The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-04-07


"Cynthia's always right"
"You don't tell me, Miss Jumping
Jill"
She laughed joyously. Jumping
JILL That's lovely name. I'll tell Gym
thia. Now watch me jump the steps "
The rope flashed In quick arc, the
childs slippers rose and fell. Geoff, to
be out of her way. went up the eight
steps which led to the porch and stood
waiting for her there. Near the door
stood table, and he had an oppor-
tunity for quick survey of what 1t
held. A bit of dainty sewing, the
needle quilted carefully into the filmy
stuff; book on amateur photography.
its pages held open by half-eaten
apple; sample budget book issued
by national firm, a line drawn
through the printed figures and pen
ciled ones substituted; roller skate
with its strap broken; a pair of tor
toise-rimmed spectacles; fountain
pen with its cap off; and handker-
chief on which someone recently and
very copiously had had nose-bleed.
'The spectacles belong to Captain
Cary" Geoff unused. t'The skate and
the andkerchief-cause and effect -
are the childs. The sewing done by
pretty girl-and the book indicates
camera complex on young Cary's
part. The budget book and the ap
pie"
Miss Jumping Jill interrupted this
exercise of his deductive powers. She
flung herself upon him again, gasping
but triumphant.
II did it! / didn't miss single
one!"
"Good for you" Geoff took out his
handkerchief and mopped her hot face.
"What d'you say we call it day on
this jumping business? Run-no, walk,
won't you?-in and tell Mrs. Ayles-
bury that Geoff Ensloe's come to CALL"
THAT'S a funny name," she said i'm
personally. Mines Tenny."
"Tenny?"
''Tenny Montague"
He held out his hand and she slipped
her own small one in it. mighty glad
to know you Tenny!"
"So'm I. l mean I'm glad to know
you. I'll go and tell Miss Mona now.
You better wait here"
She flashed into the house. Geoff
could hear her slippered feet crossing
the parquet floor inside, then dying
away into silence.
Geoff, waiting for Tenny to return,
lost himself in admiration of the glori-
GUS view 1t was his first visit to
Colorado and he found it's heady air,
its dreamlike vistas, it's sharp con-
trasts interesting So enthralled was
he with what he saw that 1t was
with a start he realized that nearly
ten minutes had elapsed since the
child disappeared.
He rang the bell and though he
could hear it's tinkle far in the back
of the house, no one appeared to an
swer it. At last he walked boldly
around the porch to where the veranda
ceased with two shallow steps down
to the grass.
At little distance group of peo-
pie were clustered beneath an apple
tree. The tall, sweet-faced. gray
haired woman must be Mona Ayles-
bury, his mothers friend, Geoff
thought. The old man with the beau
tifully brushed white hair and the mus
tache and imperial was Captain Cary.
Tenny was there; also negro woman.
They were all bending over something
that lay en- the ground. Geoff's foot
falls were inaudible on the grass and
he cleared his throat to make his pres
ence known.
Everybody turned in his direction
and Tenny ran forward remorsefully.
81 forgot! went to find Miss Mona
and she was out here"
Geoff interrupted her. ''Im Geoff
Ensloe, Mrs. Aylesbury. My mother"
He saw that there were tears in her
eyes. She brushed them away quiet
unaffectedly. and smiled at him.
''Eunice Hampton's son! My dear
bog. welcome!" Both her hands were
held out to him and when Geoff took
them she held up her face very SIM
ply for his kiss. AS he stopped his
tall head, little glow warmed his
heart. Here was welcome indeed!
"Father, this is Eunice Hampton's
boy. You remember Eunice?"
Captain Cary was equally cordial.
"Glad to see you, boy! Remember
your mother? I should think l do re-
member her! Loved her almost as
much as did my own daughter here!
What good fortune brings you to Den
ver?"
Before he could explain, Mrs. Ayles-
bury touched his arm, her eyes again
filling with tears.
"Geoff, see! Do you think you
could do anything for him"
On the ground and partly hidden by
the STOPPING colored woman lay cocker
spaniel. The dogs throat was badly
torn and Geoff's experienced eyes told
him that the little animal was near
its end. He knelt and made quick
examination
"Done for, Tn afraid" he said re
charna m Iak him