The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-10-22

uillS SOrl OIL tnlng is so exhaust
ing. Therefore, played with my
self for-courage to demand it. 1
knew by your looks you were in doubt
about having it-for fear Of giving aid
and comfort to the enemy"
Did Dick say anything?" Elena be-
gan.
A stamp of feet, budding swish
of wet garments, interrupted her, and
made answer superfluous. The door
was flung wide without knocking.
showing outside Dick, shaking rain
drops from his bare head, and half
dragging forward a girl obviously i'll
at ease.
Saved p he cried dramatically at
sight of the lighted spirit lamp. "But
please, oh please, ma'am, don't mock
the furnishing with snowflake sand
wiches and fairy tea cakes. You see
before YOU two desperate adventurers,
marooned by the rnin since-'vay.
way before lunch time, up on the
cliffside, overlooking the water. Ledge
sheltered us-thought it was but n
shower and stuck. Now, I feel in my
bones there's cold chicken in the ice
box, with all the trimmings. NAV
go get itY'
No, | will do it While you and HUI
bert make Miss Danforth comfort
able" Elena said with her very finest
manner She had before that shaken
hands with entire correctness, and set
Maria down in her own place beside
the hearth, upon which two hickory
logs smoldered in a veil of gray
ashes
Maria looked after her retreating
figure, her lips pursuing a little. Il
wish we had gone on" she said I'M
der her breath to Dick, who knelt be-
side her unlacing her wet shoes.
Provoked as he was with his
motherly cousin he could not helm
wishing the shoes were different
less clumsy in build, in shaping.
Until then he had not noted how
fiat was Maria's foot. Moreover.
there were actually holes in her
stockings, not such as a mornings
tramp would explain and excuse, but
big, generous gaps at both heels and
toe. The wearer surveyed them tran
gully, as she stretched her foot to-
ward the fire. Zone more wear will
finish them," she said. 81 never darn
stockings--it is such waste of time
and eyesight."
LET me lend you dry stockings"
Elena said. coming in with heavily
laden tray.
Hubert sprang up to relieve her,
smothering grin as he turned his
back to the fires:de.
Maria looked up doubtfully. 81 don't
know that / can get on yours" she
said. you have such little feet. Don't
you hate to feel they would incapaci-
tate you in any great emergency?"
I'm unlikely to encounter emergen-
cies greater than the present" Elena
said gravely, dropping her lids to veil
the satisfaction in her eyes. 1t was
bred by what she had surprised in
Dicks speaking face-a rueful dis
gust that made her heart leap. "Be
off to wash your hands and face, sir,"
she said to him in her manner of 10
years back. you are smudge all
down behind one ear-and have snip
on your nose. No-you cannot have
one tiny bit of anything while you
keep dirty face"
I'm going to have something
stockings can watt" Maria said,
reaching for bread and butter and
taking slice at two bites. "Maybe
you've never been real hungry" to
Elena. Il could eatsmy grandmother
right now-if there were nothing
else.''-
"How about your husband? The
way Madame Spider does?" Hubert
asked, his eyes twinlling.
Dick had vanished obedientiy Elena
was busy pouring tea.
"Three Jumps, please-and make it
half cream at least" Maria said I'M
asked.
Elena obeyed, with little lowering
smile.
Maria had wheeled so far about the
holey-stocking was in full evidence.
Dick, coming back much freshened,
was aghast at the parade of them.
you'd better go change" he said with
touch of authority. 'You don't
mind us, of course-but other people
may drop in
"What If they do?" Marin answered
with the least shrug, instantly setting
her beautiful white teeth deep in a
chicken wing, held between finger and
thumb. 'T'm not deceitful-anybody
may know all about me. And
| couldn't get three toes in Miss Gary's
slippers"
"How about mine?" Hubert broke in,
rushing to his bedroom and return
ing with a pair Of handsome soft
sandals.
Maria slipped her feet in them with
the air of one who submits to sense
less prejudice for the sake of peace.
Surveying her extremities she ran
along acidly: "You see 1 was right
we really ought to have gone on home.
THERE am understood"
''How fortunate?' Edna made haste
to say. also how uncommon. Most
geniuses have had to contend with
! their nearest and dearest"
'That was because they went about
things wrong" Maria interrupted con-
fidently you'll always get your own
way, if you make people actually know
You won't put up with less"
Dick looked away-sick and cold
with the peril he had so narrowly es-
capped He had never seen this side
Of Maria-she could be, when she
chose. whimsically charming, even
brilliant. She had made a creditable
beginning in literature-her success
lost nothing in the telling either by
herself or her subdued but adoring
family. He had been fascinated-on
the verge of proposing, never noting
things now so patent, hurt and angry
because Elena had decried his choice