The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1918-01-17
TO Her ADVANTAGE
BY HILDa MORRIS.

; Copyright. 1871 by the Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicate)
/. Back in Stanton old Ellis Stevens
boOkshOp was famous place, fol
{ friendly gatherings and gossip. IT
hospitable table full Of magazines, its
big base-burner with a fire glimmerins
/ red through the micl windows. its we'll
! lined displays of paper. pens and Other
literary appliances made it Il popular
place for evening gatherings Young
Ellis had been brought up in that
bookshop; he loved the very sight and
| touch of book. So when ambition
drove him to the city with little cap
! ital it was natural that he should start
bookshop Of his own. This was q
modest place at first, but it grew rap
/ idly, as some shops have a way of do.
| ing.
There was one young girl who came
into the shop rather often. Ellis had
| noticed her once or txice-she seemed
to be always reading magazines,
though she seldom bought more than
. a pen or an eraser. Ellis Stevens,
J watching her out particular morn
ing when there We're few other Gus
toners. felt a growing conviction that
he had seen that girl before some.
whEre. He stared after her as she
left the shop. Where had he known
that girl: In Stanton: It was Pos.
sible.
The girl did lot appear that day,
however, and Ellis made s discovery
She had forgotten something. On tbs
counter near where she had stood lay
book, {; well,hunlbeti copy o. Pen
dennis. And on its fy-,es2f was writ
ten, Rose Maxwell, S1an1on, New
York"
Rose Maxwell! He remembered
now. She was one OF the iEnumerable
+ Maxwell family who lived in the old
gray farmhouse out on the GreenviIle
road. He had seen her in school, per.
haps, or at the church affairs. She
would come back for the book, OF
course.
But the weeks went by and Rose
Maxwell did not return to the shop
It was strang-she had been in the
habit Of dropping in every day or so,
before.
A month or SO later Ellis made q
flying visit to Stanton, and there he
learned that Rose Maxwell had not
returned home. She was writing short
stories, it seemed; one of her produc.
tions was in last months Spectrum
Ellis got her address from friends
without any trouble, and hurried back
to town. He meant to find Rose Max.
we!l-of course it was his duty to re.
turn that book.
So the following Sunday Ellis Stew.
ems, carrying "Pendennis," called at
Rose N1axwell's clearinghouse. AT
homogeneous landlady met him at the
brown-stone entrance. Miss Maxwell
had moved. No, she didn't know he1
present address. No, she couldn't give
him any idea as to where to find her
she had moved some weeks ago. Sc
the following morning this notice ap
peared in the columns Of a daily pa.
per:
If the young lady who left a copy
of :Pendennis' in Stevens book store
at Eighty-third street will come to
claim her property she will learn OF
something to her advantage"
1t was rather a remarkable adyer
tisement, but it brought results. Rose
Maxwell came. Ellis was busy with
an old gentleman who was fussily
purchasing an edition Of the English
poets, and it was some time before he
could speak to Rose.
After an interminable while the old
gentleman departed, and Ellis APP
preached the girl. She was still read
ing, but she looked up with smile.
Ellis thought she was pale and a lit.
tie thinner. Perhaps she had been i'll,
after ALL
'Was it you who advertised my
Pendennis?' she asked. 1T was ]
who left it here, several weeks ago."
Il know it was" he answered. 81
thought you would come back after it.
NuitSO Uilu Nillcu DeIOre auNSr-
tiSed-because-"
"Because?' she repeated curiously.
"Because thought Id find you, Miss
Rose Maxwell. You see l knew YOU
that is l remembered seeing you in
Stanton, and l tried all sorts Of ways
to find you. I looked in the directory.
Why, l even went back home to STAN
ton to find your address-but found
you'd moved"
She was looking at him curiously,
her eyes wide.
"I'nt why should you take so much
troubie?' she asked. "The book is of
no value"
mo, but-well, wanted to see you.
I had to see you again. Don't you
Sec"
She looked down, her face flushed,
and stroked the edge of the counter.
"NOt exactly" she said.
"Why I-I-You little Rose Maxwell,
love You. Don't you see? l had to
see You again and tell you SO. whether
you could care Or not. I loved you
from the first minute you set foot in
my Shop
She looked up, starry-eyed.
'That's why you advertised 'solne-
thing to my advantage: she asked.