Smyrna times., 1932-09-21
WEEKLY STORY
AROUND TABLE
Reading to While Away Time
Under the Evening Lamp
When Days Work is Done
INTERESTING READING
"NEVER TOO LATE FOR LOVE-
BY H. Irving King


Af1 should be a warning to all
girls of marriageable age. After. as
everybody said, ''fiinging herself at
the head" of Howard Harrop, How
ard had Tilted ner. Had Margaret
been in love with faithless wooer?
Well, no-as matter of fact, she
had not. She had, however. been
rather in love with his motor car,
his yacht and his country house,
and she felt the blow keenly
There had never been any formal
engagement between Margaret and
Howard, but he had paid her
marked attention-and then gone off
and married somebody else, leaving
her to wear the willow. Well, after
all, Margaret was not wholly to
blame for her part in the incident
she had been brought up that
way-first to consider the fortune
and then the man who pos
sessed it.
Served me right" said Margaret's
final verdict on the affair. People
talked and Margaret rose to the oc-
casion, setting afloat a rumor that
she had Tilted Howard and not
Howard her-a rumor which she
fostered and circulated with such
tact and persistence that when it
came to the ears of Harrop he half
believed it himself.
But after all she felt rather "out
IF it." She saw young people max
ing love, getting engaged and mar
rying around her and wondered If
there was not somewhere in the
world another life without which
her life was incomplete" And then
her parents died and left her little
or nothing: and then her great
aunt died and left her a great for
tune. And Margaret was now thir-
ty years old.
Together with her aunt's estate
Margaret took over as manager of
it the man who had so long con-
Quoted the financial affairs Of her
estimable and deceased relative.
There is no use in Disgusting it
strike up the band here comes the
hero. Phillip Cummings, the finan-
cial director aforesaid, was of
about Margaret's own age-perhaps
year or two younger. though he
looked older. He was a staid. quiet
person.
Naturally he and Margaret were
thrown very much together in the
way of business. and to her sur
prise. the young man found that
she was lingering over business
matters with her secretary longer
than was absolutely required BY the
circumstances. What did this mean?
Could it be? But pshaw she was
thirty years old She saw no signs
that she had awakened in Phillip
Cummings sentiments which she
now realized had taken possession
of her own heart. Was she destined
never TO be loved? What was there
about her that debarred her from
experiencing once in her life. the
joyous knowledge that some one
loved her?
But there she was, debarred BY
the very nature of things, from any
betrayal Of her real feelings in the
matter. Suppose she. should. mad
vertently. betray herself; and
should meet with no responsel The
thought was too horrible. She
would see as little as possible of
Phillip; would hold him at a dis
tance lest she should hold him too
near. The result was that an icy
barrier seemed to arise between the
two who had before been on a re
lation as nearly "chummy'' as the
positions of employer and employed
permitted. Phillip felt the change.
Things could manifestly not go
on this way: One day Phillip Of
fered his resignation. "You will
find everything in order, think. !"
said he, "and naturally ! will stay
until you provide yourself with an
other manager"
'But why do you resign, Phil
Mr.. Cummings?" asked Margaret.
He noticed the slip and blushed-
and Margaret bIushed, too. Are
you not satisfied with your salary?
or is 1t your employer that you
are dissatisfied with?"
"My salary is most satisfactory"
replied Phillip. "and until lately my
employer has been all kindness"
"Then you have noticed a change
in me of late?"
81 have. Miss Howard"
ITO what do you ascribe this
changer"
''To my presumption"
"Your presumption? Pray what
have you presumed?"
"Oh. Miss Howard" crieo Cum
mings. do not question me-pray
let me gO-it Is best"
"Phillip." said she, using his
Christian name without hesitancy.
"do you really want to leave me?"
Their eyes met and for a mo-
ment they gazed at each other with