Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-21
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
BY Mary Douglass.
A PAIR OF HIGH HEELS.


The clumsy bus r,imbled over the road
TO Lake Pleasant | sat on the high seat
next To the driver and wntclcd the scenery
unrol before me like coiored film.
At one moment we overlooked n deep
ravine that made me cling tightly 10 the
hard scat heard the sound Of water daahing
across stones-a wild, uneasy, restless call.
Next, | looked out on tall pines standing
IN long, dense rnasscw against n brilliant
sky. IL seemed almost unreal 10 me. so
desolatc and forskacn did IT all appear.
My thoughts were rs wild as the
mountain scenery, and rs We drew TO the
journeys close | felt the hammer Of my
heart grow louder with every minute.
You get off here, and walk through
that clump Of wood, and follow the
mountain trail 10 tho left You'll get there
all rightf' The driver pulled up the horses
with a swift jerk, while ! clnmbcred down
the steep side He waved his whip to me.
! stood there alone on the mountain road
with the hudlcd pines rs my only sign post.
II did not hurry, | knew my resolution
might weaken. Now now thnt had come
iare to face with the situation realized
what a wild thing | was doing Suppose
feggywas not here? Suppose Jack Madden
should laugh at me scornfuuv and call
me a fool for my trouble2
But | started resolutclv 10 follow the
drivers directions for Peggy sake
had passed the pines, and now came
to the mountain trail that wax wide
enough for only one person Each side Of
me | looked INTO the weird dirnncss Of the
forest depths, now and then | fancied |
heard the scurry Of some wild thing ] SAW
the snow that lay IN the ercvice of
tree. still unmclted IN these fastnesses
suddenly | stopped
Before me | saw Jack hodge IL looked
like a rude cabin, made OF great rough
hcwn logs The vcrandah was huge. with
the trunks of trees set whole in the floor for
pillars As | drew nearer | saw there
were 9th er, smaller, buildings that lay with
N easy reach the kitchen. the laundry
the garage. no doubt Yet the whole
gave the impression OF something that had
grown up in these wlds rs 4 part Of the n
do not know why, but walked softly
across tho floor Of the ycrandth From
within there WAS no sound ! thought
II have yet time 10 run away But
stIllcd the coward dealrc hy rappine nv
knuclics loudly on the door
II WAS opened noiselessly. almost
silently, Try Jap who looked a me with
expressionlnss mask
"Mr. Madden
Hc bowed his head and held the door
for me ! stepped into great room that
seemed 10 take up the first floor OF the
lodge. The floor was strcwn with the skins
of bear and leopard, before the mighty
fireplace couch was stretched. covered
with some soft skin that did not know.
The room was empty.
sal there very still heard tho hammer.
hammer Of my heart felt that could
axe no notion with my dry lips In
nsclously | bent little toward the door
and watched OF with frsshterncd eyes
| heard the sound Of footsteps drawing
nearer on tho bare floor STEPS that pound |
ed INTO my cars like the incxorable beat |
Of fate
Next moment Jack Madden strollesi |
INTO the room II he were startled be did /
not slow 10, after that ono quick change |
that swept across hIs face Then his eyes |
met mine with a look of allonge-of /
gray steel. that Was tempered with no |
kindness
What is this unexpected pleasure
ne began In q manner that was too thea
trical TO be sincere
'Oh, Jack. | cried, clasping my hands
10 gether. Where is Peggy? Do your
YOU know" He mlrst have seen the
misery IN my eyes and heard the tremble
Of my voice, but has next words were as
cool as though he had met me casually |
On Fifth Avenue
Peggy? don know that understand |