The Pulaskian., 1919-01-31
The
Plain Kind
gD
By r. RAY BAKER

Martha Balm was not beautiful.
FrecklesN are not necessarily rocks on
the road of romance. Neither is a
pug nose, nor stringy hair of a rusty
hue But Martha had them all, and
was not given a part in Cupids drama.
That is, she had no part in it until
well, this was the way of it:
Perched behind the desk in Eagle
Heights hotel Martha watched the
summer lads WOO the summer lassies,
and her little heart which really was
very big thumped away unnoticed
and neglected. Perhaps if she had
obtained a polished personality at a
finishing school she might have made
herself interesting to the knights from
the big town; but Martha's father con-
sidered high school education suf-
ficient for his hotel clerk, specially
since people went there in quest Of
the rustic.
Nevertheless Martha often dreamed
when she sat at the edge Of Walloon
lake in the light of the moon, that she
had a knight of her ewn--sometimes
two of them.
Harold Kingsley. came to Eagle
Heights for months recreation from
his literary labors. He was tall and
slim, almost to the point of lankiness,
and he had black hair and deep brown
eyes from which a soul seemed TO
shine.
81 I1n oh
Martha was throwing sticks into the
water for a white fox terrier to chase.
Harold stopped and watched, standing
some distance behind the girl, so she
did not become aware of his pres
ence.
Come on, Knight" she admonished,
and the dog emerged from the water
holding a jagged stick, which he
dropped at the girls feet. Then
Knight spied Harold and went to him
just as a shaking spell seized him.
ooh, beg your pardon. Martha ex-
claimed, when she turned and saw
Harold brushing drops of water from
his clothes. THAT is, knight begs
your pardon
Harold laughed lightly and reaching
down, patted the terrier regardless
of the latter's dripping skin.
Don't bother about the apologies -
he demonstrated. Il can dry out again.
Besides, this is not my best suit. I
have another-honest."
From that time they were friends.
the three of them. Nearly every eve
ming they were together, walking
along the tanbark paths in the woods
or seated in a secluded nook on the
lake shore.
Sometimes he talked to her of the
big town and the sights he had seen
on his travels; at other times he read
or recited poetry.
As the days rolled past their rela-
lions became more intimate, and fire.
quently they talked of personal things.
The man proved fascinating beyond
her most imaginative dreams of
knights, and she held an attraction for
him to which none of the patrons of
the hotel, who were bound to notice
what went on, could reconcile them
selves, especially the feminine ele-
ment, which was in the majority.
One night Harold grasped Marthas
hand and told her.
Martha, somehow, I've come to
care for you a lot"
"WhyY she wanted to know. "Why
do you like me? | know / am not
good looking, and have just loads of
freckles."
He was silent, while he watched
star blink from afar and wondered
whether people lived on it.
Because you are so natural" he
finally said. you're not the least bit
artificial, like most girls know. You
are not tainted from contact with the
world. You are just yourself, and you
don't try to be anything else. And do
you know, I'm rather fond of freckles,
particularly that one on the end of
your nose"
The next night-it was nearly a
month since his first appearance at
Eagle Heights-his manner was en-
tirely different. He answered her in
monosyllables and appeared wrapped
in thought.
''Why are you SO very different to-
night?" she asked. They walked on
and came to the steps of the hotel
veranda before he answered.:
''Pll tell you. Today l received
word that Elizabeth Ross, the girl
am engaged to marry, is coming here
tomorrow. She expects to stay sew
eral days, and then | am to go back
with her. hated to tell YOU"
She left him there on the steps and
went to her bed, where soon she was
sobbing herself to sleep. He went out
on the dock and found a bench and
sat smoking his pipe for full hour,
thinking
Elizabeth Ross took the place by