Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-08
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
by Mary Douglass.
A THIN GOLD CHAIN.

| The paste hardened on my fingers; ano
! tho yellow paper which was cut so care
fully, curIed tantalizingly. | pasted thu
last strip Of wall paper in its place, scarce,
ly breathing rs one edge tore and tht
other refused to stick. Donel sat dowr
on the table and reviewed my work.
Perhaps those edges, joined so plainly
with wet paste, would dry out. If they did
not, it would give the paper strange
| striped effect. | had thought IT would bt
so easy-that it would take only day, at
most. But had been working three days
steadily and this is the result. :,
| laughed helplessly at the queer wall
holding to the table. A blond head, sud
denly thrust in through the window, cried
| What's the joker"
Look" | laughed and waved help
lessly at my streakcd wall.
| Howard Parks surveyed my work and
| then broke into irresistible mlrth. 80
that's why ! haven't seen you for the last
three davst" he exclaimed, Gone into the
paper hanging business. ! say, would YOU
do over my STUDY
''Never''' answered This ls my last
attempt nj that kind OF work. Now run
away I've got to make some chair seats
and n couch cover.
wouldn't vou Just like To drive over "a
Mary palrymple's? She likes you aw-
fully ="
mot today answered, resisting the
temptation, "Good-by. See you when I'm
all through.
The blond head disappeared from my
window and fell To work on cutting out
nv couch cover and the pillow coverings.
had found IN the general store, piece OF
crctonnC, sprinkled over with yellow roses
that would make delightful scheme with
my sunny paper. Mr.. ltiggs had pulled IT
down from the top shell above the worn
counter and brushed II of with his big,
horny hand. Ten cents n yard, he had
said, cyeing me doubtfully. But even |,
felt could afford that
Ever since peggy's letter had come, |
had realized must make the homestead
as attractive ms | could for that beauty
loving little soul
NV own he'd room had arranged for
her DAINTY, it looked, with the fresh
white paint and the dimity bed spread
The curtains which | had made Of cheap
dotted swiss, dcficd even q close inspcc
ton Even the ono little char WAS painted
white and had gay-colofcd seat Of rose
color
Perhaps ! could finish the chairs
thought before tho lamp needed to be
| lighted had tackled STRIPS Of unbleached
muslin. that | had found In unole's old
chest of drawers To one end of the scat
| and now | was plating IT back and forth
like q child's kindergarten paper To
morrow should paint this seat and IT
would look like the real thing
Hello. there
lifted my head from the chair seat
and blnhed at the figure entering the
door Peggy,
Peggy darling I cried and flung my
arms aruuad her
Peggy returned my embrace carelesslv
" hat nrc YOU dong here IN the dark.
Hazel oh. ] am 50 tired and hungry. II :
wretchcd trip MP on that slow tram.
thought | should never get here. If |
hadn't met man IT that funny little
station, don't know how ! ever should
have arrived
Peggy flung of her hat. while | stopped
70 light the lamp. As | turned | gave an
exclamation ot surprise
What have YOU done?'' ! gasped, look
ing AT her open mcuthed.
My hair, you mcau?" laughed Peggy,
Il had It cut of rather q bother to put up,
and all that"
But your beautiful. long hair that
reached to your wai>t Oh, Peggy, how
could vou?'
Don't you like me this way?'
] admitted 10 myself that no one could
resist her, rs she lifted her oval face, made
more elhn by the short brown hair that
curlcd 40 bewitchingly about her cheeks
and temples
If YOU arc gong to he sad about it.
| Just won't stav. Peggy fared in a srd-
den gust OF temper.
''Of course YOU have right To do as
you choose ! SAID softly, but that castle
craze was all over a year ago.
Il did IT for comfort. Peggy said, and
shook her bobbed hair defiantly about her
face
We went silently TO the room / had
arranged for her. did not like TO ask her
WHY she had left so suddenly and come TO
me without warning and she vouchsaied no
explanation.
A nuns cell, she cried, looking about
the small white room by the light OF the
candle.
you slip out of your clothes, while |
get YOU something to eat. ! suggested
and unbuttoned the difficult first button
at the back of her frock. As her dress
slipped off, something that caught the
light in rosy CLEANS turned and twisted on
a tbread-like chain at her neck. should
not have thought of it, had not Peggy
turned suddenly from me and covered it
with a swift motion of her slender hand.
'Ill call you, when it ready Peggy, "
] said and left her -here, stepping out of
her pink silk underwear that made her
seem even more like an elf-child.
When she came, several minutes later,
into the dining room, | observed that the
thin gold chain was no longer about her
neck.
Tomorrow-Left Out.