Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-03-08

arrived at william rem ScnOOlnOuSe,
where. to his surprise. she stopped
and went in.
Then 1t was, as he had half suspect
ed. half hoped, 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
rendezvous in the school! Was St.
CrOix in there with her now? He was
such a hilanderer-sOmetime so un-
scrupulOus-the girl ought to be put
on her guard.
"But darned if want to be the one
to warn her! And if ever girl
seemed capable of looking out for her
self, she's it"
In minute he was at the school
house door: 1t was slightly ajar; he
pushed it open bit wider and, not
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 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 a 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 a 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 little gasp of relief.
"Only! And of whom. pray, should
be more rightened?-though the
schoolroom being empty just now, of
course you can't bully me into teach
ing geography for your entertainment
my good luck!"
"Going home now"
eyes,"
"Then"-he took from her hand the
big doOr-key and the books she had
in her arms-"may walk with you"
When he had locked the school door,
he glanced up the road to the waiting
car. Its lights had been turned on,
Illuminating the road over a 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 foiled a
meeting between these two. And yet
1t would be so like st. Croix to seek
a furtive love affair with a charming
girl like Miss Schwenckton when he'd
die before he would openly associate
with anyone of class outside his
own like parvenu uncertain of his
position, rather than like man born
to a secure place in the sun But
that 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 Marvin's interesting compan-
ionship was less keen than it would
otherwise have been.
"Does your work always detain you
oO idtO 40 tAIlS at youi 0ShoOi. hC
asked with subtle guile. She didn't
know he had seen her coming along
the highway!
"Not always Sometimes" she an
swered guardedly.
81 should think the schoolroom
would be too dark for you to work
there so late"
81 usually stop working before
dark"
"But this EVENING""
T-lingered on"
A brief silence
81 must warn you, Miss Schwenck-
ton, it's not really safe for you to be
alone after dark either in your school
room or on this lonely road"
'Then I'm thankful you're with me"
"But what detained you so later"
"Oh = this and that "a bit Of
work"
correcting spelling-papers, I pre-
sume?"
"Really, Mr.. Creighton, your interest
ip perfectly unimportant, trivial things
like spelling-papers! goodness ~
"rll bet you never bore yourself