Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-02-20
The
Strange Girl
By MILDRED WHITE
Copyright. 1918. Western Newspaper Union.)

seemed to be falling in ruins. How pa
tiently had she awaited Ned's return
from war, and when the homecoming
was FASTENED by a necessary leave of
absence to recover from wounds re-
ceiyed in battle JOY had mingled with
Mollie's sorrow in her lovers suffer
ing.
She counted the hours that it must
take for him to cross the seas-count-
ed them tearfully, hopefully and as
the time grew interminable Mollie re
viewed the days since he had LETT her,
not one but had been filled with
thoughts of him. Courageous love was
woven into everything she knitted for
Neds comfort. Her own anXiet!es
were bravely omitted from the cheer
full pages she wrote him. Pages Of
inspiration-they should have been
and eloquent OF her pride in the sol
der.
Ned had responded as faithfully,
and the golden air castle, which was,
after ALL but tiny bungalow where
she might dwell as Ned's wife, came
to be to her a thing Of reality. Ned
had only to return and they would
plan its building together
The unexpected news Of his home
coming found Mollie in fever of de-
lighttul anticipation, for were not
Ned's wounds healing? And would not
any service which She might bestow
be her greatest pleasurei At last Ned
came, more serious, perhaps, than
when he had gone away; but could one
pass through the dreadful experience
of war without bearing its SOLDERING
marks?
Noble received him tenderly. lie
had sat, that first evening, regarding
her as though in great content. Mollie
tried not to feel hurt when he made no
mention of the new little home which
was to be. Her vague trouble began
when he ended abruptly his second
visit with the plea Of needed rest
Mollie agreed in quick sympathy. 1t
was I.indus gossip which really start
ed the trouble.
You'd better look out for your sol
der laughed Linda. Il saw him saun-
tering down the street last night after
nine o'clock with the mysterious one"
Mollie had laughed too, as her
cheeks suddenly famed. What had
Ned TO do with the mysterious one"
as the town girls dubbed the charming
young woman who, unheralded and I'M
known, had come TO live among them.
Mrs. PrentisS. VINO had been glad of
the strangers companionshiy during
the absence OF her only son aSlRar, in
sisted that the girl bore letters of ref
erence from the dean OF nearby col
lego 50 Phyllis Dale made her home
with Mrs Prentiss. But the town girls
shrugged their shoulders. Linda's
brother had met this Phyllis at college,
she said.
"She was a regular college widow,
with half the boys following in her
train" he had said.
Mrs. Prentiss eyes snapped when
she heard the remark.
Reckon one wouldn't blape boys
for following to look at anything SO
lovely" she said.
But poor little Mollies trouble deep
ened. All at once She felt herself to
be an Insignificant person in COMPARE
son with this modish stranger. Her
lips trembled as again Ned excused
himself upon pretense of retiring
early but Ned did not see the trem-
bling lips. In fact, he appeared of late
to be sadly unseeing.
Then, one evening, she decided sud
denly and desperately to follow the
impulse which urged her. Ned had
failed 10 come this evening. From her
garden corner Mollie saw Phyllis Dale
still waiting The girls figure dropped.
rs though despairingly Mollie went
out directly and spoke to her
"You are looking for my tiauce, 1
thukG' said Mollie He has NOT come
tonight"
yes" hreuthed the girl She turned
quickly and looked straight into Mol
Hes eyes, as the street lamp >hone
upon them.
"Al" said Phyllis Dale Il should
not have bound your lover to secrecy
concerning my unfortunate affairs
see now that you are different from
Linda, aud the rest. am beside my
self tonight with anxiety until Ned
comes. May ! coufde I'm you?'
Dumhly Mollie nodded.
Il was married. the girl went on,
sharply. ITO Jack Prentiss before he
left for France. You know, perhaps,
his mothers aversion TO his marrying.
we were sWee,heurtS Jack and !, dur
ing college days, when he ana your
<ed were chums. We decided not to
add 20 the sorrow of Jacks mother by
cuufes,in- our marriage before he
went away ! hoped to win her affec-
tiou later. while he was gone; TO tell
the truth when it seemed best--So !
came here. our two boys the voice
broke TREMENDOUSLY -''lay wounded in
the hospital side by side. Ned was
the more fortunate In recovery The
nurse who cared for them both writes
to Ned when she can, giving news Of
jacks condition.
Through your hance alone am
~, COO 90, Fr.,=as