The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-17
SYNOPSIS

RUTH WOoDsON, . pretty, hlgh-apiFited girl of 10, travelling Co the midwest in search of
 work, is put olf q bus in the lit- tie town of Worthwhile, when she runs out of money. A storm Is
 breaking and she seeks refuge in an old stone mansion with . blue door. Painting from hunger,
 Ruth is carried upstairs by the queer old hOusekeeper, BERTHA
 GIBBS, aoIsO known as "PEN- NY". and by JOHN McNEILL, from next door.
 Penny believes Ruth to be PLAIN CHALMERS, whose
 grandfather built the house. Elaine, meanwhile, at GraycastIe College, vows fin . sorority meet ing to win the love of John Mo-
 NeiII, her first sweetheart. She plans to go to Worthwhile.
 Ruth, in love with John, rec
 solves to stay on a while at the
 old house, pretending to he
 Elaine.
 A man, known as JOHN SMITH
 escapes from an institution for
 the crimlnaIly insane, buys q
 used-car and starts for W0Pth-
 vile where, he assures himself,
 "OId Bertha Gibbs VII hide me at the house with the blue door,"
 His car blows out tire, and, while he Is working with 1t, John
 McNeill, returning from a busi-
 ness trip offers to help. Smith dismisses him. Later both men
 wonder where they have seen the other before. John, driving home,
 thinks of the girl he calls
 "EIaine" and realizes that he
 loves her.
 CHAPTER XIV
 Soon after Penny's return from town the groceries arrived. Ruth helped her put them away on the pantry shelves. Studying the ann pie outlay, Ruth suggested: Sup pose make you cake, Penny? A day-late birthday cake!"
 'Myp' exclaimed Penny in sur prise, That would be grand. I can't recall when I had a cake; but can you cook, Miss Elaine?"
 "I can cook better than I can play golf" replied Ruth impress sively and with secret humor. T learned 1t at school"
 T can't hardly believe it." Pen ny marveled. You cookin' cake! It looks like there's no end to the ways you surprise me-"
 Ruth was collecting materials eggs. flour, sugar, baking powder --and was locating a mixing bowl. "We'll put beaten egg whites in the icing" she said, "since you've got plenty of fresh eggs"
 Penny ventured timidly, Could you somehow make the icing pink, Miss Elaine? I always thought it would be elegant to have a cake with pink icing"
 'Why, yes." Ruth answered, after over the pathetic request. T can color 1t with little of the water you're cooking the beets in. At least I'll do my best"
 Tn an hour the cake was cooling and waiting for its decoration. Ruth contriyed to color the icing by boiling the sugar in beet water. The result was such a delicate pink roth as to gladden. Penny's heart. Tears of pride came to the old eyes as she surveyed the beautiful, three-story structure which had been made for her with such infinite pains. 'I never thought to have the like" she ex- claimed.
 "WeIl cut 1t tonight after sup per-" Ruth said. While it's still soft and fresh."
 Later, after Penny had served Ruth and had cleared the supper table of the simple onc-coursc meal the cake was brought on. Since It was Penny's cake, Ruth felt 1t was ridiculous that 1t should be served by Penny rather than shared with Penny. She thought: T know Elaine would never do 1t, but I'm going to ask her to sit down at the table with me, so we can eat 1t together"
 She did. The old woman, after . bit of demurring, drew up a chair to the big walnut table and eagerly held out her plate for one of the soft, thick slices.
 She had just begun to eat, wear ing blissfulIy happy expres- sion on her face, when there came echoing through the house the sound of a knocker striking q door. Her jaws stopped in mid-air, as 1t were. while she hunched forward to listen. The knocking came again.
 old Bertha laid down her cake and got up. "Pll go see who 'tis,' v