies or
widowers through their second sum-
mers," mumbled Jack Ellis to himself,
put it'll be a miracle if 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 possibil-
tiles OF the case. He was in love with
Dorothy, but would not be in 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
rather foolish certainty of success,
Jack made 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
| 1t 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
j, Dorothy in and drove off 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 uI
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 a big
: limousine coming toward them halted
and Dorothys father called her name
as he stepped from the door.
"Ardmore's chauffeur telephoneC
that there had been an accident so
started out to see if l could find yol
along the way. It's lucky we met here
in the light" concluded John Leigh.
Jack accepted their cordial invita-
ton to tea, consoling himself with !;
2 vague recollection of the alleged
2 charm of ali third attempts agains
$ failure, and he determined that b.
S would make a third attempt to pro
{ pose before he left Dorothy.
Dorothy was charmingly flushed an
:, exuberant. In the little family grou1
: Jack began to feel quite at home
V though he was longing for an oppol
~ RI no oil l,o
a frightened servant girl burst int
the living room screaming that tn
house was on fire.
!. Dashing up the back stairwa
n where the frightened maid pointed
Jack smelled burning cotton, and i
= the maids room on the third floor b
/ found the Swiss window curtains ha
dropped in burning fragments upo
the mating floor covering. Grabbin
a small rug from the hallway foo
he extinguished the flames startin
from the mating just as Dorothy, he
parents and the excited maid entere
!, the room. While Mr.. and Mrs. Leig
talked to the girl, Dorothy searche
Jacks hands for burns, two of whic
she foHnd, and she marched him dow
stairs to administer first aid
"Oh, Jack! It's too bad" she mu.
4 INJURED in fearful voice, as she CAV
! the bandage a final pat. Does it hun
so very much?'
: Hurt? Why, it's heavenly, Do
othyn Jack exclaimed Dorothy woI
dered what he meant, but when b
! heard her fathers voice on the stat
: way, he lost no time in making hi
meaning quite clear
The third time charms, Jack
;. whispered Dorothy, "and I'm glad yo
. didn't succeed in telling me the othe
I times you tried, for / didn't know III
! til five minutes ago that loved you
Copyright 1915. by the Mcclure Newsps