The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-02-17

L
did not decrease his mental confusion.
nor serve to soothe his rasped nerves
and outraged vanity.
Marvin Creighton, approaching Will
liam Penn schoolhouse at half-past
FIVE that afternoon, on his way to his
temporary home at Absalom Puntz'
cottage, noticedson the road far ahead
of him slim girlish figure in a long
loose coat, hurrying along the high
way. Though the daylight was fading,
her carriage Of herself and the set Of
her clothing were so conspicuously diff
ferent from that Of any country girl
one was apt to meet alone on the road
at this hour that even in this dimness
that hurrying figure was sharply Inn
pressive.
Curiosity made him quicken his
pace to catch up with her. But be-
fore he had overtaken her, she had
arrived at William Penn schoolhouse.
where, to his surprise. she stopped
and went in.
Then it was, as he had half suspect
ed, half hoped. a little dreaded, Miss
Schwenckton
A few yards before he reached the
school he came upon roadster.
parked along the road, which he rec
ognized as his brothers. The idea
stabbed him that this attractive young
teacher and st, Croix might be having
a rendezvous in the school! Was st.
Croix in there with her now? He was
such a philanderer-sometim so I'M
scrupulous-th girl ought to be put
on her guard.
"But darned If want to be the one
to warn her! And Ii ever a girl
seemed capable Of looking out for her
self, she's It'll"
In minute he was ut the school
house door. It was slightly ajar; he
pushed it open a bit wider and, not
entering, glanced in. The sight that
met his eye made him draw back pre-
cipitately - Miss Schwenckton, her
back toward the door, was standing
on her platform disrobing! She had
already taken off her coat and frock.
her white shoulders barred
There was no one else in the school
room, yet
Marvin stumbled back a pace from
the door. But though the thought
that pierced him made him call HIM
self "a cad" yet. as he stood there
wondering whether he should knock.
he felt cold all over; and even while
he hesitated, in what seemed to him
an incredibly short time, she suddenly
appeared before him in the doorway
clad in jacket suit and jaunty
sports hat! He was so taken aback,
so utterly confused, that he could not
move or speak, but stood as stock
still as the wooden posts Of the school
porch.
At sight of man standing motion
less at her door In the gathering
gloom, she cried out in alarm-which
brought him to himself.
'Don't be frightened! It's only
your superintendent!
She gave a little gasp of relief.
"Only! And of whom, pray, should I
be more frightened?-though the
Bchoolroom being empty just now, of
course you can't bully me into teach
ing geography for your entertainment
my good luck"
"Going home nowT"
'Yes."
"Then"-he took from her hand the
big door-key and the books she had
in her arms-"may l walk with your
When he had locked the school door,
he glanced up the road to the waiting
car. Its lights had been turned on,
j illuminating the road over wide
area, and he saw that his brother.
standing in front of his car was wit
Messing his coming out Of the school
house with Miss Schwenckton. She,
he observed, was viewing with frank
surprise the lighted car and its owner
a few rods away. That look of sur
prise seemed so genuine, it was hard
to believe that his own unexpected
arrival at the school had f0iled q
meeting between these two. And yet
1t would be so like st. Croix to seek
a furtive love affair with charming
girl like Miss Schwenckton when he'd
die before he would openly associate
with anyone Of class outside his
own like q parvenu uncertain Of his
position, rather than like a man born
to secure place in the sun! But
that a girl of Miss Schwenckton's
spirit should accept such cowardly at.
tentions seemed incredible. And this
mystery Of her changing her clothing
In the schoolroom =
AS they turned their backs on the
car and went on their way, neither
of them referred to it-though Nicely
was so absorbed In wondering whether
st. Croix had recognized her that her
sense of Maryin's interesting compan-
ionship was less keen than 1t would
otherwise have been.
"Does your work always detain you
so late as this at your schoOlT' he
asked with subtle guile. She didn't
know he had seen her coming alons
the highway
tTo BE CoNTINUEDl