Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1917-03-08

the change for a nickel. Ada entered
the show and sat down ON q board
stretched across three kegs. About a
dozen children were riotously discuss
ing what lay behind the shawl, tackled
up as curtain before an improvIsed
stage.
Ada sat fumbling her ticket Of adj
mission In her nervous fingers. She
had no heart for entertainment or j0l-
lily. Her glance CHANGED to fall to the
ticket In question. reading: admit
One" Then as she turned It over she
uttered sharp cry, arose to her feet
and fastened outside. She sought out
her brother To gaping group Of
urchins who stood outside the charmed
circle, bemoaning the lack of the
precious two cents that would admit
them to a wonderland Of charm and
novelty, she pounced upon Tom.
He was dilating upon the program
about to commence with true show
manlIke feryor and exaggeration. She
checked him By cIutching at his arm,
her face so pale, her eyes so glowing
that Tom stared, half frightened.
Tom" she challenged sharply,
''where did you get the papers to make
these tickets as you call themT"
ut was an old letter I found under
the hat rack" replied Tom, innocently.
fright near the shelf where the folks
put their letters to be mailed. thought
someone had thrown It away"
Ada uttered a positive groan. II was
unmaidenlike, perhaps, but she could
not restrain the expression. The
crumpled ticket ciutched In her hand,
she hurried from the garden. She was
glad to reach the wild stretch Of woods
half mile distant. She reached the
river where the little skin she often
used was beached.
"Oh, to be nlone, all alone-to think,
just think, and cry my heart out !" she
moaned, and once adrift she started to
do that, allowing the frail bark to drift
as Il listed.
Alas for blurred sight and reckless
abandonment 10 grief The boat
struck a rock, overturned, and Ada
with a shock and a scream went under
the surface Of the water. Then a
blank, and. finally restored conscious
ness. she opened her wondering eyes
TO find herself lying on the grassy bank
Of the stream. a mans coat folded up
under her head and It's owner kneeling
hy her side. chatting her cold wet hands
and gazing anxiously upon her.
IL fell overheard" she uttered
family and then sat up and dumbIy
stared NJ her rescuer-ArnolG Leith.
Il was fortunate 10 be near at hand"
he spoke certain constraint In his
tones
Ada was wayering from the fright
aud shock OF her misadventure. Some.
thing IN her face encouraged Arnold to
sit down beside her. his broad shout
ders half supporting her.
when you feel little stronger" he
spoke, you must let me help you
home"
'There--therc IL something to tell
y0n first, NhsR valid. ana there she broke
down, covering her face with her
hands. Then she removed them, but
her eyes evaded his quick, eager
glance.
To-day" she continued, and her
voice sank almost TO a whisper. 'today
I went 20 show"
He stared. Was she becoming deiiri-
onsf Ada was trembling. She had TO
pause for moment
ITO show" she resumed, "and
bought a ticket, and tilt was one Of, a
lot cut from a letter 1 wrote and that
missed the -brother--nistake II
should have gone 20 you"
He thrilled. even amid her Incoher.
ency. Arnold caught a hint OF the
truth.
do you mean that an answer 10
that letter OF mine miscarriedf' he
asked. hts soul In her eyes.
"Yes, that was II, and"
And the letter saidf
She met his glance now. II was all
that was needed. for Ia the depths OF
those b0nny blue eyes Arnold Lelth
read love ineffnble.