The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-19

mistake her for the little child of long ago.
 Bob did not lie.
 Little Likeness
 No you're not at all like her as l remember her. She would be about your age though. should imagine and your height
 He realized that he must not pro long the conversation since he had no excuse for 1t any longer.
 He smiled.
 Will you forgive me for breaking in upon you in this way?" he ques- toned, raising his hat, and staring to go.
 But Annette Kingston was de- termined 1t should not end like that.
 She got up from the foot board.
 T just dropped down to tie my shoe" she explained-"I thought that I had sprained my ankle, but mind helping me back the automo- bile out of this horrible jam, would you?"
 Bob wouldn' t-but he was a trifle annoyed because the thing was going a bit further than he wished.
 However, he assisted her into the machine went around to the other side himself, got to the steering wheel, and brought them into the clear.
 Then he deliberately stopped the machine, and got out.
 Annette would have liked for him to stay in-but she did not wish to make her insistencs too pointed.
 An Invitation
 She leaned across the steering wheel.
 I'm Annette Kingston" she re- lated. T don't believe you told me your name"
 Robert Landon," Bob admitted.
 Annette greeted the name with a flattering enthusiasm.
 "Oh I know you!" she exclaimed Why, I've often heard my father speak of you. You're building all those wonderful new colonial hous- es out south! We think they are perfectly marvellous"
 Bob appreciated this. and said so.
 T know we'd just adore to have you out" she said very prettily. Wont you come to see us?'
 The young architect met the invi- tation with exact politeness.
 Tt is very sweet of you to ask  caught in his tone, that he did not intend to take advantage of the in vitation.
 Bob didn't. He felt that the in troduction was too informal for him to show himself. Her father and mother very prominent citizens could not be expected to under stand his motive in seeking out An nette in the first p1ace-and he was unwilling to risk getting a reputa- tion for himself as being the kind of person who would thrust his ac- quaintance upon anyone.
 Advice
 Besides he was not quite sure that lie cared to call. Further Mir. Val don had often taken care to advise him against entering socially into anything before he had absolutely mastered his profession. and had thoroughly established himself in dollars and cents
 Otherwise, MT. valdon had said to himself Bob Is too fine to be hurt. Some families here-and some of our young ladies, I fear-might be & Dit snippy."
 But Annette knew devious meth ods. So she pretended to pass up Bob's promise.
 She would have her father bring him out! Bob was lovely and all the men said he was interesting.
 She waved her little hand:
 I'm so thankful to you for help ing me out" she called. "Good-by," She planted her little foot on the accelerator, and the big automobile sped her rapidly away.
 For some strange reason. Mary Trevor, from the dressmaker's win dow, had not missed detail of the scene.
 The young chap had been so for nal. He had gotten out of the ma chine. Still he was going in identi- cally the same direction in which the automobile had disappeared. That seemed queer. Who was he? Why didn't he go along? There was something so fine, so admirable, Tn the way he carried himself that Mary studied him very thoughtfully. Then she actually laughed out loud as Bob removed his hat, pushed ms nalr back. and said something wnich Mary could tell was something ike. "Whew!"
 q wonder what Annette Is up to anyhow" Mary unused. Sne seems to nave aDOuI ID SAliHSS tO iA~~ Funny I never saw this chap before He's nice, though.
 Suggested Long Ago
 Then strangely Mary caught her breath. Her thoughts flew back to the time when she had met a 14-year-old boy near an oid deserted house of roses. She was hearing him say just as distinctly as if 1t had been yesterday:
 By thunder, when l grow up am going to be great man. Ana then: I'll see you agin, kid-taint no matter where on earth yQu'd De going, I'd find you!
 Mary had never been able to for get that.
 A little whimsical smile came to her lips.
 "He never made good on that promise,v she said-"funny. And I used to childishly think he would. too. I imagine he would be Just such looking cnap as that.
 But by this time Mary's eyes had ceased to focus on anything in par ticular. She turned again to the intricate work with which the dress maker was proceeding while BOD drifted out of vision, and rapidly made his way back to the drug store where he had left his mother over her ice cream.
 It could not have been but a efw minutes, but in this length or time he felt that the bottom had dropped out of his whole little world. There was no merriment--no delignt-an it. Just disappointment.
 Something like sadness settled up- on him, though you would not have known it, in the strictly courteous and pleasant way with which ne greeted his mother.
 Joined Her
 Bob dropped down for moment and called for a soft drink, paid the bill for the two. and assisted his mother to the street car with her bundles.
 Come home early, boy. can't