The Press., 1922-12-21

It was pure delight. MeadOw-sweet In the air and the whisper of grass under her feet and a pail on her arm that was to bring back fresh butter.
 She gave a sudden start.
 ''I can't do 1t
 It was almost dark now, but she could see the foot bridge across which she must step to reach the other river bank. There wasn't even hand-ratl. But how could she go back and face Mrs. Bascom and admit that she was just one of those silly city girls" who was afraid to cross the bridge?
 If there were only some other way to cross," Molly said aloud.
 There isn't" The voice sounded out of the dark ness so close at hand that Molly jumped.
 "If you wish," the voice went on, "PIl see that you get across"
 "Oh, do," Molly said breathlessly. He stepped out ahead of her and she saw by the stars that he was tall and straight, and as he gave her his hand she knew by its pressure that he was strong. She scarcely breathed until she reached the other side.
 "rhank you," she sighed.
 He walked a little distance apart from her and she saw that he was looking down at her. She was grate- full that he could only see the faint blur of her figure in the dusk.
 "You have to go back again, I sup if unI1'l1 let me, I'll see that you get back safely. I'm Jim Stevens over at the HaleyS'."
 | It was pleasant talking to a man like this by starlight. Molly for | got all her self-consciousness. She was just like any other girl talking to a young man under a slip of July moon, just as young, just as charm ing, just as-pretty.
 "If you'll wait here I'll go in and get the butter" she told him as the farmhouse loomed up.\
 | She was grateful that the porch was in darkness, and that when she passed into the lighted kitchen the door closed after her.
 He was waiting for her when she came out and she felt her heart beat with a new sense of happiness.
 It was the first time a young man ever had waited for her outside a gate; 1t was the first time she had ever talked serenely unconscious ot herself to any man. She drank in all the joy of the moment as they sauntered home" to Mrs. Bascom's.
 May I see you again?" Jim Stevens asked her as they came to the white farmhouse. Molly caught her breath. She knew what 1t would mean if he saw her again.
 ''But perhaps we-yOu-m1ght be disappointed next time!" she tried to say lightly.
 "Disappointed?' he asked. 'I know when first heard your voice you were 4pretty7 How disappointedf T. She couldn't answer him. He said suddenly: "If it's introduc- tions you're thinking about I'll ask MT Haley to come over to Mrs. Bascoms and bring me along and introduce me tomorrow afternoon"
 "Oh, no!' Molly gasped. But l might meet you tomorrow night down by the bridge" Then she ran into the house.
 The first thing she did was to climb breathlessly the steep stairs to her own room, then she lighted the kerO- sene lamp, and, taking care to pull down the shade, she went over to the crinkly mirror and studied herself. No, she was just the same. Her hair was not gold and curly, 1t was mOuse-cOl- Ored and very straight. She had nOth- ing in the way of Greek profile, but an apology of a nose, and her eyes were not large and lustrOus, but gray and sweet and unnOticeable altogether It was not that that troubled her so much, but across one temple was 8 mark, delicate blue mark that time would never erase and that her hail would never quite cover.
 It was this that made her self-con scious, wretchedly sure that girls were pitying her and men turning away from the sight with disgust. It was this that made her promise to meet Jim Stevens after dusk.
  have all the joy of talking to mal and pretending she was pretty. Sh' could pretend.
 Next evening she met Jim Steven: D down by the bridge. She wore a white dress with some airy ruff1es that made her seem some delicate moth as sh' fiuttered down to him. She lifted he face bravely, sure that that tell-tal scar was hidden. They talked ant laughed and came singing back alOnj the road to the Bascom's and Jim car ried her promise that she would mee him the next night.
 "But why this Cinderella business |? he asked her. 'I do believe there something mysterious about you; vol won't go canoeing with me, you won go picnickIng with me-have I don something? Is 1t still that lack o proper introduction?"
 He was still so sure of this feelln of hers about an introduction that h dragged Mrs. Haley over to call o Mrs. Bascom next afternoon, bu Molly, hiding in her closet. refused t hear the calls for her. She waite to come out until she heard the rE treating footsteps of the callers.
 It was not until she had known hir about two weeks that Jim began tell her about himself. She hear with a new terror clutching at he heart that he was a poster artist.
 Molly had almost steeled herseI to meeting him in daylight. but thi C decided her. Her summer idyl shoul end as 1t had begun, rOmanticall, charmingly, in darkness.
 The night before she was going hon Jim kissed her. She knew sh would never forget that kiss as Ion as she lived, and she knew his voiC with that infection would alWa! C | haunt hor CT ovoIv IIttIn Molly