The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-09-20

Newspaper Syndicate)
MS he real, true, live woman
hater-and handsome?" Beth
Hammond asked, her gray, mis-
ehieyous eyes smiling at her sister.
Audrey looked down in turn at
the rosy face lifted To hers. He
was far from hAndsome-that is,
noW-he was 80 thin; but they
told me at the store that he had
hired the Point cottage and was
going to board himself. He was
engaged to a girl, and after he had
furnished home, she bncked out
!, and 1t made woman-hatcr OF
himl"
II should think it would" Beth
answered briefly, then repeated
musingly, "a real, live woman
aater!"
Her father looked up from his
paper.
Now, look here, youngster.
don't you go getting into mis-
chief"
z She nodded with an upward
sYee poi her gray eyes at her faith
or, who always seemed able TO read
her mind; then she promptly start
ed out 10 get into mischief.
The Point cottage was lonely
place on the shore beyond their
cottage. That afternoon she left
the main road for the sake OF go
iztng by 1t. 1t lay silent among the
Beth hesltated. He must be
away, land l would like to see a
real, 1--we woman-hater keep
house!" she thought to herself.
TO think was to act with her.
made no sound. She went
lightly, made no sound. She went
up to the window and peeped in.
Al slight noise behind her made her
whiri. She found herself facing
tall, pale-faced man Of about thtr-
ty, and 'thin-as she said later.
chin to the point OF extinction.
4 HIS eyes were brown and Swallowed
by WEAKNESS, but they frightened
4 las he saw her.
Good morning, Miss Slattery.
eYou have come just in time to
help me out. Please come this
way. am vanishing canoe out
back" he said pleasantly.
Beth was startled. but she was
notSto be outwitted. "O-hoi, 1t is
Missb slattery. is It? Well, be-
gorryp she snid to herself, as she
followed the tall form, The can't
do anything more than fre mel"
He led her to the kitchen and
pointed 10 the sink. 1t was heaped
with soil ed dishes. She stared at
At.
GOOD graclous!" she exclaimed.
.'You mU st have had banquet all
by yours If. Don't you ever wash
His BIRD wn eyes were cold. mo,
I keep ubing clean dishes till I've
used all In the house; then have
them washed and start over again.
That's dne thing I want you for"
She looked at him keenly, but
there Was no smile in his eyes. All
her life she had had her fun with
people who took life solemnly. and
many times they had never known
the merry game she WIS playing:
{ but she could not make sure OF
y him.
"Nor did she in the week that
passed. Every day she went TO the
cottage and did the homework for
him. To be called Miss Slattery"
BY the earnest young man, to ind
herself housekeeping for a man
all had In It an unusual favor of a
huge Joke. She did not realize the
danger of It; she had grown up
fresh and innocent as rose in the
friendly shelter of her home gar
den.
It was good fun-and silently,
mysteriously 1t began to be some
thing more. Under his brown eyes
she saw, now and then. the twin
kle of merry spirit that answered
to her own. She liked the out
doors; and she soon discovered
that he was putting himself
through a rigid physical training.
II seemed to her that under her
very eyes his thin, lean figure be-
gan to fill out. Then, one day she
'tstumped" him to take her out on
the lake fishing, and left him star
ing when she showed him she
could handle fly rod as skillfully
as he could. Then his books
Rows and rows OF them about the
cottage-gaYe her another insight
Into his mind and nature ana tornN
ed common meeting ground for
both Of them.
She found soon that the happiest
hours of the days were spent with
him. The revelation came when,
after long swim, he came lightly
to the house. his muscular, erect
form swinging easily up the walk.
She wished he were hers! The
sudden thought yelling from her
herat left her trembling, and some
thing in her face must have arrest
cd him.
When he came downstairs again,
he went over to her side and quiet
" took the dust cloth from her
hand. His brown eyes were sober.
serious and very tender.
II think that after today shall
not need you any more, Miss Ham
mond-"
/" Miss Hammond she cried
at his use Of her own name. How
did you know? Why" her
voice lost its establishment and
changed to amusement.
Tra akooJ a ro0T1out IN cilanras