Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-23
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
by Mary Douglass
THE SIGNPOST.
('haDt.cr XII

| III sptfu Tie week ffln Win Ill
: sister in Southampton
had also told her Of my reluctance to r
II haven't anything really appropriat
to wear, Mother and beside, I'm no
awfully comfortable with Inck +"
Let ne look out for the clothes end
Mother said more eagerly than | hn.
! heard her lately Resides II will be q nic
change for YOU. Hazel after the first fcv
weeks OF teaching ="
acknowledged the latter part o
Mothers sentence readily enough; for
do love the open country, especially II
thelate autumn. with all the glorious color
When ! came IN Thursday afternoon
after school, fonnd Mother in my room
looking over my elothel Where II tha
pretty azure dress, you wore when jam,
was here" Mother nsked
oh | couldn't wnar that ex
claimed, Il never want to soc that agar
Very well dear, wcre Mothers
gentle words
~ want totell you about grandmother 8
miniature. stumbled over the words
and n painful fusl burned into my face
| Il sold IL | expected fo buy II
back | could get no farther
ut was YOURS Ia do with MS you chose
| Where is that old tan Jersey -
| How like Mother to ask me no questions.
| and Judge my actions So charltably Up
until this moment ! bad l,cen reluctant
To rn Ia southampton had even 'h,ug. (
of an excuse on the way home ! would
telephone Jack this evening But Mother
seemed So ANXIOUS that ! should gp, thnt
| felt II the least ! could possil Il do,
after her unapokcn forgiveness
80 Friday afternoon found me With my
haR carefully pneked nnd drer cd IN
8 linn dark bluc suIt that Mother Ind
ln'iSt"d on ~, ftirg | r. ste my vel
before the living room rnantel and smiled
to think of the preparations for this wee
end Mother had Insisted TINT | wear her
sparkling hlnck earrings and take her
beaver cape that had come into fashion
again. Peggy had brought INC 4 pair of
smart tan gloves Of suede and even old
Eliza had AN offering
Il never done use this han k ch ef
chic, shc sald proudly displaying a
riik handkerchief with border of blue, :
and wants you to take IL fer good luck
"You might think was going on my
Ion oon instead of just thc quietest
week end, laughed
ElizR mumhlcd something about
coming events. ~ shc shuffied out of
the room
In the street below. heard the hnnk
of motor car cs II Was Jack IN his
auto kissed Mother guad by aud flew
down the stairs As ! stepped INTO the eaF
and Jack settled nv wraps ani Tag. had
swift picture Of what tins would bc like
# lamlc were only taking mc instead of
Jack The old, aickenlng longing carne back
with q naddcning rtiah Nhy ~ life so
crurl Why is II that tho thing VIZ long for
most - denied ue
Jack was beside mr. now and We wcrc
threading our WAY through cliy streets
tn tho lower part nf tho city could not
hut admire h,s easy sklllful handling of
tho car as We ,wersod and turned and
Rhicd INTO Fifth Avenue
II Ma bout Tour q clock when ~ were
travelling the amnoth roads Of Long
Island, past pretty villages and long
reaches If country that held the bright
tlnts oi fall | 4ai there dreaming. pre-
tending that thp aas Janle beside mc
| was recalled rudely
DO you know. liatol you're Jolly
pretty with that look IN your eyes
| turned 4 startled gaze on Jack, for
] did not like the tone of his voice. nor i
the way he looked ut mo-with something /
y ou re IA good pert. arcl. you dear
Il hope -. | said family
What 90 vou say we lnsc South
ampton never get there 1t ail'@
! don't I,now what you mean |
said. stsrtlcd
lack Madden laughed harslly and
sid y hat ohili you arr
began - talk new, fer felt ureon- !
Portable IL he silence and the darkness
that aa~ ~l.rouding tie rad ON all sidts t
# Us We flashed past little road housc
hat peepcd otit n rs from the trees t
Then, with !, sudden wrench and Jerk We
stopfci
Bv Jovc' Exclaimed lack swnp.g F
pen the door He was cut IN the country T
Dad. examining the engine i say. he
'asd ceming back tn me we ve get engine
rofi lc and W aait be allie To 60 Any
ar ser to-IIaft | think saw a place
tack ere
fd. myself stiffti BY some intuition
k.tU hat Jack waS not telling me the
rVi9. fer . moment | grew almost weak
.hd puwcriesS W hat could | do Why
i.'ud | suspect hIm2 That sort Of thing
lever really happened lie leaned near
= me IN the darkness, aud then knew my
rst thought had been right There wit~
hat dangerous CLEAN in hls eyes that had
harmed me before My heart pounded
Dudly IN my ears At all costs | would
iot 60 back 10 that road house that had
cen farther back
ahead OF me | saw y signpost whose
ytitcneas showed in the light thrown by
amps To gam time. | jumped out and
cad it ITS only mile To PatcneuIe
mere II be garage there, surely" 3 IL
Il suppose SO, Jack answered sullenly
"I'll wait in the car shall l2t' | asked
Still sullen, Jack staretd off down the
pad
Monday Chance Meeting.