The Snowflake herald., 1922-02-10
The Kidnapped
Peasant Girl
By r. RAY BAKER


through the pine woods.
The kidnaper had drawn up beside
the road, and without word had
placed his arm around the girl, i'm
planting smacking kiss full on her
red lips. Until now it had seemed like
q grand lark, but after that-well, she
really was frightened now.
The man was In garments evidently
intended to proclaim him as a knight,
but it was rather Inconsistent attire.
He wore army leggins over blue trou-
sers, and striped blouse of red and
yellow. A sword with dented scab-
bard hung from his waist, and pink
domino with red hood surmounting
| all. The face was clean-shaven and
the part that showed was not at all
repulsive.
The girl appeared to be a peasant
of central Europe. Her face-well,
the red lips and dimples were all that
could be seen, because she was masked,
too, with thin strip of white.
When the girl screamed the man
released her and appeared taken
aback.
"Why, what's the matter?" he asked,
astonishment in the voice, which de-
cidedly was not gruff
"Matter?" she exclaimed indignant
ly. Don't you think you are carrying
this escapade a little too far?"
'Too far?" he echoed "You don't
mean to say that a man hasn't the
right to kiss the girl he is eloping
with, do you?"
She laughed scornfully.
"Eloping? Seems you're taking a
lot for granted. Perhaps you're in
sane. Yes, think that's it. No man
in his right mind would talk and act
like you"
Garvin Haskell really was puzzled
by the girls behavior. What was the
matter with Maxine? Hadn't she
agreed to elope from the costume ball
with him Had she changed her mind
after all the carefully arranged plans?
Well, he knew she was tickle, but it
did not seem reasonable that she
would back out now.
There was no good reason for an
elopement, anyhow. Maxine's parents
were dead, and Garvin's folks never
had displayed an inclination to NEEDLE
in his affairs Of the heart. He had
enough money in his own right to
care for wife, and in fact his father
and mother were rather anxious for
him to settle down.
But Maxine had insisted on eloping,
in order to have taste Of romance.
She wanted to surprise her aunt, with
whom she was staying while visiting
in Sarendac, for one thing, and she
wanted some excitement when she
took the marriage vows.
Garvin had been trying ever since
he became acquainted with her two
months ago to induce her to have
him. She had put him off, laughing
until the time came for the masked
ball.
"Yes, I'll marry you, Carve" she
said, "but it's got to be an elope-
ment. You dress as a knight and I'll
be a peasant girl. After the fifth
dance I'll meet you under the big oak
tree on the lawn and We'll elope. The
arrangements for minister, of course,
are up to you"
"And I'll call when?" inquired the
elated Garvin.
"You won't call at ALL" she said.
"I'Il go to the dance with some Of
the girls, and you go alone. ThatH
make it more romantic"
Garvin made the necessary ar
rangements, which included marriage
by a minister in the neighboring town
of Charlotte. He dressed as a knight
to the best Of his ability and went
to the dance alone. And there was
his beloved, dressed in the peasant
costume, exactly fitting the descrip-
tion Maxine had given him. Yes, she
had met him under the oak at the ap-
pointed time, and he had carried her
off in the auto. And when he pulled
up beside the road to claim kiss as
his just due she screamed.
They sat in silence for a few mo-
lowed the scream, and it began to
dawn on Garvin that there must be a
mistake somewhere.
"Would you mind removing your
mask?" he asked the girl.
mot if you will do the same" she
answered.
For reply he removed the domino
and at once the girl lifted the cambric.
Yes, it was Maxine. In the pale moon
light her countenance showed up as
lovely as ever, except that it seemed
a trifie older, but, no doubt, that was
due to the shock of being almost
kissed. That was not quite consistent
either, for Garvin never had supposed
Maxine to be that unsophisticated. He
scrutinized her closely. and she re-
turned the stare. Yes, it was MaXine's
eyes, and the nose and hair were
hers. But why the change in her at