The Little River news., 1921-03-09

though her heart had broken.
 Randolph did not leap to comfort her this time; he did not even watch her. With his eyes on the edges of fire that peeped from between and round her ankles, he began to talk.
 'T knew you; knew Sport; knew Maggie. Just once met you all and I've never forgotten. I couldn't" He smiled crOokedly. You and sat down so hard together and you cried out, My. what bump! and laughed and laughed-just like tonight. back there at the stage-door of the Crocodile"
 Pamela stopped crying.
 ''So you were that awfully nice boy" she said, disclosing tear-stained cheeks and looking him over as though she were inventorying a long list of points of deterioration.
 Robert Hervey Randolph, six feet tall, freckled-nosed, open-faced, blue eyed and broad-shouldered, looked up at her almost appealingly as if his whole sum and substance were crying out to be appraised at face value but no less.
 That's me-" he said vapidly. My name is Robert Hervey Randolph. Some people call me Bob some 'Herv, and the sidey ones say Randy"
 And I shall call you MT. Ran- dolph.'" said Miss Thornton bravely, and then broke into: "After-after I've th-thanked you again and-and again from my heart. I'm going now."
 That's wrong guess" said Robert, smiling happily-he didn't know exact fy why. 'Tm the one that's going, aft CT you promise me that you'll stay here until ten o'clock tomorrow. But before we come to that, please don't thank me ever. It's selfish, but I'd simply love to have you remember me as Bob or Herv or, at the very worst, Randy. Won't you?"
 She looked this way and that before she let her face ripple to its wondrous smile
 "Tll go as far as Randy" she con- ceded mischievously; then the smile went and the shadow came. But I really can't stay here, you know"
 MT. Randolph leaped to his feet, reached her in single stride and caught her by both wrists. Look at mel" he said. elf you won't promise to stay here without break till ten o'clock tomorrow and thereafter at your pleasure, I'll stay myself and hold you Now. do you or don't you? One-two-"
 q do."
 Do what?' inquired Robert.
 "I promise" 4
 Make yourself absolutely at home. then" he said, as he dropped her hands and turned toward the door.
 q feel like Christmas eve," said Miss Thornton meekly. 'Won't you please tell me what's going to hap pen?"
 You've guessed it-Christmas," he answered enigmatically, tossed the latch-key on the table, and left her.
 She can be excused for spying upon him from the curtained window. She saw him awake the cabman, and then watched the pantomime of long col loquy.
 "Oh!" she moaned. "No wonder! The awful awful price of those horrid clock things Why did let him tell 1t to wait?"
 Presently she was amazed to see both the driver and MT. Randolph dis appear into the dark recesses of the cab and close after them it's door. For twenty breathless minutes she watched, tormented by the thought that they had retired to have 1t out where they wouldn't be disturbed by the police. But at last they issued both of them. Mir. Randolph proceed ed to crank the car and then, walking rather strangely, went off, headed west; the driver mounted his box. threw in the clutch, and scurried to the east as though he were off to meet the morning.
 Strange doingsw thought Miss Imo- gene Pamela Thornton, as she turned lIVIu tHc WluuOW to SCArt on prlV8Je- ly conducted voyage of discovery.
 St lnge doings indeed. and stranger still could Imogene Pamela have heard as we'll as seen. This is what really happened: Mfr. Randolph awoke the cabman gently but thoroughly; then he said:
 Look here: I want to buy your wagon"
 "Gowan, boss; wot dyer take me for? Here been freezin' most to det' fer two mortal hours an gent like you starts right in kickin' on the clock widout even readin' It."
 "Shucks" said MT. Randolph. "What's biting you? Never mind the Meter-reading; here's twenty for you to forget that. Now tell me: Who owns your buzz-wagon? Your
 Nav; the Village Cab company" replied the saturnine cabman as he stuffed the twentydollar b&1l into his trousers pocket st9@ ss %'
 Well" said MT. Randolph. "you and l are about the same build and I've got proposition for you. Change clothes hand me over your cab, and take two hundred dollars to see your {.