The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-08-17

4V1 started walking to town TO
meet her mother. Uncle John
kept q car for members Of his.
household to use. But walking
two miles into town was as sensi.
+, BILE as was her trying to reverse.
the natural order OF things by be-
Ing engaged to Martin Bowden, .
man twice her own age.
Martin was rich, while she and
her mother trod softly on the thin
crust OF genteei poverty. Martin.
was q gentleman, and Molly liked
him 4 lot. But her widowed
mothers who was off doing genteel
work for pay, had written home q
somewhat qualified consent, In.
sisting that all final arrangements
be put off until she returned.
Molly set out to walk to town.
That two miles stretch formed q
mere constitutional tor the girl;
taxi might be hired cheaply to
bring her and her mother home.
And, besides, the maroon roadster
passed at about that very hour
each day-a habit 1t had developed
during the. past week. This walk
might be called either q lark or an
experiment.
The maroon roadster presently
overlook her and stopped. It's
driver had hem-colored hair
Combed straight back from q coat
! OF tan which made his blue eyes
look pale. AS usual, he was bare
headed.
HWant to rider" Though his.
frank smile was engaging, Molly
had never met him formally. Hav.
ing secretly seen him pass at that
hour each day for a week, she
was properly surprised.
No, thanks" Molly said re-
fellow at Ethel Brawley's mask
party. There had been no intro
auctions even after masks were
off. He had told her his name
was Jim. She added coldly: II
like to walkaloneg'
Jim may have missed the last
word. He complained: walk.
ing's too slow-but" he got out Of
his .car-''if you insist, let's walk.
go ahead" Frigidly polite.
"Don't let me detain YOU"
1--WE lots Of time" The young
man made a wide generous ges-
ture with a muscular right arm.
''I'm only %, and hope I have at
least so years of health and USE
fulness before me"
"Usefulness?" Molly supple
nnented the sarcasm. j won't be
bullied!n Then she stalked haught.
I lily to the grassy bank beside the
1 road and sat down. The spot
(. was pleasantly secluded. There
Il was q large tree against which
Il she could lean. II want solitude
/. in Which to dream my dreams.
( "I'll try to be quiet Jim
!. cheerfully sat down beside her.
/ Really, T." Molly's exasper.
!! ated glare seemed to make no inn
I. preston. Obviously he was one
|. of those obnoxious persons who
|, had best be ignored. Molly leaned
! against the tree, closed her eyes.
I and prepared to do q superior bit
!, Of ignoring.
It appeared that Jim had been
!. 9lapper.trained in the most ap.
, proved methods Of the modern
order Of Cave Men. Deity that
muscular right arm circled the
girls neck, the left co-ordinating
/, nicely. He applied his lips to
, hers. The contact lasted.
Then the sylvan silence was
(, broken by the hum of a powerful
! automobile, coming fast. Even
(. a. the two broke apart, the ma.
| chine dashed by, raising cloud
/, OF dust. -
"Oh!" Molly gasped, suddenly
(; pale. "You-That was my moth
/ or! And-rny fianceP
! your" Jim rose quickly
The laughter had gone from his
face, and it, too, was, pale. "Your
3 mother and-your-
1 "She must have. come on an
I earlier train" Molly's eyes were
round and scared. Yes. my
fiancer'
'FWell--" Jim gazed a moment
into the settling cloud Of dust.
.'Didn't know you were engaged,
of course" His boyish gaiety
was sobered, but he gave no hint
Of the reproach he had reason
to feel. Guess owe somebody
an apology. Back at your house,
eh? Be easier If you'll ride along
with me-"
IT was as much to blame as
you" Molly showed her real
contrition by getting into his car;
\ and added in a low tone: "Sorry."
'FWelI, let's--forget It," Jim's
1 face was q little grim. He began
turning the machine around.
Molly smothered a sigh; was
honest to own: Can't
Jim said no more. He drove
fast until they reached Uncle
Johns big unfenced yard. Uncle
/ John, Aunt Hattie and five of the
younger children formed q vel.
coming Gordon on the porch voci.
|. ferously surrounding Molly's
4 mother and Martin Baldwin. Mar
tin saw them at once. As the