Smyrna times., 1917-09-19
m "a ~ ia @ @ - @ NJ IA "a @wl|
: : HIS LAST MATCH :
m BY ISABEL FROST. ~
! "a R Ha E M IN ~ IA N @ @%


The professor had noticed his fell
low travellers but slightly on the trip
to the caves from his hotel at Staun-
ton. He was deep in a description Of
the famous caverns, and making notes
of special features he was anxious to
see.
Another thing, the professor was not
susceptible to feminine influence, how
ever proximitOus. He had been a
guest at the Mountain View hotel for
five weeks, jaunting hither and yon on
his research work, and never had even
the suspicion of romance crossed his
path; but just as they reached the end
Of the road leading to the caves he had
closed his notebook, placed it in his
inner pocket and glanced up to meet
the most interesting eyes he had ever
seen, gazing at him questiOningly.
There were two persons before him
the owner of the eyes and her COM
panion, evidently a relative. The first
was about twenty, her travelling suit
was a dark brown linen, her hat Of
close brown straw, her waist of pom
gee and her eyes and hair were brown.
Her companion, the professor noted
hastily, was somewhere in the uncer.
tain years of spinsterhoOd.
At the entrance to the caves the two
went ahead, as the professor fingered,
1ured by the printed description in the
guide-bookS for sale at the door.
The professor received his torch and
tucked 1t under his arm, absent-mind-
edly, quite as If it had been baton.
He ignored the little box Of safety
matches held out by the man, and
made way into the caves jubilantly.
Far in advance rambled Mollie and
Miss Annabel. It was Mollie's first
trip in vacation time; in fact, it was
her first year as a teacher, and now
instead of keeping her mind firmly on
Miss Annabel'S dissertation on stag
malites and stalactytes, she was won
dering whether every one was inter-
ested in such things, whether that nice
blond boy with the eyeglasses who had
sat opposite to them in the stage really
and truly enjoyed going through
caves on a midsummer day.
She hardly caught what Miss Anna
bel was saying when all at once the
lights went out and they were in pitch
darkness.
''Thank goodness we have our
I torches ~ exclaimed Miss Annabel
thankfully. "Be careful where you
step. The bottomless lake is just be
yond us-or was it the pool Of the
| Gnomes? Do you remember, Mollie?'
'T don't remember anything" re
piled Mollie desperately, land haven't
any matches. What do you suppose
has happened"
| Just then a guides voice sounded
far at the end of the cavern. Some
thing had happened at the power
h plant. The lights would be turned OF
at any instant. Every one was to sta!
on the exact spot where they were an(
:, move at their own peril. Even as h
n said this there came a splash. Not ;
10 loud one, but just as if a stone hat
1t been tossed into the lake, and then ;
voice almost within a few feet o
10 them.
~ 'It's all right" said the professor
y. at was my match safe. I was nerv
III Gus, and it fell from my hands, bu
al I've one last match left. think wei
have to risk it for our torches"
II Haven't you any paper" aske
~ ~ Miss Annabel sharply. ''We coul
70 - twist tapers and conserve the ligh
n supply in this way"
n The professor shuddered. He ha
ne only his notebook, filed with preciOu
Ve data for several magazine articles. II
70 struck the match as a last hope, an
"a. it caught the pitch-dipped tow on tn
al end of his torch. The flare of light re
Id vealed the two on the rocks below hin
n The lights failed to go up, an
ay guides came through the caverns
eey lead all tourists out safely. Miss Al
~ ~ mabel went ahead, while the professo
aided Mollie. At the entrance he hel
We her hand eagerly.
ad ''I think we're stopping at the sam
nd hotel" he said. 81 am Professor VIII
II, throp Of Hartsdale college, Monticell,
he he Ia. Might I calf"
mr. Miss Annabel was visibly impressed
and Mollie disappointed. He had NJ
nd looked one bit like professor.
ch But the professor persevered, an
81 the morning before they were to haV
~ ~ left for the West Miss Annabel tappe
r. at Mollie's door a long while, receivin
re no answer. She had left a note on ht
ry pin cushion that told the whole stor
IN ''Dear Miss Annabel-I know yo
will blame me horribly, but couldn
nu ira bear just to teach school for the ne,
,at twenty years as you have done. Ph
rt. and I have eloped. I hope you wi
ar have a pleasant trip back home. Lo
I'm ingly, MOLLIE."
ne Copyright. 1917, by the Mcclure Newsp