Show Daily aily Short Fiction Story I HUNTING HOUSES By DOROTHY BLACKMORE Copyright 1915 by the tho McClure Newspaper Newspaper News News- paper Syndicate Can you OU lot lct me mc have havo the ke key to the Hanson Hanon cottage asked a young oung woman oman of the clerk In the village e real reap estate office I I think there I Is one here Do you ou wish to s sep so t it with a prospect Ct pt of rentIng renting renting rent rent- ing asked the clerk It Il Is la furnished jou Sou ou know Yes I Yes I do o know replied the strang strang- er I am visiting my aunt In South Vernon and It Is that we might com coins up here hero for COl or the ile summer if w we could fund find a suitable cottage collage Mrs e my aunt said she thought Vorse orse Co had the renting c We do and we vve arc having a er very bus busy renting season for summer ummer cotta cottages cottages cot cot- ta es even though It Is only April I Folks cant can't tr travel abroad co to hag ing to exist he hero e laughed the clerk Hard luck But fine But fine lor tor us Elaine Kent did not nol particularly fanc fancy tho the type of young oun man who wits was talking to her In such friendly fashion but she smiled and took the kc key e Summer cottages cottages cot cot- summer r and ard everything connected with it bor boro bored bord d d her this spring hut her mother had asre her tl to look about while she was visiting her aunt In Inthe Inthe inthe the summer resort Instead of going to her aunts aunt's house I 1 en she left the iho real estate agents agent's office of office office of- of fice she went straight to the cottage collaKe for tor which she had obtained the key She wong swung It icily hack back and forth while she ld to the tho Ion long Ions wooden tn tag that was to It When Fhe she reached tho the cottage that had been pointed out to her a as the one oneale ale sl-e sought she looked with favor tavor for forlie forthe the lie first time on the Io prospect p of sum- sum nu nH In ht America Heretofore she had harl gone to Brittany Britt or Normandy with a group of her hu friends from the academy y and th they had been wont to paint and sketch awa away Iho happy slim summer mr Now fow tho the European an war prevented her from going and anti she ahe chaffed under the restraint of remaining sedately It by th the thA side of her family for an Rn entire season leason Elaine lne W was WS as S fond ond it cf f her fA family but hut Ule they did not always alwa's and nd why ny cared c. so little for fol ron On social ocl life and ind preferred to be he wll with h a few Tow poor 1001 struggling art students She was tho the only member of tho the family who car cared 11 for tl c e artistic artl tlc In life and who had not been toNn fashioned from a perfectly conventional con conven t lonal mold Now as sho she entered tho the tiny garden to the cotta cottage e. e she looked loo about and appreciated the artistic artl setting setting set set- ting tang o of the cotta cottage oMa o. o Ma May cottage she read above the thedoor door ioor And An to so o named because e of theMay the tho thoMay May In trees In front I suppose e she said to herself herselt as she sheo Inserted the key 10 In inthe tho the lockA lock A slight must musty smell met her sen senses en es as sho she entered and to the darkening darkening dark clark ening fining sk sky without a aspect was presented I The living room of ot the tho cottage c was nicely furnished II in grass shades and there was nothing tt to the artistic art at artistic taste of the tho girl who stood within with with- in It It smells like e a tomb sho she ruminated ruminated ruminated rumi rumi- but ID I'D spared the sign 01 og the woven mottoes I had expected to see sec In inell Ill ell these cottages In this eld fashioned d village on tho the sound WrY ry Wr there thoro 1 isn't even cn the e traditional hor horsehair furniture Por th the m top table nor nor nor-no no not even a family Bible she cried aloud Each E. room vas as as pleasant a p pas as the tho first and anti Elaine found herself almost pleased at the prospect of living in ht tho the cottage for or the Iho summer Rummer She stood In a dainty chamber looking out when suddenly the tte clouds burst end nci the April shower that had been gathering for lor an tour lour descended upon tho the world outside Ill be like Golden hair who visited the bears' bears cot In tic the tho woods and go io to sleep on this loyol loyel bed she sho said sf to herself taking off ocr ocr nor hat I cant can't go suit out t in m this and spoil m my best spring I It was not long until she dozed dozel off orr Continued on pa page e 8 8 I J DAILY SHORT STORY Continued from page paJe 6 5 hll Idled c ctt tc tt slumber lumber b by tha pattering rain on tho the cottage root roof When she sho h awoke oko It was to look into tho the face faco of ot a young man who was vas studying study study- in ing her Intently Elaine Of Ol all things In tho the world I would have as 08 expected to selmy see sel seemy my grandmother slumbering here herd In this strange cottage a C as you you Roger Lano still sUII stared while Elaine only half halt awake Jumped to her feet feel and pinned on her hat Why Why where am I Roper Roger I tO J- Youre In a for rent cottage in Vernon croon all alone and I have o been looKIng looking looK looK- Ing Ins at tho the place for m my married sl sister to upend spend tho the summer In Elaine EI looked up as 1 if it sho she understood the tIle situation Sho Suo was wl wide e awake awak now new A shower came up and I didn't 1 ant v nt to spoil TO my suit sho she explained I got sot the kG key from froni Mr dr Ir Verse Vorse Un the Unreal thereal real estate agent said s. Roger Hoger And Aid his clerk cUrk gave mo inc mine mine add Elaine it too weird for tor words Sho She Inu laughed hed now and Roger her as the they descended the pretty prett stair stair- WI v ay to the living S' S room Into which atu u It tu turned ned ned i-ned Why hy are aro you hou o hunting 1 Roger nOlor Because I J cant can't go o with the student to France Franco of or cour course e. e she sho said Mid ea Oh Oli for or one ono more mono o of summer summer- breathed Roger Roer Tho They both looked reminiscent for tor a 11 afew afew few tew moments moment and arid then n th the they both bolh away as I If each would prevent the other from Crom seeing sec what was uppermost in hl hi hb Sri mind nil If II If If your people take tako this cotta cottage and perhaps I am ablo able to find on one nearby for us us we wo could find som sketching f to do hereabouts Elaine could wo tl not 7 no Roger r asked asker Why Why wo wo might Elaine answered d happl as aa I If the thou thought ht wen a welcome wel el elcome el- el come one I ahall recommend this house o to mother with real enthusiasm rn If JC I can find ono one for or Sis Sic asked no Roger r Oh but Oh but o of course Elaine admitted d blushing And during durinA the following week or Vorse Co rented two to cott ps through having has hav ing log given gl tho the two keys to I he tho same cottage cot cot- tage taga to two In Individuals ls on an afternoon when heIt a 0 shower had come suddenly over tr tho the village of or South Vernon |