The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1931-07-24
Fair Exchange Is
No Robbery
BY CHARLES SLOAN REID


(WNU Service,
HOWARD MOULTON sat on a
l bowlder overlooking a series of
shoals in the river. Near him sat Mol
lie Harkins. Howard was staring
toward the white spray which arose
from the rolling waters, watching the
little rainbows forming and disappear
ing, as the sunlight fell upon the mist.
Two weeks before, Moulton had been
dragged more dead than alive from
the waters of the lower tier Of these
shoals where the long low bridge
spanned the stream. An overturned
automobile which, for some unaccount-
able reason had decided 70 mount the
railing, had flung him there. The girl
who now sat only a few feet away,
studying his expression through big
brown eyes, had dragged him from
the waters; and she and her mother
had nursed him back to life In the
little cottage home which nestled
against the cliffs just above the east
end of the bridge. The wreck Of the
automobile still lay among the rocks
in the stream. AS Howard's gaze wan
dered to the wreck, he spoke:
ut was narrow escape for me,
Mollie,' he said. But for your strong
arms | should have passed from the
things of this life pretty quickly, I
imagine"
"Yuh did mos drown afore I could
git yuh out" agreed Mollie; "an'
reckon it's good thing | stayed there
at the toll station, watchin' after
yuhr car as it went on the bridge"
Yes; few minutes more might
have meant eternity for me. / shall
always be grateful, Mollie."
Mollie and her mother kept the toll
bridge on the Ravenall highway. Mol
| lie could see from the cottage anyone
coming down the road, or crossing
| from the west side. Promptly she
| would skip down to the little booth,
and collect the toll, allowing the trav-
| eler to proceed on his way without
| loss of time. Usually she did not tar
| ry after making her collection. But
| there was something about Howard
| Moulton which had strangely interest
| ed her. He had smiled, and had been
| very civil. She had liked his voice.
| too, and his blue eyes which seemed
to have such friendly gleam. SO she
! had watched after the car, wondering
if he would return that way AS she
| had been about to turn away, she had
en- the little roadster, to IT horror
mount the railing of the bridge Mol
| lie now was going over in her mind
the exciting period Of the rescue, when
Moulton's words broke in upon her
thoughts.
"Mollie," he began, "the letter which
came this morning was from Dad. He
is coming for me today"
Mollie's large eyes sent forth 8
startled look. "Why-why-" she
stammered: "ain't it a long trip
Hadn't yuh better wait spell long
er?"
No; have given you and your
mother trouble enough. But, Mollie
there is something I wanted to asl
you about. Perhaps | shouldn't, aftel
all your kindness to me?'
Mollie became deeply puzzled, ant
she looked toward Moulton with 6
large question in her eyes.
II hope you will understand" con
tinued Howard at is this: There wa:
something | had when | came here
even after you had pulled me from
the water / was conscious of having
! it. 1t was my most cherished posses
sion; and II have lost 1t while her,
In the house Of your mother"
Mollie Harkins came to her feet
She was deeply troubled. Lord, Mr.
Howard" she exclaimed; you've go
me plain scared We didn't take any
thing o. yours-we surely did,'tl"
"You were to call me just Howard
you know, Mollie?"
/ "Oh yeah; know. But Low your
accusin' me O. somethin', an'-an'
can't talk to yuh no more thet way
"You are the thief yourself, Mol
lie" Moulton's words came clearly.
The girl wheeled about Througl
her tears her eyes flashed fire. II
J amt SOL" she cried.
: "It is so, Mollie!" Howard had ris
en- "The thing | have lost Isis m,
heart, Mollie-and you have it !"
There was moment during whicl
strange amazeiaent held the CIR
speechless. Then she smiled, and tn
tear drops seemed to throw off littl
rainbows like the spray down tn
river
"Well," she acknowledged present
: ~, you got mine; an I've hyear,
{ that fair exchange amt no robbery.
She fled to Howard's arms AT tn
same time voice came from tn
shrubbery nearby.
"Well," said the voice, II expecte,
to find you in the most romantic spo
on the river after the letter I ha
from you, telling nothing but of tn
. charms of Mollie Harkins."
Moulton faced about, but did no
release the girl. Dad" he cried
this Is She"
i. THAT was not hard to guess, An
can understand now, Mis- Mollit
why the young scamp drove his ca
! off the bridge. He was willing t
Fl play with death to have a girl lik
you pull him out OF the water. Wei
am sura II was worth tha chancan