The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-10-31
CHAPTER lx-Continued.


We are, aren't we, 'JennieT
He reached over and possessed him
self of her hand. She pulled it from
him gently, but he paid no attention
to the little muscular protest, and ex-
amined the hand critically. On the
back of the middle finger he pointed
out a scar-a very tiny scar.
do you remember how you got
that?" he asked.
Because Jim chung to the hand, their
heads were very close together as
she Joined In the examination.
"why, ! don't believe l do said
she.
Il do" he replied. "We-you and l
and Mary Forsythe were playing
mumbie-peg, and you put your hand
on the grass just as I threw the knife
lit cut yon. and left that scar"
IL remember. now!" said she.
"How such things come back over the
when l pushed you toward the red-hot
stove In the schOolhouse n blizzardy
day, like this, and you peeled the skin
off your wrist where it struck the
stove?'
Look at it, said he, barring his
long n bony wrist Right thereI"
And they were off on the trail that
leads back to childhood. They had
talked long, and intimately. when the
shadows of the early evening crept
into the corners of the room. Jennie
recalled the time when the tornado
narrowly missed the schoolhouse, and
frightened everybody in school nearly
TO death.
Everybody but you, Jim," Jennie
remembered. you looked out of the
window and told the teacher that the
twister vas going north of us, and
would kill somebody else"
did II" asked Jim.
Eyes," said Jennie. land when the
teacher asked us to kneel and thank
God, you said, Why should we thank
God that somebody else is bowed
nway?' She was greatly shocked"
II don't see to this day." Jim as
serted, what answer there was to
my question"
In the gathering darkness Jim again
took Jennie's hand, but this time she
deprived him Of it.
He was trembling like a leaf. Let
1t be remembered in his favor that
this was the only girls hand he had
aver held.
you can't find any more scars on
IT," she said soberly.
let me see how much it has
changed since l stuck the knife in
It," begged Jim.
Jennie held il up for inspection.
It's longer, and %slenderer. and
whittier, and even more beautiful"
said he, than the little hand l cut !;
hut II was then the most beautiful
hand in the world to me-and still is"
81 must light the lamps" said the
county superintendent-elect, rather
fiustered, it must be confessed.
Mammal Where are all the
matchesT'
Mrs. Woodruff and Mrs. Irwin came
in, and the lamplight reminded Jim's
mother that the COW was still to milk,
and that the chickens might need at
tention. The Woodruff sleigh came
TO the door to carry them home; but
Jim desired to breast the storm. lie
felt that he needed the conflict. Mrs.
Irwin scolded him for his foolishness,
but he strobe off into the whirllng
drift, throwing back a good-by for
general consumption, and a pathetic
smile to Jennie.
He's as odd as Dicks %hatband,'
said Mrs. Woodruff, "tramping off in
a storm like this"
did you line him up?" asked the
colonel of Jennie.
The young lady started and blushed.
She had forgotten all about the poll
tics of the situation.
Tim afraid I didn't, papa" she
confessed.
'sThose brown mice of Professor