The daily Alaskan., 1917-08-15

My ddSIF--- -4 COlpdulOuS were 5lJ- ting or s5p.5stte sides of the table.
 Parton sLe," I murmured. T be- lieve that you have not met. Mrs. Green, this is Lipton s. Clair"
 "Is he the one who wrote the article about fastingT' Mrs. Green asked me, again ignoring her vis-a-vis.
 "He is," I admitted.
 Mrs. Green said nothing further.
 T presume" Clair stated sOurly, Mrs. Green has forgotten that she stuck a hatpin through my thumb less than half an hour ago"
 Tt was not a hatpln. It was a safe ty pin bent out straight. was afraid 1t would not reach. Was that your thumb you held over the keyhole"
 Tt was. suppose you are sorry 1t was not my eye"
 I could see that the more we talked the worse the situation would get, so l Interrupted them. "We might as well go back" suggested wearily, survey ing my companions. q am going to the mainland, Mrs. Green, and I can leave you at home as go hy." You're not going away, MT. Blai- neyT Mrs. Green asked, with mother ly kindness.
 ''Yes," answered.
 "What's the matter?" she Queried gently. Lucille? You mustn't let her ffckleness hurt you. She has fads in beaus as well as fads In foods and ex- erCises."
 l assured her with what dignity I had left that l would prefer to con- slider my visit at an end.
 When we descended to the shore to embark on the Merry Widow, Mrs. Green took one look at the lake and fatly declined to travel by boat until 1t was calm.
 T don't know how l came over here couldn't have been in my right senses even to start, but I certainly am per fectly sane now, and as long as l re- main so I intend to stay on dry land while a storm is in progress"
 But your daughter will worry" I protested. Lucille has been very near ly distracted for twenty-four hours"
 "She might better be distracted to- day than m orphan on her mothers side tomorrow. Anyway, I'll telephone her that I'm all right"
 But We cant leave you here" I re- hewed my argument, "and I have to go back"
 "Perhaps the gentleman here"- Mrs Green began.
 "No," Clair decliBOd, looking at his thumb. "I have to be in Fair View before morning to prevent my friends marriage"
 You can't go into Fair View wear Ing a Mother Hubbard" I reminded him.
 Well, I can stop and get my own clothes"
 "On Greens island7 And meet Miss Dunmore again"
 "Pd forgotten about her. What can do?"
 Stay right here and I'll send the boat back with a suit of clothes in an hour"
 "Is the lady, Mrs. Green, a wife or a widowT
 "She has a husband living"
 "All right then. My own clothes that I came ashore in this morning are on a line on the back porch. Send them back soon. I don't know what I should do If Mrs. Green should fall In love with me-"
 I surveyed him from the hem of his skirt to the tip of his beard. "As long as you have those clothes on," grave Iy assured him, you're as safe as a dollar at the bottom of the sea-"
 Before I left Mrs. Green telephoned to Lucille and told her that she was safe. l took the liberty of ransacking the pantries and storeroom of the Huntingdon house for supplies and carried away enough timed stuff to assure the garrison at Greens island at least one square meal
 Bill and myself embarked alone. l carry with me yet in memory the pie ture of Mrs. Green and Lipton S. Clair as l left them, two strangely clad fig ures, one in red ball gown, the other in a calico wrapper and whiskers, hob nObbing over pot of tea.