New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1926-07-24
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JohnonF


YOU
AT that Merry gave a little start
She had not supposed that Murie
had seen the kiss.
Il should think you'd be
ashamed of yourself, Merry
Locke!" Cassie went on, in an an.
cry undertone. whenever there,
a man around you act like a chic.
rus-girl on her day off!
wanted you to make good with thi:
crowd of mine! l wanted to BIZ
proud of you, and then you act
like this!-I almost wish l hadn't
brought you along"
Merry wished that she had moi
come. She wished, from the bot.
tom of her unhappy heart, thai
she was back on Chester stree!
with Mons and jimmy and the
kindly, ordinary Lille.
The second day was worse thar
the first one, if that We're possible
1t rained from morning unit
late afternoon, and Bill Erskine
did not show up. Merry could have
wept aloud when she and Cassie
drove down to Sunset Lake sta
ton for him, and he was not
there.
She needed Bill as she felt she
never had needed anyone before
She was mans woman" and
she hated to be the extra girl" in
any crowd, and particularly in
this crowd.
She sat alone in the living-room
of the Crows Nest playing a
.dreary game of solitaire, that aft
ernoon, while the others were in
swimming. Through the open win
dows the sound of their laughter
and shouting came to her. but she
tried not to listen to it.
"Oh, If this terrible vacation
only would end!" she sighed to
herself, with bitterness in her soul
1t came to an end, at last and
she was driving down through the
green woods with Cassie and Nor
ley. Muriel and Cabby had gone
on ahead with the other four in the
Secord's great yellow car.
1t was almost dark when they
reached Sunset Lake station. They
were crossing the open space in
front of the little depot, when
someone standing in its lighted
doorway. gave a shout.
Bill Erskine, by all~th no.
ly!" exclaimed Morley and turned
the car so sharply that 1t skidded
in the gravel, Now, how do you
suppose he got here, at this hour"
House party all over?" Bill
bawled at them, as they drove up
beside him. He threw his kitbag
into the car, and climbed in beside
Merry Il was just going up to
train this morning, and I just got
here. Better late than never was
the way I figured it,"
He turned to Merry, and with
Cassie and Morley watching him,
took her in his arms and kissed
her. Been lonesome for me?" he
asked, and Merry cried as she
chung to him.
You'll never know how lone
some!" she sobbed. 1--WE almost
died--I've been so lonesome"
Halfway home, they stopped at a
roadhouse along the way for a
sandwich and a cup of coffee.
Only instead of coffee they had
more gingerale with stick" IN it.
$50 little Sister missed me, did
she?" Bill asked, beaming affec-
tionately across the table at Mer-
RVS wistful face.
an say she missed you! She
wouldn't swim or dance, or do any
thing but NOPE around in corners
all by herself" said Morley, who
did not know about the snubbing
that Muriel had given her.
"Cahby Marsh called her the
war widow" Morley chuckled,
He lost his mind over her, but
she wouldn't look at him .
Why don't you marry the girl, Bill,
and get it over with? She's a
mighty sweet kid"
Merry started at him in aston
ishment. 1t was so unlike the
grouchy Morley to say anything
nice about anybody . She won
dered if Cassie had put him up to
saying this to Bill.
Don't worry about US, Morley"
Bill answered dryly. I'VE know
what we're doing, don't we, Merry
Well sneak off and get married
one of these days, and fool you
ALL"
And during his three-day visit,
that was the only time he so much
as mentioned the word marry to
her!
CHAPTER Xxx1v
A week went by without SO
much as a postcard fro mBill Frs
kline.
Then. on the second Saturday in
September, he dropped into the
beauty shop just as the factory
whistles were shrieking out the
noon hour.
Merry looked up from her ap-
pointment book to see a tat man
with a wilted collar, opening the
screen door. He dropped two
brown suit-cases on the floor with
a thud, and came toward her.
why, Bill Erskine!" she cried
startled. II didn't know you fol-
a minute!" .A-
For that one instant she had not
recognized him. She saw him, fol
that instant, as he really was -
fat, middle-aged travelling man II
a loud checked suit and PINK
shirt.
Then, as he took her in his
arms and kissed her, he became
once more Bill Erskine, the mar
she was going to marry - II she
could.
The thought shot through hei
mind that perhaps that was wha'
he had come for. To marry her
To keep his promise.
But his first words killed thai