Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-03-21
CHAPTER LIy,


still sat in the library, knitting busily
on Khaki colored sweater. She re-
called Tom Chambers question as to
whether she could knit. He should
come and find her engaged with her
patriotic work. When he rang the
bell she would go to the door with
the half-hnished sweater in her
hands.
But the door bell did not ring as
soon as she expected. Four thirty
came and still her caller did not ar
rive. What could have detained him
She remembered with a throb OF
gratitude that it was against the law
to sell liquor to men in uniform. One
OF the many corner saloons could not
be keeping Tom from her
At 8 o'clock she could stand the sus-
pense no longer and telephoned the
Chandler home. The maid answered.
DIR. Chandler was out. So was Mrs
Thomas. He had gone out at 2
o'clock.
Two o'clock! If he had come di-
dectly to Mildred, what "a lovely after
noon he and she would have had to-
gether!
She returned to the library, and,
switching on the electric light-for
the afternoon was cloudy--tried to
read. But only for a few minutes
Ihe tinkle of Mrs. Higgins bell sum-
moned her to the invalids room.
L Just rang to ask you to turn on
my light" Mrs. Higgins explained.
HAS your caller gomez"
My caller has not arrived yet"
Mildred replied fretfully. 1T is too
bad, for l had counted on having
somebody to keep me from being lone
ly and to get my thoughts off of poor
Arthur's trouble and his fathers ILL
ness"
disappointment
Her voice broke. She was cha
srined and disappointed, but the lis
tener attributed the quavering ac-
cents to natural depression.
And you have to take your din
ner alone, too!" Mrs. Higgins sympa-
thized. What a shame! When your
friend comes, why not ask her to stay
to dinner?"
OH" Mildreds ejaculation was
fraught with astonished delight.
That's lovely idea! I'll tell Katie
you proposed it,"
Yes. do" Mrs. Higgins advised.
ure. Hark! There's the door bell
now. Don't stay here for a moment
longer, my dear. Run down and well
come your friend"
Mildred needed no second bidding,
but in her haste to obey she did not
neglect to shut Mrs. Higgins door
behind her.
Tom Chandler greeted her genially
as she admitted him.
Hello! I'm bit late, l guess"
"A bit late!" the girl scoffed, II
expected, you two hours ago. But
If you can stand a short call, 1 can"
But L can't stand it," he declared
laughingly. And I'm not going home
until your dinner is ready. l was
awfully disappointed not to get here
sooner, but l must go back to camp
tomorrow, and there were some things
l had to attend to this afternoon
military matter, you see."
''Oh, you go tomorrow"
Yes, l do"
where are you dining?" Mildred
inquired.
AT home" Tom replied. why do
you ask?"
why not dine here?" she suggest
ed, her eyes bright with anticipation.
You see," she hurried on, Il am all
alone to dinner. Mrs. Higgins want
ed me to ask some friend in. Why
not let it be your"
Good" he calculated. II told my
mother not to expect me until she
saw me. But L must leave by 8
o'clock" he added casually.
Tom Is Willing
That will give us several hours to
talk in." the girl said. "Of course,
If you are going back to camp to-
morrow, your mother will have a
right to claim you for part of this
evening"
"Of course" he echoed. "It is the
least 1 can give her-for she had been
fine about sparing. me to so where
1 pleased"
, Then the pair seated themselves
in the library and Mildred took up her
knitting.
"I thought" the man teased, that
you would never do any knitting
when you had a guest-that it was
not complimentary to him."
$50 | did," she admitted. But, you
see, L want to get this sweater done"
You mean that you want to prove
to me that you know how to knit"
he accused.
She flushed and put the sweater
into her knitting bag. This mans
ability to see through her ruse was
slightly disconcerting. Yet she liked
his cleverness. He was much more
exhilirating than Arthur ever was.
One reason" he said daringly, af-
ter moments silence, that do not
like you to knit is that l may want
to take your hand frequently, and the
needles interfere"
Yes, she parried. only last eve
ming you said that Honoras fingers
looked so pretty when she was knit
ting that you liked to watch them"
But yours look so much prettier
that 1 want to hold them" he argued.
That is just the difference in the ef-
feet produced upon me by you two
girls, my dear"
The sound of Katies footsteps in