Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1935-03-22
CHAPTER Ill

admit his deceit.
CHAPTER III
Jessica's mother was still on the
bungalow veranda as Jessica and Jim
were family visible down on the beach.
She leaned forward after while
and stared hard.
1t seemed to her that they were
sitting rather close together. Really,
she thought, they seem to cast just one
shadow.
She got up for better view.
The good lady smiled happily. She
liked this young man, she liked him
far better than any of the score or
more who had yearned to marry Jes-
sica.
eff she is in his arms like that"
Mrs. Parkman murmured, "they are
as good as engaged"
After a while they arose.
The young man was kissing Jessica
she was sure of it. It did not alarm
Mrs. Parkman in the least. If Jessica
permitted young man to kiss her,
it was solely because she wanted him
to do so, and if Jessica wanted young
man to kiss her, it was all good and
proper.
They We're coming up from the
beach, arm in arm.
Mrs. Parkman sat down again and
appeared to be contemplating the new
crescent moon.
lawfully late for little girl like
you to be up" Jessica called to her
mother.
There was ring of happiness in her
voice.
Jim went up on the veranda beside
Mrs. Parkman.
II want to marry Jessica," he said.
swell, almost any bright young
man would, Mr.. Robinson" Mrs. Park
man answered, pleasantly.
"But this is bit different, mother"
Jessica said. 81 want that he should"
"Sure about it, or is it just the
moonlight and the waves?"
Mrs. Parkman was laughing at them
"Not the moon or waves or any
thing except JIM"
"Then I'm happy"
She reached up and patted Jim and
Rugged Jessica and kissed her. She
duly admired the ring and after a
while she said that she was rather
young to be sitting up so late.
"You really ought to go when the
milkman comes" Mrs. Parkman told
Jim. 1t was their standing joke, since
no milkman ever came, except when
one of the servants brought milk and
cream from the mainland in the day
time.
Mr.. James Robinson Harper was
almost happy.
There was one discord, one threat
ening dark cloud-he couldn't go on
forever posing as James Robinson.
Jessica had to know the truth, and
Jessica was lovely lady but she was
titian-haired and full of spirit. The
chances were she would be so angry
and embittered when she learned of his
deceit that she would break the en-
gagement, fly in rage and do all
sorts of things to end Jim Harper's
dream of bliss.
The next day he went to the MAIN
land and sent second urgent wire
to his father. He had already dis
patched long telegram begging him
to get his deed of the island and send
it at once, air mail.
This seemed to be the only way out. !
Very tactfully, with all diplomacy,
Jim would show Jessica this deed and
prove to her that she was mistaken
that it must be another of the many
islands nearby that her grandfather
had willed to her.
And then Jim figured, having prov
en- to her that she was wrong, she
would forgive him for being James
Robinson Harper instead of just Jas.
Robinson.
This time Jim had wired to his
father:
Imperative have deed. Others on
island claim it is their property. Most
beautiful girl in the world also in
volved. Don't fail to send deed byI
air mail at once"
Jim felt that this ought to make
his father hop to it. Especially the
beautiful girl part, since Jim had new
err shown much interest in girls.
The next day he brought over some
fish for the Parkman cook and some