Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1927-11-18
Love on a
Ladder
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By JANE OSBORN
(Copyright.l

his own family, but when Martha had
Mysteries that night In midsummer
when Lannlng accidentally encoun-
tered her In the act of clipping with
Peter Letson, he did not consider her
condition serious enough to require
the services Of an outside physician.
Having Mysteries, under the clrcum-
stances, was entirely normal. But
even normal symptoms needed treat
ment, so after Peter had been dis
missed with a curt good night from
Doctor Lanning and look of mute
and fearful entreaty from Martha,
Doctor Lanning escorted his sobbing
daughter to her room, gave her
drink of cold water and told her to
go to bed and to stay in her room for
two or three days.
The interruption of Martha's elope-
ment had been quite accidental as far
as Doctor tanning was concerned. He
had been reused Al midnight by the
ringing of his bedside telephone. A
country patient wanted him to come
at once and rather drowsily, but with
all speed, the doctor had put on his
clothes and had gone downstairs and
out to the garage to get his car when
he heard whispers In the driveway
ahead Of him. Before he even realized
that the young couple standing there
were his daughter, Martha, and Peter
Letson, he heard a shrill shrek OF
alarm. He knew the voice was Mar
thas, and Martha was standing there
in hat and light coat with little trav-
cling bag.
The really surprising thing about 1t
all, as Doctor tanning thought after
he got his daughter to promise that
she would not make another attempt
to elope during his absence, and had
finally started off in his car, was that
there was no sane reason why Martha
and Peter should have planned an
elopement.
Doctor tanning didn't realize then
that the elopement had come as the
result of Martha's desire to have what
she considered a romantic marriage.
And now for the first time Doctor
tanning felt decided disapproval Of
Peter, and when the next morning
Peter telephoned to ask permission to
speak with him and Martha, the doc
tor CURLY refused. He also warned
the young man that any letters or
messages he might send TO his daugh-
ter would not be delivered. She was
at present confined to her room in a
state of nervous excitement.
From distance Peter watched the
tanning house, and when he saw the
doctors car start out on his morn
Ing round of calls he cautiously drew
near. Painters we're at work on the
house looking at them Peter had
bright idea. And when Doctor Ian
ming returned an hour or so later he
might have observed that whereas
three men had been working on lad
ders and scaffolds when he left there
were now four men in palnt-spattered
white overalls and regulation white
canvas caps.
About ten o'clock the next morning
lDItlbI lluIlnillE DhNhtu Ilo Ndi Oul VI
the garage and down the driveway
that ran close to the house and then
to the road. Martha's room was on
that side OF the house Just above the
drlveway-DOctor tanning had gone
to the garage from back door OF
the house and had not noticed paint
er's long ladder braced against the
side of the house with base planted
In the gravel driveway. Doctor Ian
ming reversed his car. He backed and
then above the sound Of his engine
he heard a shout, rattllng of wood
and splash OF something limp and
liquid on the top Of his car. This was
the pail of paint that had been held
by the painter on the ladder which
the car hit as the doctor backed from
the garage. The ladder lay fiat on
the grOund-Doctor tanning saw II
as he quickly got out of his car to
investigate.
He looked anxiously to see II he had
extingushed some poor painter when
he knocked the ladder down. He
looked up and there he saw tall
young man In white overalls clinging
desperately to the window slll--and
then he saw two fair arms stretch out
the open window and, after few sec.
onds when 1t seemed as II the young
man might lose his hold on the win
dow sill entirely, his tall, Iank figure
was drawn into the house.
Doctor Lanning hurried upstairs
and into his daughters room. lie
opened the door and saw Martha
standing there with the painters arms
about her--and the painter was Peter
Letson.
Doctor tanning began to laugh, so,
too, did Peter, and finally Martha.
81 had to see Martha-to see what
she wanted me to do about the elope-
ment," stammered Peter, "and since
you wouldn't let me even write, / got
the painter to give me a Job. bribed
him for the privilege Of working on
this side Of the house. / have spent
most Of my time for two days paint
ing the frames Of Martha's windows.
The paint Is so thick there I dare
say It will have to be scraped or
chopped off"
"And then came along and
knocked the ladder out from under
YOU" laughed the doctor ut was
very inconsiderate OF you to let the
paint drop on the top Of my car-that
will have to be scraped off. too" He
paused and looked whlmsically at
Martin and Peter. you're not going
to try another elopement, are your No