The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-02-03
Sylvia Of the Minute

In the Schwenckfon Kitchen the nlght
Of the ''hoIdup" and Nicely. as she hast
ened after school to the hill. was tin
Cling with curiosity as to what he
would have to say of that dangerous
moment which they had managed to
come through so unbetrayingly.
She was pretty sure that poor little
Nettie's fudge had been made for st.
Croix. "For all / know, he has been
seeing her and has discovered that
am the teacherw she speculated.
Not that she believed he had been
seeking Nettie. He was, for the time,
too engrossed in herself. But Nettie,
in her adolescent infatuatlon, may
have been thrusting herself upon him
and st. Croix would not be overscru-
pulous in accepting gifts the gods Of
fered.
"I'lI find out about that fudge"
Nicely resolved, "and IL he Is taking
advantage of that ignorant child, I'll
protect herr
She wondered, as she went on her
way, whether st. Croix would notice
the coat she wore. The season having
advanced too far for her gaudy wolfe
frock, without a wrap, she was IN
bit of a predicament. for her jacket
suit was far too stylish for the Nicely
of st. Croix' mental gallery and the
only other wrap she had was this half
worn-out coat she had used on the
steamer en- route for America, an Eng
fish tweed that had once been such a
first-class garment she feared st.
Croix would instantly detect its quail
ity and style-he was so obseryant
and informed in such matters-weN,
rather!
If he did notice that her coat was q
good English tweed and ask questions,
how on earth should she explain? She
would have to trust to the inspiration
of the moment.
'It's almost unbelievable that I've
come through so far without his dis
covering me! Tm-some-actress,
am! They'll certainly have to notice
me when get to Hollywood"
He was there ahead of her at their
meeting place and the nipping air OF
the hilltop had acted as an irritant
to both his passion and his temper. 1t
was getting much too cold for these
out-of-doors meetings and he knew of
no place under "a roof where they
could get together without risk OF de-
ction-especially as Meely's father
had grown suspicious for some rea-
son: he had brought old Schwenck-
toms funny letter with him to show
her: as a warning that she must be
more careful; he would demand an ex-
PLANTATION from her as to what she
had done to rouse her fathers suspi-
cion.
Was there no way that he could
have the girl except by taking her
away from her home altogether? But
of course he wasn't going to get him
self into that kind Of mess! Absurd
to think of it!
st. Croix still felt confident that
when he nodded his readiness, Nicely
would be only too glad and eager to
come to him. Why he had put it off
so long was a mystery to himself.
Something about her all along had
seemed to check his being precipi-
tate-though probably she was just as
impatient at his dallying as he himself
was.
But the time was surely ripe now
and he must delay no longer.
rI'm very displeased with you," he
began as they sat huddled together to
keep warm, on the big Cat log. 'What
on earth made you do such reckless
thing, my dear, as to send that box
of fudge to my home? My mother got
hold of it! Don't ever do such a fool
thing again, Nicely! What on earth
made you break out like that?"
"Ach, well-you see, you gimme
them swell handkerchiefs and SO l
wanted to pay you back"
"Of course it was nice Of; You to
make the candy for me-but to send
1t to my home! My mother asked all
sorts of questions-she's awfully wor-
ried-"
"She must be awful stuck-up If
you're so scared Of her knowin' you
travel with me! But l knowed folks
already that's got twicet as much as
she's got and they amt so proud that
they're ashamed to know me-"
"My mother isn't proud Nicely
she's the gentlest, sweetest, dear
est"
He spoke with such feeling that
Nicely, who so seldom saw him show
feeling for anyone but himself, was
impressed.
ITO Ru C0NTINTrEDN