Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-07
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
BY Mary Douglass.
A TEMPTING OFFER.
pTER XIV

Mrs. KimbalI said, as she came into m,
room the next afternoon, IL am yer,
lonely and it means a great deal TO have
you with me-
We had spent the morning at the
Red Cross work rooms, for | saw that
Mrs. kimball meant TO keep me busy
Working there among strangers, | could
forget myself and the weary planning that
| was doing for Peggy. For now, since
mothers death, feel wholly responsible
for her. 1t is the one thing ] can still do
| for mother.
"We will have tea in here" Mrs Kim
ball motioned to the sunny sitting room,
on the second floor, n riot of growing
plants that seemed a part of the quaint
old English chintz and older furniture.
| The more ! have come to know Mrs.
kimball, the more | realize the house is
part of her. The old, old furniture, of
which each piece has history, seems to
| breathe kimball tradition. Now | see
more clearly that Jamie never could have
wished to marry me. l. who had none
| of the things that must tie essential To
! him.
| Mrs kimball came into the room with
| q flushed face and trenulous smile a
| letter from Jamie, she said, 'vou will
| pardon me-
In some strange way, all feeling for
Jamie that was pain and aching hunger,
| had melted away in these last few weeks
In the greater sorrow Of mothers death, |
found nothing left of bitterness from that
other pain that jamie did not love me
suppose | shall always love him but il, f,
will no longer hurt me and make me
miserable.
Listen to this" Mrs kimball read
II ~
often | do think of YOU. and the ia
miliar things of home seem sometimes
nearer than they did then. Zach day
brings me one dav nearer home and yo,I-
we are going into the big fight now and all
our former engagements seem like child's
play, compared TO this offensive
| wont read you any more, she ca
planned, the rest is very hard TO hear,
and harder still to believe true
| knew she wanted to spare my feel
ings, now. at this time
Mrs kimball put down tho letter
You and Jamie were great friends,
she began II ALWAYS felt that YOU under
stood him better than other people You
mean a great deal to him-you need not
toll ne
At first did not understand what
she meant then understanding came
in a great flash JAMES mother believed
that was engaged 70 Jamie; believed
that he loved mel The color swept over
me like warm covering
Taking MI my courage. | said, Mrs,
kimhal | don think you understand
| stopped How | hated to go on and
tell has mother that he did not love met
She would know how felt for him Not
the words alone would betray me, but
the keen insight that mother love gives
to d woman. Still IL was the only honor
able thing to do.
Jamie and L" began bravcly
Someone 10 see Mrs. kimball,' said
the maid al the door
Mrs kimball rose to leave me. The
confession was still on my lips; but il
had to wait And felt weakly thankful
| was alone now. and strange restless
ness caught me in its grip. If | could walk,
il would be better.
went TO my room and put on the
black hat and the black suit that protected
me from pcoplc-that made them under
stand. would walk.
Outside the AIR was crisp. almost
biting, and | fell into the quick stride Of
these other people who were hurrying
past me with some purpose in their lives.
| walked on and on, all the familiar
sights Of the great city bearing me along
its tide. Motors whirred past and smartly
dressed pedestrians hurried by. Down a
meaner street, came on a dark-browed
foreigner and at the corner, there, a
group OF urchins about the farlng light of
. chestnut stand.
motor drew up at the curb and a
woman stepped out The faint trail |
of volets hoated 10 me, as she rustled |
past Then-there was hand on my |
arm and voice | knew
Miss Richards
"Mrs. Newton"
Before | knew it | was IN the car with |
Ter and answering her quick, probing
I.estions.
Yes, | was all alone now ] would |
70 back to school, | supposed. Oh yes,
hated il, but what else was there to do?
was dependent on myself
Why can't YOU come to live with |
ne? BE my companion; run my car
nd all that sort Of thing, you know
'an YOU run a car? Well, you can learn
asily enough" Mrs Newton land the
Ian, full-gr0wn, before me in a few flash
ng sentences.
Il could pay you; let 5 see, about forty
ollars month DO you think you would
Ike it?"
Could l think ii over" / asked
''In few days, then, telephone me, and
re VIII make final arrangements
The motor stopped before Mrs Kim
all's door And | was mounting the
teps must think II out and see If it
ere the better way Forty dollars a
Ionth is only about FIVE hundred dollars
year am getting nine hundred in my
nachlng; YET out Of that | must pay all
~ living expenses for mothers little
cnsion died with her 1t would not be
asy to decide except that hated
eachng
unrinned my hat and saw white
nvclope on my dressing table \ letter
ON Peggy?
ORGANIZE SOCIAL CLUB.