The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-11-18
CHAPTER Continued

,
but look here" he said, puzzled,
'Im sure the Pennsylvania law has,
for the past ten years or more, re-
quired children to attend school up
to the age Of fourteen years, and re-
Gently longer. Don't tell me you are
over twenty-four years old-only a
year younger than am!'
But you see," Nicely offered in ex-
PLANTATION, "Pop he was a school d.
rector and could do what he liked.
He's awful determined. That's why
more. Pop he's so determined. Leave
him think things right and he
wouldn't listen to even Roosevelt Or
or even you yeti"
"Do you know" he said after an
instant's silence, 81 am seriously dis
pleased with you today?"
"What for, Mr.. Creighton?" she
asked plaintively. "What did I-done
--did?"
"You were fifteen minutes late !!
WHICH, say i IL uCCb yOu
four don't mean quarter to five"
''But-but I was here before you,
Mr.. Creighton" she answered in sur
prise. 81 didn't keep you waiting
l waited"
"That's not the point. The point is
you weren't here at half-past four.
Don't-let-it-happen-again! !"
"But-how do you know I wasn't
here-seein' you wasn't here your own
self?"
"Never mind how I know. l know
lot more about you than you think
do, my little girl!'
"Ohw She looked at him queerly-
almost as though she were trying not
to laugh.
"Now, then, why were you fifteen
minutes later"
" Il had to mind my step-mom's baby
whites the others helped Pop with
his cider-makin'.
"And them" she continued, "till ]
was through all had to wait till Pop
was out of the way; darsen't leave
him see me come away! Well,
guess anyhow mott"
HE is determined with you, too,
is he? ~
swell, / guess anyhow then"
"You use five words, Nicely, where
two or three would suffice Instead of
Madagascar just an
swer yes"
II know / talk awful dumb" Nicely
humbly admitted. looking abashed. II
don't see why you bother to make
dates with a common thing like me u
that don't"
"'Make dates?'" he repeated dubi-
ously.
"Yes. and listen oncet, Mr.. Creigh-
ton"-Meely lowered her voice
though the nearest human being was
two miles away-"that there grabbed
old-maid sister of my step-mom's
that's come to help out over my step
mons confinement, she's suspicioning
me!'
"Of meeting me?" he asked a bit
QACaSliys hC idQ quill NCIy SlIOuS
reason for being afraid of an awk-
ward ENHANCEMENT, or Of its being
known that he philandered with a
farmers common daughter.
Zach, she don't go so far as to Sus.
picion my Date is a swell like you,
Mr.. Creighton. She says to me, she
says, I know who your Date is, he's
that there blond young man at Gent
myers farmp she says. And me, |
just left her think it was him."
"But," st. Croix demanded instant
ly jealous. and himself as suspicious
as the "old-maid sister," what rea-
son does she have for thinking your
Date is the blond young man? You
must have given her reason"
"Ach, well!' Nicely cast down her
eyes and looked self-conscious. "ro
be sure, Mr.. Creighton, there's others
that admars me besides Yourself
that's only to be expected. amt it?"
"And do you have dates with this
blond young man?"
swell, to be sure, since | knowed
you, Mr.. Creighton. other ones does
seem awful common to me. that they
dol"
st. Croix had a passing twinge of
conscience for his own responsibility
In possibly spelling this girls chances
for a contented married life with a
husband of her own class. But he
treasured himself with the reflection
that from the first she had sought
him out quite as much as he had pur-
sued her. Seducing an innocent virgin
was certainly not one of the things he
was capable of doing!
''What have afraid Of" said Nicely.
MS that my step-mom's old-maid sister
will take a sneak on me some day