The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-03-23
awhen will you leave9" he sharply

withal to leave!"
But" he informed her in a firm
tone as he handed her the check, 'if
you dare to come around here again,
you will be dealt with, Miss Schwenck-
ton, in more summary manner than
you will like"
I'm afraid, Mr.. Creighton, I'll have
trouble cashing this-and it would put
you in such funny light, giving five
thousand dollars to such a danger
ously alluring girl as am apparently !!
II you've the real money about you"
He had been wondering whether she
would prove so Sophisticated as to
realize that. He had no intention,
really, of letting her leave the room
with that check.
"YOu are indeed experienced Miss
Schwenckton, for one so young!" he
said ironically as he took back the
check and gave her a roll of bills-ten
five-hundred-doila notes.
And it was at the very moment OF
her receiving these that again the
sound of car. stopping outside inter-
rupted them.
"He's come back again." said Mr..
Creighton bitterly, Tin the hope that
by this time I'd be gone! You have
played your game wel1w
"And this time" she answered
blithely, her head bent to listen,
though your car is still there, he
doesn'ts seem to be driving away
again."
Little did they dream that the first
car that had stopped and then driven
on had carried away Mrs. Creighton,
who, the moment she had recognized
her husbands car parked nearby, had
been startlingly convinced that Mar
WINS fantastic suspicious of a plot
between his father and Lady Sylvia
St. Croix was not after all fantastic!
For what else in the world could bring
her husband to the schoolhouse?
She had decided, after a moments
debating with herself, not to intrude
upon their conference. She would let
Marvin know, when she saw him on
Thursday, what she had discovered.
It was so evident that he was deeply
interested in the girl-was his interest
too deep to be turned to aversion by
the fact that she was Lady Sylvia st.
Croix and in league with his father to
intrigue him into marrying her?-as
he had declared such fact would dis
gust him!
A half hour after she had driven
away, Marvin. driving out toward Alb
SALON Puntz', felt, as he drew near
William Penn schoolhouse, that that
spot was fast becoming to him the
pivot on which his whole universe
turned!
AS he came nearer, the sight Of
car standing before the little building
made his heart sink like lead in his
breast. Was Miss Schwenckton hav-
ing rendezvous again with St Croix?
AS soon, however, as he was near
enough to recognize the car, he saw, to
his startled surprise that it was not
st. Croix'. but his fathers! Instantly
ne was convinced, just as his mother
had been. that his suspicion OF col
fusion between "Miss Schwenckton"
and his father. to entrap him into
marriage, had been we'll founded.
He did not, with his mothers dell
cacy, decide not to intrude upon them.
On the contrary. he lost not moment
o1fnhfinn cfr ke
straight into the schoolhouse to con-
front them-his heart and brain In
a whirl.
At the sound of his approaching
step they had stepped down from the
platform, Mr.. Creighton's face stern
as the Judgment day. Miss Schwenck-
toms as interested as If she were In
a theater seeing play. as they stood
looking expectantly toward the door.
Marvin's long stride halted at sight
of them.
"Well?" his father peremptorily in
quired. "What are you doing hereT
my duty as the county superintend
ent. Earning my salary"
"An easy, pleasant way to earn it
calling after work on your young
teachers !"
"rm here much oftener during
school hours" answered Marvin, won
dering whether this tone Of displeas-
ure were assumed and why.
"You wished to see me about some
thing, Mr., CreightOn?" Miss Schwenck-
ton addressed Marvin composedly--
the elder Creighton recalling that she
had spoken of him as Marvin"
''Only to investigate" replied Mar
win, "why. at this hour. your school
is still Open"